title: Sanitation programmes for living spaces and health risks involved.
abstract: The former GDR had adopted a housing programme focusing on developing new residential high-rise building areas with district heating at the outskirts of the cities. Deterioration of residential buildings in the city centres was a result of this policy. Since 1990, energy saving measures have been implemented, including installation of new windows, provision of heat insulation and conversion of the old heating systems to non-polluting energy carriers. At the same time many people began to refurnish their homes. While pollution of the outside world could be reduced, considerable problems in the interior rooms emerged. On request of the Public Health Agencies, the Institute of Hygiene of Saxony-Anhalt renders administrative assistance providing environmental health consultancy services. The health disturbances observed occur in connection with the new tight windows and doors. The occupants participate in the problem by not airing their flats sufficiently in an attempt to save heating costs.
authors.affiliation: Hygiene Institut Sachsen-Anhalt, Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sobottka
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thriene
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000032:analysis; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005858:Germany; D011638:Public Housing; D018877:Sick Building Syndrome
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005557:Formaldehyde