title: Indoor Environmental Quality in Mechanically Ventilated, Energy-Efficient Buildings vs. Conventional Buildings.
abstract: Energy-efficient buildings need mechanical ventilation. However, there are concerns that inadequate mechanical ventilation may lead to impaired indoor air quality. Using a semi-experimental field study, we investigated if exposure of occupants of two types of buildings (mechanical vs. natural ventilation) differs with regard to indoor air pollutants and climate factors. We investigated living and bedrooms in 123 buildings (62 highly energy-efficient and 61 conventional buildings) built in the years 2010 to 2012 in Austria (mainly Vienna and Lower Austria). Measurements of indoor parameters (climate, chemical pollutants and biological contaminants) were conducted twice. In total, more than 3000 measurements were performed. Almost all indoor air quality and room climate parameters showed significantly better results in mechanically ventilated homes compared to those relying on ventilation from open windows and/or doors. This study does not support the hypothesis that occupants in mechanically ventilated low energy houses are exposed to lower indoor air quality.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, Vienna 1090, Austria. peter.wallner4@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wallner
authors.affiliation: Austrian Institute for Healthy and Ecological Building, Alserbachstraße 5, Vienna 1090, Austria. office@innenraumanalytik.at.
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Munoz
authors.affiliation: Austrian Institute for Healthy and Ecological Building, Alserbachstraße 5, Vienna 1090, Austria. p.tappler@innenraumanalytik.at.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tappler
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sociology, University Vienna, Austria, Alserbachstraße 5, Vienna 1090, Austria. anna.wanka@univie.ac.at.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wanka
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, Vienna 1090, Austria. michael.kundi@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kundi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, Vienna 1090, Austria. janie.shelton@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Janie F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Shelton
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, Vienna 1090, Austria. hans-peter.hutter@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Hutter
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D000447:Aldehydes / Q000032:analysis; D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001317:Austria; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D002980:Climate; D003246:Conservation of Energy Resources; D009622:Noise; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014691:Ventilation / Q000379:methods*; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D000485:Allergens; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D011886:Radon
keywords: energy-efficient buildings; indoor air quality; measurements; mechanical ventilation; natural ventilation