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Reflections on the Evidentiary Basis of Indoor Air Quality Standards

Author

Listed:
  • Christiane Berger

    (Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, Human Building Interaction, Aalborg University, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark)

  • Ardeshir Mahdavi

    (Department of Building Physics and Building Ecology, Faculty of Architecture and Planning, TU Wien, 1040 Vienna, Austria)

  • Elie Azar

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada)

  • Karol Bandurski

    (Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Energy, Institute of Environmental Engineering and Building Installations, Poznań University of Technology, 60-965 Poznań, Poland)

  • Leonidas Bourikas

    (Energy & Climate Change Group, School of Engineering, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK)

  • Timuçin Harputlugil

    (Department of Architecture, Çankaya University, Ankara 06790, Turkey)

  • Runa T. Hellwig

    (Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, Human Building Interaction, Aalborg University, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark)

  • Ricardo Forgiarini Rupp

    (Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
    Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Section of Engineering Design and Product Development, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark)

  • Marcel Schweiker

    (Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Healthy Living Spaces Lab, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany)

Abstract

Buildings are expected to provide healthy and comfortable indoor environmental conditions for their users. Such conditions have diverse dimensions, including thermal, visual, air quality, auditory, and olfactory aspects. Indoor environmental quality standards, guidelines, and codes typically inform professionals in the building design and operation phase in view of procedural, contractual, and legal boundary conditions. Given this critical role of standards, it seems significant to examine the applicability and scientific validity on a regular basis. In this context, the present paper focuses on the standard-based definition of indoor air quality (IAQ) indicators and their respective values. Hence, the main aim of this effort is to study several common national and international IAQ standards in view of the scope to which they include direct or indirect evidence for the validity and applicability of their mandates and requirements. To this end, selected IAQ standards were assessed via a structured schema that includes not only basic information, quality indicators, and suggested and recommended value ranges, but also any reference to scientific studies. The findings of this effort identify certain issues with the transparency of the chain of evidence from the results of technical literature and standard-based IAQ recommendations. Moreover, recommendations are made for the development of future transparent and evidence-based IAQ standards and guidelines.

Suggested Citation

  • Christiane Berger & Ardeshir Mahdavi & Elie Azar & Karol Bandurski & Leonidas Bourikas & Timuçin Harputlugil & Runa T. Hellwig & Ricardo Forgiarini Rupp & Marcel Schweiker, 2022. "Reflections on the Evidentiary Basis of Indoor Air Quality Standards," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-18, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:20:p:7727-:d:947193
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alessandra Cincinelli & Tania Martellini, 2017. "Indoor Air Quality and Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-5, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Christiane Berger & Ardeshir Mahdavi & Eleni Ampatzi & Sarah Crosby & Runa T. Hellwig & Dolaana Khovalyg & Anna Laura Pisello & Astrid Roetzel & Adam Rysanek & Marika Vellei, 2023. "Thermal Conditions in Indoor Environments: Exploring the Reasoning behind Standard-Based Recommendations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-22, February.

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