Ventilation and indoor air quality in new homes

Building Regulations in England and Wales require that there is adequate provision for ventilation in new homes and guidance on meeting the requirement is primarily based on the need to control moisture. The guidance was last amended in 1995 and as part of the preparation for a further review BRE undertook a study of ventilation and indoor air quality in homes in England built since 1995. The main part of the project involved a winter and summer period of monitoring of nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, particulates, temperature and humidity in 37 homes. Concurrent with pollution measurements were measurements of the rate of air exchange of the indoor air with the outdoors using a perfluorocarbon tracer (PFT) technique. The air tightness of the structure was also determined for each home using a pressurisation test. Subsequently more detailed measurements of pollutants and ventilation were undertaken in five homes. The relationships between house characteristics, occupant behaviour, ventilation rate and concentration of pollutants were assessed and the indoor air quality evaluated with respect to available guidelines.