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Discomfort Caused by Odorants and Irritants in the Air *
Author(s) -
Fanger P. Ole
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
indoor air
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.387
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 1600-0668
pISSN - 0905-6947
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0668.1998.tb00013.x
Subject(s) - ventilation (architecture) , indoor air quality , architectural engineering , air quality index , quality (philosophy) , environmental science , forensic engineering , engineering , environmental engineering , meteorology , mechanical engineering , geography , philosophy , epistemology
Why are we ventilating buildings and how much ventilation is required? These are the fundamental questions that engineers, architects and hygienists have tried to answer over the past two hundred years. Dramatic changes in the philosophy behind ventilation have occurred but during the last half century, buildings have been ventilated primarily to avoid discomfort caused by odorants and irritants in the air, i.e. to establish an indoor air quality that is perceived as acceptable for humans. This philosophy is still behind ventilation standards at present being revised in different parts of the world, although health effects are also being considered. The historical development will be briefly reviewed and common new trends in the revisions of European and American standards will be discussed. New data on the additivity of sensory pollution sources and on the impact of temperature and humidity will be reviewed. A new paradigm shift in the philosophy behind ventilation is predicted.