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Air Toxics in a New Australian Dwelling over an 8-Month Period

CSIRO Building, Construction and Engineering, Highett, Vic., Australia

A 'healthy house' was constructed in Sunbury, a suburb north of Melbourne, Australia, in early 1998. It was designed with a tight building envelope to minimise air infiltration and a ducted mechanical ventilation (and heat recovery) system providing a minimum ventilation rate of 0.35 air changes per hour. This system also included partial filtration and dehumidification of the air. Many (but not all) construction materials were selected to be low-VOC emission products (e.g. paint topcoat and lac quers, laminated flooring and cupboards). Total volatile organic compound (TVOC) concentrations were approxi mately 4,000 µg.m ^-3 just after construction, decreasing by a double-exponential model to 300 µg.m^-3 by 8 months, which is below the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) goal of 500 µg.m^-3. Formal dehyde concentration was near the NHMRC goal of 130 µg.m^-3 at construction, and also decreased by a double-exponential model, but to a long-term (months to years) concentration of 60 µg.m^-3. Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, microbial pollutants and dust mite allergens were also monitored.

Key Words: Volatile organic compounds • Formaldehyde • House dust mites • Building materials • Ventilation • Design

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