Building standards - ventilation guidance: research
Research to investigate whether changes made to the building standards guidance in 2015 (standard 3.14) have resulted in better occupant interaction with the dwellings natural ventilation components and improved levels of indoor air quality within the dwelling.
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Footnotes
1. TM59-criterion-2: for bedrooms only, from 10 pm to 7 am, operative temperatures shall not exceed 26°C for more than 1% of annual hours
2. Sharpe T, McQuillan J, Howieson S, Farren P, Touhy P (2014) Research Project To Investigate Occupier Influence On Indoor Air Quality In Dwellings, Scottish Government Technical Report (Local Government and Communities Building Standards Division), 21 August 2014. https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/50463/
3. Sharpe et al. 2018, Ability of decentralized mechanical ventilation to act as 'whole-house' ventilation systems in new-build dwellings', The Scottish Government, http://radar.gsa.ac.uk/7085/1/Final%20report%20dMEV.pdf
4. Jaakkola, J. J. & Miettinen, P., 1995. Ventilation Rate in Office Buildings and Sick Building Syndrome. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 52(11), pp. 709-714.
6. This percentage is in contrast with the 16% who stated that they received advice on ventilation. Conceptually, the advice of the use the CO2 monitor falls within the scope of ventilation advice. However, being CO2 monitors relatively new and not applicable to all buildings in the UK, when designing the questionnaire, we purposely kept this question separate as we know that inquiring occupants about ventilation advice, traditionally it is meant if occupants have received any explanation regarding windows, trickle vents and mechanical extracts (as shown in paragraph 3.29) and the different detailed responses in Q30 and Q35 are evidence of this meaning of ventilation advice.
7. LGCD (2017) Building Standards domestic ventilation supporting guidance version 2.1. Part of Building, planning and design. Available at Building Standards domestic ventilation: supporting guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
8. H14 is a 3-bed semi-detached, with a household of 5 family members, of which one new-born sleeping in main bedroom with the parents.
9. H3 is a one aspect one bedroom flat on a converted church with one occupant.
10. H5 is a mid-terrace occupied by a couple. During the first survey, the occupants expressed their preference for a warm environment even at the expense of indoor air quality.
11. H8 is a flat occupied by a couple.
12. H1 is Passivhaus flat with 2 occupants.
13. Further investigation can look at the status of the MVHR system during summer to make sense of the higher CO2 values.
14. H10 is a ground floor flat with one occupant. The occupant suffers from asthma.
15. H7 is a ground floor 2 bedroom flat. At the time of the survey, researchers found that the mechanical extract grille located in the kitchen (living-kitchen) was covered with a box by the occupant, who complained of excessive draught coming from it.
16. H12 and H13 are two identical 3 bed-semi-detached homes from the same development. During the initial survey occupants complained of mould infestation in the lofts (confirmed by the researchers). Through discussions with the occupants it appears that the construction company has not provided sufficient ventilation in the roof with consequent mould formation in the loft. As reported by the occupant, this issue concerns all the development therefore all homes and that construction company has repeatedly deployed mould bomb foggers, but the mould has regrown. One occupant also showed us the roof vent installed only in one of the homes as a remedial action towards this unresolved issue.
17. Met Office 2022, 2022_03_july_heatwave. Available at https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/binaries/content/assets/metofficegovuk/pdf/weather/learn-about/uk-past-events/interesting/2022/2022_03_july_heatwave_v1.pdf
20. TM59-criterion-2: for bedrooms only, from 10 pm to 7 am, operative temperatures shall not exceed 26°C for more than 1% of annual hours.
21. Many homes reported not having received ventilation advice. However, after inspecting some of these homes' house manuals (where available), in some cases, written advice was provided. Nonetheless, it was noted that in many cases the householders felt it was not explained to them.
22. TM59-criterion-2: for bedrooms only, from 10 pm to 7 am, operative temperatures shall not exceed 26°C for more than 1% of annual hours.
23. Howieson, S. G., Sharpe, T. & Farren, P (2014) How are new air tightness standards affecting indoor air quality in dwellings? Building Services Engineering Research and Technology. 35, 5, p. 475-487 13 p. Building tight – ventilating right?
24. Stamp S, Burman E, Shrubsole C. et al (2021) Seasonal variations and the influence of ventilation rates on IAQ: A case study of 5 Low-Energy London Apartments.
25. SFHA (2022). What's on. Available at https://www.sfha.co.uk/whats-on/event-details/understanding-the-role-of-ventilation
26. RIAS Practice Information for Chartered practices. (2016) OS1612: Ventilation Design Strategy – Flowchart Section 3.0 Guidance. Available at https://rias.org.uk/for-practices/practice-notes
28. BSI Standards Publication.. BS 5250:2021 Management of moisture in buildings — Code of practice. 2021
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