Health driven Indoor Air Quality - The case of Children -

Eduardo de Oliveira Fernandes Professor Emeritus – University of Porto

Portugal

Berlin, September 2018

One Planet, one Air

Global Regional/Urban Building/Apartment

(Indoor) Air quality and health

Dose

Exposure = concentration

x time

Health risk factors include exposure to air pollutants (indoors, from ventilations systems and outdoors).

For the same concentration of pollutants in the air, the exposure tends to be close to 10 times higher indoors… (time effect)

Health effects

R&D on IAQ for children

Children spend most of their daily time indoors:

R&D TARGETS Knowledge about human exposures in early-life that take place in the most critical indoor environments.

Diagnose indoor environment–related problematic cases and risk factors

Provide information on recommendations on targeted interventions based on IAQ strategies and policies

Promote awareness-raising campaigns on IAQ .

Home

School

Motorized transport

Swimming pool and other recreational facilities

R&D on IAQ 25 years of collaborative action 1. European IAQ Audit 1992-1994

IAQ Audits: 56 office buildings

2. SOPHIE 1994-1997 European data base for indoor air pollution sources

3. MATHIS 1998-2001 Materials for healthy indoor spaces

4. INDEX 2002-2004 Selection of the critical pollutant list

5. HOPE 2002-2005 IAQ Audits: 97 Homes and 64 office buildings

6. ENVIE 2004-2008 Source control strategy

7. IAIAQ 2010-2011 ENVIE expanded application case for EU countries (26)

8. SINPHONIE 2010-2012 IAQ Audits: 114 Schools (340 classrooms)

9. INDOOR AIR MONIT 2010-2012 IAQ assessment: criteria and protocols

10. OFFICAIR 2010-2013 IAQ Audits: 167 office buildings

11. EPHECT 2010-2013 Consumer products: emissions, exposure and effects

12. HEALTHVENT 2010-2014 From source control to health-based ventilation

13. AIRLOG 2012-2014 Operating auditing procedures

14. HEALS 2013-2019 IAQ audit: 30 newborn twin’s homes

1992

1994

2002

2010

2013

1998

2004

2012

(…)

25 years of consistent research work on IAQ R&D, policy making, good practice promotion and preparation of management tools.

Supporting WHO policies

Working with DG Research and DG Sanco

Promoting interaction with CEN working Groups and w/ Health partners

R&D projects on IAQ for children

2010

2013

2012

2015 (...)

Project Population Building typology IAQ Audits

SCHOOLS

SINPHONIE Europe-wide pilot project 2010- 2012

5 175 school children 23 EU countries

114 schools (3 in Porto) 340 classrooms (Kindergarten and primary rooms)

PORTO I EME project 2013-2014

Pre-school and school children Porto Metropolitan area

54 Schools buildings 76 Classroom of primary schools 31 kindergaten rooms

PORTO II ARIA project 2013-2015

1134 school children and some families Porto

20 primary schools 73 classrooms 76 school children’ homes

HOMES EXHES-HEALS European project Ongoing

Up to 200 newborn children 10 EU countries

30 Newsborn’ twins homes

SWIMMING POOLS

HEBE National project Ongoing

Young swimmers 20 indoor chlorinated swimming pools

R&D on IAQ for children Towards a rational solution…

ARIA Project - 20 Schools, Porto’s downtown - 2013-2015

EME Project - 54 Schools, Porto metropolitan area - 2013-2014

SINPHONIE Project – 114 European schools (3 in Porto) - 2010-2012

Test ID Opening “arrangements” Cross area of openings

[m2]*

A IN1 + IN3 + OUT1, 2 and 3 0.10

B A + CW3.1 + CW3.2 1.42

C A + All HW and CW3.1+CW3.2 2.56

D A + All HW + CW1.1 + CW3.1 + CW3.2 3.22

E A + All CW + All HW 5.20

IAQ in Schools: Ventilation SINPHONIE case study Ventilation in a traditional Portuguese naturally ventilated primary School

IAQ in Schools: Radon in a school case in Porto

WHO guidelines( 2010) 100 Bq/m3 PT legislation (Port n.º 353-A/2013) 400 Bq/m3

Indoor Radon ~ 10000 Bq/m3

School Building location - soil contribution

IAQ in newborn children’s homes

http://heals.inegi.up.pt/

A. BUILDING and Surroundings

B. HOME/ DWELLING

C. ROOM(S)

Pilot exposure and health survey (EXHES) in the scope of the HEALS- Health and Environment-wide Associations based on Large population Surveys project

funded by the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission

00:02:53

1) IAQ survey through an e-checklist specifically designed for residential buildings

2) Pollutant sampling and monitoring work

↑RISK Respiratory diseases Dermatology problems

Cancer

Disinfection of water in swimming pools

Regular pool attendance

Volatile Disinfection by-products (DBPs)

Trihalomethanes (THMs)

Chloramines

Ingestion Inhalation

Skin absorption

WATER AIR

IAQ in swimming pools

IAQ in swimming pools

Main findings (based on HEBE results) (1) Exposure to air THM is significantly increased during periods of greater attendance and

high-intensity activities;

(2) Swimmers are exposed to particularly higher airborne THM levels than swimming pool staff;

(3) Ventilation practices in winter need to be better revised in order to avoid accumulation of DBP in indoor air.

These findings provide opportunities for the development of more comprehensive evidence-based guidelines to safeguard the health of indoor swimming pool’s occupants.

General location in the city/area

Surrounding relevant pollution sources (main roads, traffic, industry)

Orientation of dominant winds

Green areas

Construction materials Envelope performance

(moulds and dampness) Equipment Furnishing

Consumer products

Local extraction Air exchange

Openings orientations Air cleaning systems

Frequency and density of occupation

Activities Cleaning and maintenance

Building location Indoor pollutant sources

Ventilation Occupants

R&D knowledge: IAQ is founded on Four Main Pillars

IAQ

Strategy for healthy indoor air for children

Strategy for healthy indoor air for children

1) Priority to source control

ENVIE EC Project

Strategy for healthy indoor air for children

2) Source control & Minimum ventilation rate

HEALTHVENT Project

Strategy for healthy indoor air for children

Priority to source control (building materials, consumer products, actions at the level of urban planning and design, etc). For classrooms, a proper ventilation rate is particularly important to remove air pollutants introduced in the indoor space by the occupants, such as products of occupants’ metabolism (mainly CO2 concentrations), and pollutants resultant from teaching activities. Ventilation rate is health-based and is defined and expressed as litres/second per person and no longer simply as air changes per hour” and that “natural ventilation must be designed and operated to meet the required ventilation level.

© WHO 2010

© WHO 2009

© WHO 2006

© EC 2014

© EC 2004 © EC 2011

© EC 2004-2008 © EC 2010-2014

Thank you! Obrigado!