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Indoor Air Quality: Office Health, Saftey and Well-Being University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Office of Sustainability Legacy Theses 1998 Indoor air quality: Office health, saftey and well-being Ha, Mona M. Ha, M. M. (1998). Indoor air quality: Office health, saftey and well-being (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/15102 http://hdl.handle.net/1880/26308 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscnscnpthas been rspFoduced fithe m~lmmaster- UMI film the text directly from the origid w copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typmwiter face, while athem mybe from any type of computer printer. ThequrlityofthbmpmdWbnir~~th.qwliCyofthecopy subm~.Brdrm or indistinct writ, cokred or poor qualii illustmths and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affed re^, In the unlikely event iha lhe author did not send UMI a complete manu-t and there are missing pages, will be noted. Also, if unauthked copyright material had to be removed, a note will ind'cate the deletion. Oversize materials (8.g.. maps, drawings, chartr) am reproducsd by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper M-hand comer and fram left to right in equal -0ns with small ovef@s. Photographs included in the original manuscript have IWWInprodu~ed xerographiilly in this copy. Higher quality 6' x Q Wlck and whii phot~~raphic prints are available for ay photographs or illustntionc -ring in this copy br an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order- Bell & Howell Information and Lemming 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 481OS1346 USA NOTE TO USERS This reproduction is the best copy available. UMI INDOOR AIR QUALITY Office Health, Safety and Well-Being Mona M. Ha 4 Master's Degree Project submitted to the Faculty of Environmental Design in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Environmental Design (Planning) The Faculty of Environmental Design The University of Calgary Calgary, Alberta September 1998 National Library EEzzr nationale Acquisitions and AcquMiors et Bibliographic Services services bWrographiques 395 Weaingm Street 395. w- OttawaON KIA- O~awaW- KIAW Canada CaMda The author has granted a nono L7auteura accorde une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive pennettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibliothrne nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distriiute or sell reproduire, prh, distriiuer ou copies of this thesis m microform, vendre des copies de cette these sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/fih, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format electroniqye. The author retains ownerdip of the L7autemconserve la propriete5 du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit &auteur qui prot&gecette these. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent 6tre imprimes reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autoxisation. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank Professor Tang Lee for his introduction to designing safe and healthy environments and increasing the awareness of my surroundings. Ris constructive critique of this project was greatly appreciated I am gmtefid for his support and encouragement in completing this project, even on those many days when it seemed fa hmpossible. I appreciate the motivation and editorial support offered by my peers. Most of all, I am grateful to my family and loved ones for their support, patience and unconditional love - for pushing me forward and onward with my life. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................w..................................................................III TABLE OF CONTENTS ..o..oow.......ooo.o........o.........~...H~WOO~OO.OOOO.~OO..O~..O~O..O~w~~..~o.ooo.o.o.~~~.~.o~..o~.... .. IV LIST OF TABLES moowoo ..~ooo.o..o..~o~ooo.oomo~om.~moo~ooooomm.*.ow~~mmom~~.ooooo***ooo~~o o~oo~o~~o~~moo~mo~~oo~~~~~oo~oo~~o~~~~~~~~~VII LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................0.W ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................................. VIII: 1.0 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................w..............w....... 9 1.1 STUDY RATIONaE ................................................................................................... -9 1-2 STUDY OBECTIVES.......... .-. ...................................................................................... 9 1.3 METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY ........................................................................... 10 1.3.1 Literature Review............................................................................ 10 1.3.2 Keycontacts .......................................................................................................... 11 1.3.3 SituationalReview............................. ......-.... .................................................. 11 1.3.4 Recomendations for Healthy Indoor Air, .......................................................... 12 1.3.5 Limitations ofthe Study ........................................................................................ 12 1.4 OVERVIEW OF THE MASTER'S DEGREE PROJECT ............................................ 13 2.0 THE CASE FOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT ............. .............. 15 2.1 CONCERNS FOR HEALTHY INDOOR AIR IN THE WORKPLACE .....................15 2.2 MEASUREMENT OF AMBIENT AND INDOOR AIE2 POLLUTION ................... ... 16 2.3 MAJOR FACTORS DRIVING CONCERN FOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY ............. 17 2.3.1 Amount of Time Spent Indoors ............................................................................ -17 2.3.1. t Greater Risk of Exposure ......................... ..... ................................................. 17 2.3 -2 Increasing Dependence on McialProducts .....--.-- ...... ................................... 18 2.3.2.1 Increase in Sources of Air Pollution .................................................................. 18 2.3.3 Energy Conservation............................................................................................ 19 . * 2.3 -4 Advances in Mehcme........................................................................................... -20 2.4 SUMMARY................................................................................................................... 20 3.0 IAQ IN THE OFFICE BUILDING ENVIRONMENT................................................ 21 3.1 Energy Efficiency and Indoor Air Quality ................ ........ .......................................*.21 3.1.1 Modifications of the HVAC System...................................................................... 21 3.2 Indoor Air Quality and Office Buildings ....................................................................... 22 3.2.1 Indoor Air Quality in the Canadian Context ........................ ... .... .. .......22 3-3 Indoor Air Quality Health Concems.............................................................................. 23 3.3.1 Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) ............................................................................ -24 3-3 -2 Building-Related Ilhess (BRI) ............................................................................. -24 3-3 -3 Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) .................................................................. 25 3.3 -4 Other Environmental Stressors ............................................................................. -26 3.4 Health and Well-Being .................................................................. ... .......... 27 3-5 Health Effectsof Poor Indoor Air Quality..................................................................... 28 3.5.1 Increasing Incidences of Respiratory Illnesses ................... ..,., ............................ -28 3.5.2 Toxins and the Body ........................................ ...................................................... 29 3.6 Defining Acceptable Indoor Air QuaLity ......................... .... ............................. 31 3 -7 FACTORS AFFECTING hdoor Air Quality ...................................................... 3 1 3.7.1.1 Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) .............................................................. -32 3.7.12 Micoorganisms ................................................................................................... 34 3.7.1.3 Carbon Monoxide ................. ..,................... ..................................................... 35 3.7.2 Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Systems (HVAC).................................... 35 3 -8 Approaches to Solving Indoor Air wty Roblems ................................................... -38 3.8. 1 Measurement of Indoor Air PoUution ........... ....,...... ......................................... 39 3.8.2 Building Investigation Procedures ........................ ., ............................................... 39 3.8.3 Some Solutions to Indoor Air Pollution
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