THE INFLUENCE OF AREA-SPECIFIC VENTILATION RATE ON THE EMISSIONS FROMCONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS

Experiments were performed using small-scale climate chambers, includi ng the new Chamber for Laboratory Investigations of Materials Pollutio n and Air Quality (CLIMPAQ), to gain knowledge about the influence of ventilation rate per plane specimen area (specific ventilation rate) o n emission rates. Emissions from pieces of linoleum, waterborne acryli c paint, nylon carpet, and sealant were quantified at different specif ic ventilation rates. A trained sensory panel used the decipol scale a nd chemical analysis quantified some major Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) after the specimens had been conditioned in the chambers for si x days. The results showed that the specific ventilation rate (L/s m2) may influence the emission rates. In both sensory and chemical terms, emission rates increased when ventilation was increased. At low speci fic ventilation rates the emission rate was proportional to the specif ic ventilation rate. For higher ventilation rates the emission rates s tabilized and became independent of ventilation. The chemical measurem ents showed that only the emissions from the tested paint were influen ced by ventilation rates above those comparable to 0.5 h(-1) in a typi cal room. The emissions quantified by the sensory panel continued, how ever, to be influenced by ventilation even at rates higher than 5 h(-1 ). (C) Indoor Air (1997).