AIR-QUALITY MONITORING DURING CONSTRUCTION AND INITIAL OCCUPATION OF A NEW BUILDING

Air quality monitoring was conducted during the late construction and early occupation stages of the College of DuPage Student Resource Cent er (SRC) addition from April 24, 1995, to July 20, 1995. Chemical cont aminants monitored included combustibles; cleaning solvents; and human , furniture, and carpeting effluents. Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ethanol, propane, 3-pentanone, methyl cyclohexane, methyl formate, te trahydrofuran, methyl methacrylate, and cyclohexane were used as calib ration standards for continuous infrared absorption measurements. Indo or water content, outdoor relative humidity, indoor and outdoor temper atures, and indoor airborne particulate matter were measured. After mo st construction and indoor painting and carpeting were completed, a tw o-week air-out was performed using a continuous supply of fresh air, w ithout recirculated air. This resulted in a low ''case study'' level o f contaminants. Contaminant levels increased significantly after furni ture and people moveins and student use. Contaminant level changes wer e observed during typical indoor construction days, before and after a power outage-caused loss of ventilation, and in the presence of carpe ntry machines. A ''naive'' sensory panel contributed its ''perception' ' of air quality, and an air quality survey was conducted among new bu ilding employees. No significant or consistent effects of indoor conta minants or indoor temperature upon indoor perception were noted. An in verse relationship between indoor air quality perceptions and the outd oor Temperature-humidity Index was found.