Indoor and Built Environment

 

Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Click here to register and gain free access

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Wong, L.T.
Right arrow Articles by Hui, P.S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
Indoor and Built Environment, Vol. 16, No. 5, 438-443 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1420326X07082159

Screening for Indoor air Quality of Air-Conditioned Offices

L.T. Wong

Department of Building Services Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom Kowloon, Hong Kong, China, beltw{at}polyu.edu.hk

K.W. Mui

Department of Building Services Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

P.S. Hui

Department of Building Services Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

It would be costly to sample all toxic air pollutants to which an entire community is exposed. In Hong Kong, a voluntary Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) certification scheme for IAQ assessment in workplaces proposes the measurement of the levels of 12 parameters: carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, respirable suspended particulates, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, formaldehyde, total volatile organic compounds, radon, airborne bacteria count, temperature, relative humidity and air velocity. This study investigates the feasibility of a screening process for presumptive detection of unrecognised IAQ problems in an indoor environment. From the full IAQ assessment results of 422 air-conditioned offices in Hong Kong, three of nine listed common air pollutants are selected as ``representative'' pollutants for an overall ``satisfactory IAQ''. In particular, an ``IAQ index'' using the average fractional dose corresponding to given exposure limits of the representative pollutants as a simple screening test for asymptomatic IAQ problems in air-conditioned offices is proposed. The index was evaluated in terms of test sensitivity, specificity and predictive value. Such a screening test would be a useful tool for policymakers, building owners and professionals to identify offices with probable IAQ problems. Making better decisions regarding resources for an IAQ surveillance programme could help to ensure a healthy and safe workplace.

Key Words: Screening test • Indoor air pollutants • IAQ index • Air-conditioned offices


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?