Relationship between construction-product emissions and indoor air quality: Experiments in reference test rooms and numerical simulation

ReFoPlan 2021 – Project start / July 01, 2021

In modern industrial societies, people spend the majority of the day inside buildings. The air quality in indoor spaces is therefore a decisive factor for health and well-being. Foreign substances and odors can have a negative influence on the air quality. One ever-present potential source is construction products. Despite the existence of testing and evaluation schemes for construction-product emissions, unpleasant odors can still be generated in real indoor environments, or guideline values can be exceeded. In this project, we are investigating the relationship between construction-product emissions and the air quality in realistic model rooms and are developing simulation models. The results of the project will be incorporated into a practical guide. This should provide planning and architectural offices with recommendations regarding the selection and utilization of building materials.

Last modified: July 01, 2021

The photo shows a chamber that is approximately 3 meters wide, 4 meters deep and 3 meters high, lined on the inside with stainless steel. Through the open chamber door, a framework can be seen in the interior with three vertically positioned wood-based panels. — © Fraunhofer WKI | Manuela Lingnau
Determination of VOC and VVOC emissions from individual building materials in an emission test chamber at the Fraunhofer WKI.

At the Fraunhofer WKI, four model rooms of differing construction are being erected in order to encompass various commercially available building forms. The selection of the building materials is carried out in cooperation with engineering, planning and architectural offices on the basis of actual construction projects involving public buildings, housing projects, and schools and kindergartens. Firstly, we examine the emissions behavior of the selected materials and building products with regard to (very) volatile organic compounds (VVOC/VOC) and odor-relevant substances. This should enable a conclusion to be drawn from the data collected in the model rooms. We perform the tests on the individual materials and the indoor air in the model rooms in accordance with the “AgBB scheme”. This was developed by the Committee for Health-related Evaluation of Building Products (AgBB) and provides a uniform and comprehensible basis for the health-related evaluation of building-product emissions in Germany.

The dimensions of the model rooms correspond to the dimensions of the European reference room in accordance with DIN EN 16516:2020-10 (“Assessment of release of dangerous substances - Determination of emissions into indoor air”). On the basis of the experimentally collected data, we develop simulation models in order to enable mapping of the relationship between emissions and immissions.

In view of the fact that people in Germany and other industrialized nations spend their time primarily in indoor spaces, the topic of healthy indoor air affects broad sections of the population. It is therefore in the interest of society as a whole to construct public and private buildings in such a way that all persons spending time there are exposed to the lowest possible health risk from air pollutants.

For the health-related evaluation of indoor air in Germany, guideline values exist which are derived in relation to substances by the Committee on Indoor Air Guide Values (AIR). As a basis for planning reliability in construction projects, it is necessary to obtain advanced knowledge regarding the interaction of building-product emissions in real indoor spaces.

With this project, we are enabling an estimation of indoor air quality in dependence on the utilized materials. As a result of our efforts, health protection can be better and more easily taken into account during construction planning.

Economic advantages

The impact of building-material emissions on future indoor air quality is a major factor of uncertainty in construction projects, which can currently only be countered by taking indoor-air measurements once construction has been completed. If, during the course of the measurements, anomalies are detected and/or guideline values are exceeded, remedial work must be carried out. This can be very time-consuming and cost-intensive, for example if the critical emission source has to be painstakingly traced and the offending building material completely replaced.

With the planned guide, we are creating a practical aid for action and more planning security for building owners, property developers and planning offices.

Funding

Official project title:
Zusammenhang zwischen Bauproduktemissionen und Innenraumluftqualität: Experimente in Referenzprüfräumen und numerische Simulation

(Relationship between building-product emissions and indoor air quality: Experiments in reference test rooms and numerical simulation)

Funding body:
German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV)
via the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA)

Funding reference: 3721 62 207 0

Duration: 1.7.2021 to 30.6.2024

Research project

Relationship between construction-product emissions and indoor air quality: Experiments in reference test rooms and numerical simulation

Economic advantages

Funding

Contact Press / Media

Dr. Alexandra Schieweck

Relationship between construction-product emissions and indoor air quality: Experiments in reference test rooms and numerical simulation

Social relevance

Economic advantages

Funding