Van Rooyen, Cairan Alexander; (2024) The relationship between ventilation practices and indoor environmental quality in British homes. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

Europeans spend most of their time indoors at home, and the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in homes plays an important role in occupants' comfort, well-being, and physical health. Ventilation modifies IEQ, subsequently impacting occupant exposure to indoor temperatures, air quality, and noise. In homes with space conditioning, ventilation also influences heat transfer, energy use, and carbon emissions - thus ventilation lies at the intersection of health, energy, and the climate. Despite the importance of ventilation, there is a lack of understanding of conditions experienced in real homes and its relationship with ventilation, particularly when considering all components of IEQ together. This research employed an empirical, mixed-methods design in seven occupied case study dwellings in England to investigate ventilation practices, air exchange rates (AER), and their relationship with IEQ and decay times of pollutant peaks. A novel method was developed to determine window positions (open, ajar, and closed) using simultaneous sound measurements inside and outside dwellings. This method was validated in two test cases, achieving an accuracy of up to 96%. Measurements revealed substantial variability in ventilation practices and AER across different homes and seasons, highlighting the challenge of generalising findings. Windows and doors were closed most of the occupied time, particularly during the winter. Most homes had AER below the commonly accepted healthy threshold during occupied periods. Opening windows generally reduced indoor temperature, humidity, CO2, CO, and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), although noise levels and, unexpectedly, particulate matter increased. A novel analysis technique provides insights into the decay times of pollutant peaks and presents a method for informing practical public health advice for reducing exposure to peaks. This thesis enhances our understanding of how ventilation impacts the indoor environment and enables us to better evaluate the potential health implications of interventions that modify IEQ.

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