The design and management of the indoor environments of buildings should foster ‘‘health and wellbeing’’. Buildings affect the health of occupants in many ways, for example, through building related illnesses, sick building syndrome and allergy, and environmental health problems. The principal causes of sick buildings in the majority of cases are related to microbial effects and emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde from building materials or products used in buildings. Lighting and inadequate ventilation, particularly in airtight buildings are also important factors. New and refurbished buildings where there has been inappropriate use of materials could lead to high indoor concentrations of VOCs and formaldehyde, odours, and adverse effects on occupants. Indoor air quality management and investigation of sick buildings are complex issues, requiring multidisciplinary investigations and environmental monitoring. This paper considers the requirements for investigation of sick buildings with a particular focus on emissions of VOCs and formaldehyde in indoor environments, including examples of the causes and odour effects. Some guidelines for assessment of exposure risks are also included.

This paper discusses the emission of formaldehyde and VOCs from wood-based panel products and the effect on indoor air quality (IAQ). The formaldehyde concentration monitored in four energy efficient test houses over a 7-year period has been included to illustrate the long-term effect of emissions from E1 wood-based panels used in dwellings. Formaldehyde emissions from wood-based floorboard obtained from investigation of sick buildings are included for comparison. Also discussed was the impact of fitting of a “low formaldehyde emitting” wardrobe in an energy-efficient test house and in an apartment home. The exposure risk of an individual unpacking the packages of the flat-packed wardrobes and during assembly was illustrated by measurement made in a 22 m³ chamber and in a test house. A variety of VOCs can be released from wood-based panels and associated materials. There is also a concern about the possible emission of wood preservative residues, such as pentachlorophenol from products made from contaminated wood sources. To minimise impact of formaldehyde and VOC emissions in homes and other buildings, building developers and designers should insist on certification of products based on available labelling schemes and this is required in some countries for assessment of Green Buildings.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the background information regarding low-carbon housings in the United Kingdom and to raise the concern of the possible high indoor pollution load due to the emissions from building materials and combustion products which would adversely affect the indoor air quality in air-tight buildings, especially homes. The standard guidelines given by the Building Regulations in the UK are reviewed especially in relation to mechanical ventilation with heat recovery systems. Also research literatures in relation to heat recovery ventilators and the use of air-cleaners from Korea, Hong Kong and China and from Europe are also included to illustrate the various possibilities to conserve energy and to achieve adequate ventilation with an improvement of indoor air quality. The effectiveness of using a heat recovery ventilator system and trickle ventilators in unoccupied super-energy-efficient test houses is illustrated by reviewing the long-term indoor volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations in these test houses. The awareness of the issue is important for the future design and indoor air management of buildings, so as to provide adequate ventilation for living spaces without costing too much on energy efficiency.

The modernist movement in architecture has led to a building boom of a large number of high-rise buildings with glazed façades. These façades were aesthetically pleasing, but have a high energy loading. To address this, a double-skin façade (DSF) has been proposed to manage the interaction between the outdoor and indoor environments. A DSF can contribute to balance the demand for energy saving, thermal and visual comfort, and a high-tech image for building envelopes. The design of the DSF involves decisions on geometric parameters, glass selection, ventilation strategy, shading, daylighting, aesthetics, wind loads, and maintenance and cleaning cost expectations. This paper reports an experimental application of a DSF in an old apartment building which has been modelled in order to find the configuration to select design parameters that could minimize the energy demand and total carbon emissions. A simulation-based virtual environment program was used to determine the optimal sustainable features of the double-skin envelope. Results of the simulation are presented and discussed for four different cavity widths and ventilation modes of operation, highlighting the potential savings in comparison to the existing façade construction. The impact of internal shading within cavity space was also investigated.

This paper presents a novel approach for human activity recognition (HAR) using the joint angles from a 3D model of a human body. Unlike conventional approaches in which the joint angles are computed...

Light pollution has been receiving increased attention worldwide. Scientific research has provided convincing evidence that ties artificial lighting to health-related issues. Consequently, the involved parties are now leaned towards the implementation of regulations to help limit the use of artificial lighting. Many countries, together with international organizations, have embarked on setting standards and regulations aimed at halting the excessive and improper usage of artificial lighting, there-by eradicating light pollution and its effects. In Korea, outdoor lighting at night is a common phenomenon. Moreover, as the economic development grows even further, the use of artificial lighting is expected to increase making Korea vulnerable to the adverse effects of artificial lighting. In this study, we discuss the issue of light pollution based on field measurements conducted in Seoul, South Korea. The measurements were undertaken to broaden the understanding and assessment of light pollution. During the investigation, we noted that the most severe forms of light pollution were found in developed urban and densely commercialized areas. Currently, there are ongoing light pollution measurement projects around the entire Korea. It would be informative to see how the rest of South Korea compares to the Capital, Seoul in terms of light pollution levels.