Indoor Air Quality of Hungarian Residential Buildings

Indoor air quality measurements in Hungarian buildings

Dr. Julianna Lipták-Váradi PhD

Building challengesContinental climate: • 4 seasons• Hot, dry summer• Cold, wet winter• Wet autumn• Short spring periodChallenges in building designChallenges in building design• Buildings should be suitable for all seasons• Energy efficient• Comfortable (increased level)• Healthy• AestheticEnergy regulations:• European Union: Directive 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of May 2010 on the energy performance of buildings

Indoor air quality measurements in Hungarian buildings – Dr. Julianna Liptak-Varadi(source: ec.europa.eu)

(source: google.com)

Territorial medicine• Healthy lifestyle: result of a complex system

▫ Healthy environment (macro and microenvironment)▫ Healthy nutrition▫ Appropriate amount and quality of physical exercise▫ Appropriate amount and quality of recreation (sleep and active recreation, too –

cultural programs, sport activity, gardening, etc.)cultural programs, sport activity, gardening, etc.)

• Monitoring indoor environmental quality in buildings –territorial medicine approach▫ Time spent at the given indoor environment▫ Spread of new building and interior materials, technologies ▫ Information and requirements in standards, specifications are often based on

statistical data, based on older information▫ Indoor environment is complex, with interaction between factors

Indoor air quality measurements in Hungarian buildings – Dr. Julianna Liptak-Varadi

Territorial medicine• Microenvironment of residential interiors

▫ Fix parameters Parameters, that are hard to change or can be changed only at national, international

levels, or based on large-scale research results. Examples: building construction, functional arrangement of floor plan, or building materials.

▫ Human factor▫ Human factor Based on the behavior and knowledge of people or inhabitants. Function of

time, weather, etc. Can be improved more easily as fix parameters. Improving this factor, without major expenses large improvement in indoor environmental quality can be achieved, e.g. in case of the microenvironment of residential interiors. Examples: place of lighting fixtures, ventilation habits, etc.)

▫ Complex parameters consist of fix parameters and human factors, also. Examples: indoor relative

humidity, indoor carbon-dioxide level.


Territorial medicine• Some factors of residential indoor environment:

▫ Building construction, building physics parameters, such as thermal comfort, surface temperatures, value of relative humidity. value of relative humidity.

▫ Visual comfort▫ Quality of drinking water▫ Ergonomics▫ Indoor Air Quality▫ Use of the interior (used and stored chemicals, ventilation

habits, cooking habits, etc.)▫ Health level of occupants, lifestyle, habits


Indoor Air Quality• Limits:

▫ 1000 ppm: Pettenkoffer number▫ 800 ppm: Green Star points▫ 600 ppm: Building Biology Standard

• Example:▫ unventilated bedroom after one night or class-

room after a one-hour lesson: 2000-4000 ppm

• Measurement▫ with Voltcraft CO-60 Air Quality Indicator▫ several places in Hungary during 2013-2015


Voltcraft CO-60 Air Quality Indicator (source: conrad.com)

1. Indoor Air Quality measurements of a strawbale house

• built in 2011• 42 m² floor plan area• 3.6 m radius• interior height at skylight • interior height at skylight

4.1 m• Double layered envelope

system, cross-section of air gap in wall section decreases with height


1. Indoor Air Quality measurements of a strawbale house▫ Measurements in four steps: between March and

April, 2013. ▫ Types of measurements:

On-site inspections, Collection of measurement data,


Collection of measurement data, Questionnaire survey.

1. Strawbale house – measured parameters▫ carbon-dioxide content

800, 1000, 1500 ppm limits Health aspects at different levels

▫ indoor air temperature 20 °C (standard, living room)

▫ relative humidity


between 40-60 %; under 30 % and over 80 % health issues▫ surface temperatures and vapor content

slightly can differ from indoor air temperature (comfort and conservation issues) vapor content: based on sorption isotherms of materials

▫ lighting quality Limits based on standards kötött értékek

▫ subjective evaluation

▫ Carbon-dioxide level

1500 ppm

1. Strawbale house – measurement results

1000 ppm800 ppm


▫ Relative humidity level

60 %

1. Strawbale house – measurement results

40 %


▫ Indoor air temperature1. Strawbale house – measurement results


• comfortable, nice home▫ Based on measurement and subjective evaluation, also

• healthy indoor environment• possible issues

▫ water▫ more exact construction details and solutions would be necessary

2. Indoor Air Quality measurements of residential interiors

Reason of measurement:• appearance of mold• family with two small childrenData about the building:• newly built (poor quality)• newly built (poor quality)• reinforced concrete frame with

hollow brick infill walls• airtight construction (high quality

windows) to meet the high energy standards of Europe

• health issues• high relative humidity



Reason of measurement:• family with two small children• respiratory problem of the older

child (asthma)Data about the building:• built in 1985


• built in 1985• reinforced concrete sandwich, panel

structure• old windows replaced, but still not

airtight• air quality and thermal bridge

(mold) - comfort issues


Reason of measurement:• family with two small children• respiratory problems of childrenData about the building:• also built in 1985• reinforced concrete frame with


• reinforced concrete frame with follow brick infill wall

• too complex geometry with large cooling surfaces

• air quality and thermal bridge (mold) - comfort issues

2. Indoor Air Quality measurements of residential interiors - Comparison

30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

above 2000 ppmbetween 1200-2000 ppmbetween 1000-1200

Measurement 2

Measurement 1


0%10%20%30% between 1000-1200 ppm

between 800-1000 ppmbetween 400-800 ppm

Measurement 3 and 4

2. Indoor Air Quality measurements of residential interiors – conclusions and suggestions

Indoor air quality measurements in Hungarian buildings – Dr. Julianna Liptak-VaradiGazdagret residential area, Budapest, Hungary (source: 11.kerulet.ittlakunk.hu)

• consideration of other aspects in case of reconstruction, not just focusing on energy factors

• ventilation needs to be solved as well• focus on thermal bridges and interior

design solutions

Contact:Contact:Dr. Julianna [email protected]

http://www.linkedin.com/in/liptakvaradihttp://liptakvaradi.com

Environment

Indoor Air Quality of Hungarian Residential Buildings