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We’ve been doing a fair amount of re-digging (pun intended) into the under slab insulation debate and will be writing more about this topic later. In the meantime we’ve been modeling steady state conditions for heated slabs on and below grade with and without insulation. You can see more of these simulations and read our current opinions at this new page: Should you fully insulate under concrete slabs on or below grade?

Other topics of interest:

1. Windows for cold climates 
2. Walls and slabs for cold climates
3. Reflective insulation underslabs

 
Putting it all together – energy and IEQ are not exclusive terms operating in isolation, they in fact are inclusive and when buildings are designed to meet the physiological and psychological needs of the occupants, what follows is good architecture, energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality.

Full description of this graphic.

 New York State Toxic Mold Task Force, Final Report

Selected excerpts:

• Dampness in buildings can promote other exposure sources aside from mold such as bacteria, dust mites, cockroaches and chemical releases associated with some building materials.
• Since multiple agents may be present in damp buildings simultaneously, accurately attributing particular health effects to one particular exposure source, such as mold growth, can be difficult.
• Exposure to building dampness and dampness-related agents including mold has been recognized nationally and at the state and local level as a potential public health problem.
• The strongest evidence exists for associations between indoor mold exposures and upper and lower respiratory health effects such as nasal symptoms and asthma exacerbation’s.
• Asthma and other allergic respiratory diseases that can be exacerbated by mold exposures are common in NYS. This means many people are at risk for exacerbation of their respiratory conditions by exposure to mold conditions in buildings.
• NYS and NYC should continue to improve building code requirements that address building design, construction techniques and property maintenance so that they prevent or minimize the potential for water problems to occur. They should both work within the framework of the International Code Council (ICC) code adoption process to monitor and develop proposals to prevent or minimize mold in new and existing buildings.
• Provide targeted training and education to CEOs to improve understanding of subtle moisture problems in buildings (e.g., uncontrolled air flows causing condensation) and to enable them to address potential or existing water and mold problems more effectively.  

Citation: New York State Toxic Mold Task Force, Final Report to the Governor and Legislature, New York State Department of Health New York State Department of State, December 2010

RBc: This is another recommended read for those having an interest in IAQ and specifically mold. Again it’s about keeping buildings dry. Participating elements of the construction industry need to study this stuff – we do a three day course on IAQ with a heavy emphasis on building science for this very reason.

Suggested reading Mold

• Current State of the Science: Health Effects and Indoor Environmental Quality
• Moisture and Temperature Monitoring – Preventive Strategies: Mold
• Indoor Air Quality – A Competency Overview
• HVAC Systems and Indoor Environmental Quality

Excerpt: “The use of portable air cleaning devices in residential settings has been steadily growing over the last 10 years. Three out of every 10 households now contain a portable air cleaning device. This increased use of air cleaners is accompanied by, if not influenced by, a fundamental belief by consumers that the air cleaners are providing an improved indoor air environment. However, there is a wide variation in the performance of air cleaners that is dependent on the specific air cleaner design and various indoor factors…Source control is and will always be the preferred approach to reduction of contaminants within an indoor setting, whereas air cleaning is representative of a supplemental means of managing airborne pollutants.”

citation: Shaughnessy, R.J., Sextro, R.G., What Is an Effective Portable Air Cleaning Device? A Review, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 3: 169–181, 2006

RBc: Source control is and will always be the preferred approach to reduction of contaminants within an indoor setting… repeat after me…Source control is and will always be the preferred approach to reduction of contaminants within an indoor setting. Work with interior designers and architects who get this basic concept.

Suggested reading:

• Particulate Matter
• Filter Fist-a Cuffs & Who is this MERV character?

Over two winters from 2008 to 2010, a series of experiments were conducted in the twin house facility at the Canadian Centre for Housing Technology (CCHT) to examine the impact of gas fireplace operation on an R-2000 house. The interaction of the fireplace with the central heating system was explored, including impact on furnace natural gas and electrical consumption, and room and surface temperature effects. Overall, evening fireplace operation resulted in an increase in total energy consumption of 36.4 MJ/day (12.5%) with continuous furnace fan operation and 29.9 MJ/day (11.6%) without continuous fan operation. When efficiencies of the furnace and fireplace were taken into account, the net energy supplied to the house by the fireplace and the furnace increased by an average 2.8% from the benchmark case, and was up to 12% greater on the warmest days of testing.

Available are the report summary or full research paper. 

citation: Armstrong M.M., Swinton, M.C., Szadkowski, F., Assessment of the Impact of a Natural Gas Fireplace on Heating Energy Consumption and Room Temperatures at The Canadian Centre For Housing Technology (NRC-IRC), Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Contract: B-6039, March 31, 2010

RBc: Ah yes the energy paradoxes continue. See our energy synopsis and the confusions over efficiency at the retail/consumer level.

Abstract: This book presents WHO guidelines for the protection of public health from risks due to a number of chemicals commonly present in indoor air. The substances considered in this review, i.e. benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, naphthalene, nitrogen dioxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (especially benzo[a]pyrene), radon, trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene, have indoor sources, are known in respect of their hazardousness to health and are often found indoors in concentrations of health concern. The guidelines are targeted at public health professionals involved in preventing health risks of environmental exposures, as well as specialists and authorities involved in the design and use of buildings, indoor materials and products. They provide a scientific basis for legally enforceable standards.

RBc: If you missed out on our three day HRAI IAQ course which covers this material, and want to sign up for 2011 – please drop us a line at info (at)healthyheating.com

In the meantime feel free to view our IAQ slides from the 2010 year.

Excerpt: “It has long been accepted that the physical conditions prevailing in houses exert an influence on the health of occupants.¹ Within the UK, the contribution of housing conditions to health inequalities has been recognised in landmark publications such as the Black Report² and the Acheson Report.³ The health/ housing link is explicitly recognised in the recent Wanless report on public health policy in England,⁴ which states ‘inequalities in health may be due to . . . social and environmental factors such as housing and income’. A recent (2004) review of evidence conducted by the World Health Organisation⁵ acknowledges ‘there is considerable evidence that housing conditions do affect health status’. While the domestic may impact on residents’ health via a number of routes, research on the physiological effects of cold environment suggests that low temperatures may be implicated in respiratory conditions^6–9 and may be a risk factor for heart disease.^10–12”

citation: Walker J., Mitchell R., Platt S.D., Petticrew M.P., Hopton J., Does usage of domestic heating influence internal environmental conditions and health?, Eur J Public Health, 2006;16:463-9.

RBc: As we have been saying since we first launched this blog back in 05’, your indoor environments can be threatening or therapeutic. Be sure to visit our library of research papers addressing this very important topic.