Résumé : |
How does indoor air quality impact building occupants in a practical sense ? A young student has problems breathing when he is in school. He experiences itchy eyes, a runny nose and a constant headache. When he is not in school, he does not have any of these symptoms. A young mother goes to work every day and comes home feeling lethargic ; she gets plenty of rest, but she is always tired during the week or when she is at the office. When she travels, she cannot understand why she is less tired than usual-shouldn’t she be more tired while traveling ? These types of situations are becoming more commonplace.
In many cases, symptoms like these point to sick building syndrome, which may be the result of the off-gassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may be present in building materials. These can include chemicals, odors from fibers, or fumes from building materials as they cure and dry. Many of the building materials used in today’s construction methods contain products that can cause the problems mentioned in these examples. The construction business and the materials and methods used to construct buildings seem limitless; for the purposes of this article, we will focus on the use of ceramic tile and stone, and the related adhesives, membranes, and sealants that are used to install these finish materials. |