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Alan T  
#1 Posted : 01 December 2009 10:17:54(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Alan T

Am looking for some information on the possible affects to health, to personnel working in a newly constructed concrete building.
The building is a 3 storey state of the arts (won many prestigous awards), offices, learning rooms, practice rooms, lecture theatre, open and closed meeting places, kitchens, and break areas.
The area of concern, is an internal office which faces onto a corridor. it is supplied with a chilled beam ventillation supply system, (but no exhaust system?), and underfloor heating, which is controlled by a BMS. The floor has a laid (i believe glued), cord like carpet.
The construction is all poured concrete, to ceiling, and floor, the walls are metal frame with double plasterboard painted finish, with glass windows onto the corridor.
The office has been occupied for just over 1 year, firstly by 2 ladies, who both reported (to their manager) of feeling ill - tied, and an increased rate of headaches and sore throats - 1 lady told me that she had not been able to wear contact lens, whilst she worked in the room, the 2 then swopped then offices, with their manager,and she has now complainted of feeling ill.
Any thoughts, or direction to literature on buildings information etc, would be appreciated.
androo  
#2 Posted : 01 December 2009 10:40:59(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
androo

Have you checked the humidity in the office? The air could be too dry.
Also check air flow.

Propably a good idea to find out what the floor tiles are glued down with and get hold of the MSDS and see what it says.
stel669  
#3 Posted : 01 December 2009 13:07:17(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
stel669

Had a similar experience recently caused by the underfloor heating being constantly on due to a fault on the thermostat.
Alan T  
#4 Posted : 01 December 2009 13:09:01(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Alan T

Hi androo,
The humidity is quite low 30% (i would expect it to be low, outside temperature 5*c,) as our aircon only takes outside air, filters it {which would dry it out further}with a room temperature of 22*c .
The air is delivered through a chilled beam system, air speed recorded as 1.1mph, but there is no exhaust, so if the door was shut, there wold be a slight pressure in the room, but no air changes.
The floor covering is a carpet, which is glued down, but after over a years use i would have thought the vast majority of any remaining vapour, would be vertually nil.
I think i read somewhere that concrete structures gave off, ithin Co2??? and maybe this is the problem, as if i remember correctly, it will continue to give of gases, deminishing with time for years to come.
Any other thoughts
Steve e ashton  
#5 Posted : 01 December 2009 13:20:47(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Steve e ashton

Alan:

What sort of lighting is installed in the office? If there is no external window giving natural light (you don't mention) then the type of fluorescent fitted can have a huge negative impact: 'Daylight' tubes are available, and are far better than the standard fluorescents (headaches, nausea, eye strain, eye 'dryness' all attributed to this over the years) for prolonged occupation.

If the lighting is already good, then I would be trying to up the vent rate - probably by installing a dedicated extract or a louvre in the office door (but only if it's not a fire door!). Have you measured the airflow or are you relying on the supplier's figures? Its not unknown for vented duct systems to get clogged by construction rubble (and dead rats / foxes...) before the system is ever commissioned...

Just a couple of thoughts...

Steve
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