Due to changes in lifestyle, people spend more time indoors. This refers not only to the time spent at home and at office premises, but also in shopping malls, recreation centers and transport vehicles. Concentrations of many pollutants are higher indoors than they are outdoors. Consequently, the indoor environment has a bigger impact on human health, well being and effectiveness. Indoor Environment Engineering is a relatively new scientific discipline with an interdisciplinary character, using knowledge from chemistry, biology, medicine and engineering. Since the early 1990s, the number of studies in this area has grown significantly from research on indoor air parameters, new emerging pollutants in indoor air, energy saving systems of heating, to studies on ventilation and air-conditioning in buildings. Even though much progress has been made since then, a number of questions still remains open: How can indoor air quality be measured? What are reliable, time- and cost-efficient methods? How can indoor air quality be improved, investing as little energy as possible? How to minimize secondary pollution caused by air supply systems? Which type of pollutants should research focus on? In what way are we exposed to new pollutants (plasticizers, flame retardants, pesticides)? What is their impact on our health? Management of Indoor Air Quality is a collection of 14 peer reviewed papers in Indoor Environment Engineering addressing the above issues. It includes research on HVAC impact on aerosol levels, new ventilation systems as well as air quality problems in new environments. The volume is intended for scientists, engineers, post-graduate and graduate students interested in the area of indoor environment.

Using an interdisciplinary approach, this book presents a wide range of methods and specific criteria for assessing hazard and exposure in the workplace environment, offering ways to reduce these hazards. This text provides coverage of basic risk factors, law-based protection of labor, shaping conditions of occupational safety and ergonomics, psychophysical capabilities of humans in the working environment, and more.

Environmental stress caused by water continuously exposes buildings to microbial colonization. This is highly evident when both minor dampness and mass flooding occur. The text describes how microbiological corrosion of buildings and the structures and substances derived from these hazards are responsible for adverse health effects on people exposed to these contaminated environments. Microbiological Corrosion of Buildings: A Guide to Detection, Health Hazards, and Mitigation describes the key elements and methods for neutralising and removing microbiological contamination, and the operating algorithm for checking the effectiveness of preventative solutions. Ideal for construction engineers, microbiologists and professionals in the field. Features: Latest methods for detection of indoor microbial hazards Identifies the tools needed for natural, non-destructive and non-invasive methods of bio-corrosion removal Describes the social and health problems associated with exposure to microbiological hazards Provides case studies and examples of microorganisms responsible for microbial corrosion. ‘Climate change and the associated adverse effects, such as floods and whirlwinds, make the problem of microbiological corrosion of buildings that generates health risks and economic losses on a global scale, the focus of science and technology. The monograph presents a complex problem of building bio-corrosion, that requires knowledge of the distant fields of microbiology and building technology, for the use of both scientists and practitioners. This pioneering work of an interdisciplinary nature harmoniously combines knowledge on specific microbiological issues relating to the process of bio-corrosion and the associated health risks with detailed issues of construction technology concerning the prevention of bio-corrosion and its removal. The authors succeeded in combining a very high scientific level in the monograph with an accessible and understandable presentation of complex problems. The extensive references, ranging from "classical" items from many years ago to the most recent articles presenting the state of the art in this field, are worth emphasising.’ —Prof. Jacek Dutkiewicz, Ph.D., D.Sc., Institute of Rural Health in Lublin

Using illustrative case examples, this book thoroughly reviews similarities and differences between asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the overlap syndrome. It is important to highlight the distinctions because these commonly encountered conditions in respiratory and primary care share many similarities but have important differences often mistaken for each other. This can have serious implications for treatment, particularly as new treatments are targeted at specific phenotypes of the diseases. This practical guide shows how to distinguish between the diseases on a pathological and clinical basis so that appropriate management and treatment may be pursued.

Almost all homes, apartments, and commercial buildings will experience leaks, flooding, or other forms of excessive indoor dampness at some point. Not only is excessive dampness a health problem by itself, it also contributes to several other potentially problematic types of situations. Molds and other microbial agents favor damp indoor environments, and excess moisture may initiate the release of chemical emissions from damaged building materials and furnishings. This new book from the Institute of Medicine examines the health impact of exposures resulting from damp indoor environments and offers recommendations for public health interventions. Damp Indoor Spaces and Health covers a broad range of topics. The book not only examines the relationship between damp or moldy indoor environments and adverse health outcomes but also discusses how and where buildings get wet, how dampness influences microbial growth and chemical emissions, ways to prevent and remediate dampness, and elements of a public health response to the issues. A comprehensive literature review finds sufficient evidence of an association between damp indoor environments and some upper respiratory tract symptoms, coughing, wheezing, and asthma symptoms in sensitized persons. This important book will be of interest to a wide-ranging audience of science, health, engineering, and building professionals, government officials, and members of the public.