[Greenbuilding] Stale Air

[douglas e lamb]

Mr. Collette,
 
The big picture is that all matter of particulate deemed unhealthy in nature
and as manufactured, can not be tolerated indoors or out. In part such is
the principal bias of the "Green movement". Since the EPA's ban on BOF
(basic oxygen furnace) direct discharge of graphite chips into the open air,
and chemical discharge of unspeakable toxic waste disposed of into lakes,
rivers, streams, and drainage canals, to legislative regulation of nuclear
waste disposal of contaminated radioactive water leakage into wetlands,
drainage swales and the like. The ultimatum has been established. such that
destructive elements can not be tolerated in our planets environment. Every
method and means possible has been or are being developed to imposed upon
these conditions in order to neutralize or in the very least to minimize
their effect.
 
This being said, one must understand that in many cases where emissions such
as co2, methane, as well as other like compounds, volatile chemicals or
toxic gasses, are as beneficial to nature as any non toxic compound or
chemical when they are integrated into the environment as a means of
balancing natures outcome. For example a bi-product of pig feces is methane
gas. Once this gas is collected, stored and properly vented it becomes a
beneficial source of energy. This is especially used in rural areas where it
is next to impossible to provide any other means of energy.
 
On the other hand science has discovered that absorption of non solid toxic
waste such as liquids, chemicals and gasses is one of the best means to
dissipate there presence and to dispose of them with minimal harm to the
environment. As we witnessed the tragedy of the Gulf oil spill this past
spring and summer methods to absorb the oil were one of the methods
implemented to dissipate the oil slicks that made its way to the surface.
Ships that skimmed the oil off the surface and burned it into a relative
harmless vapor was also were employed to dispose of the surface oil.
Some are of the opinion that there are natural agents that have the ability
to delude the oil both on the surface and below it.
 
In our homes the amount of co2, methane, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde and
the like emanate from our selves, the walls that enclose us, and the floors
that keep the cold earth from transferring the natural state of temperature
change through our feet. Most of these toxins originate form surface
treatment of the materials that the walls and floors are built of and it is
well known that 85% of all toxics enter a dwelling through our feet. I
suppose the remaining 15% we exhale. So what do we do to 1. Maintain
equilibrium between contaminates escalating to harmful effects inside and 2.
How do we prevent contaminates form leaking back outside of our dwellings
causing harm of another sort to the environment beyond.
 
I suppose that measurements of these elements related to how much is
actually toxic to human beings and nature as well will necessarily weigh in
as the means to deliver any resolution for this dilemma. NIST, BEES 4.0 for
example might prove a useful reference of such computations. The DOE and EPA
since they were begun as a means to dispense with such matters in the
beginning. And of course ASHRAE should be counted on for some guidance in
this matter. Regardless of measurements of quantities of these noxious
chemicals, compounds and or gasses there are data loggers that can measure
specific particulate matter in space. There are electrostatic precipitators
that can be attached to your air distribution device and with the exception
of gases can collect noxious elements form the air, be cleaned with a hose
into a trough and the residual mixed into a compost bin and neutralized by
nature.(including dog hair) 
 
Someone should write a book on the subject if one hasn't already been
written. Non-the-less a word to the wise..., Nothing is perfect!
 
Regards,
Douglas E Lamb
Design Technics
Certified Sustainable Facilities
Planning,Programming and 
Design Consultant
Tele  <mailto:614.323.2005dlamb at design> 614.323.2005
dlamb at designtechnics.net
 

  _____  

From: greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Stephen
Collette
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2010 9:51 PM
To: greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org
Subject: [Greenbuilding] Stale Air


Interesting. So as a culture, we define stale air and instead of building
tolerance to the whole thing, we build an industry to mask it. I suppose in
the old days all those powdered wigs and such were the same sort of approach
to the odour of the body (as an odour goes) by the powder industry. hmm.
What's fascinating though is that we have less issues of body odour, more of
chemical odours in our homes, and except for the occasional gym bag left
unattended, odours are less and less of an issue within homes, that
typically have little actual cooking done in them (clients here, folks, I
know we are all die hards here on this list, growing, cooking and preserving
food), but as the houses get bigger and the populations in them get smaller,
we are ventilating more than ever to resolve this "stale air" which had we
not hermetically sealed ourselves into our homes and actually opened windows
and aired the place out, may not in fact be as important with respect to the
unmeasurable level of staleness. 

Fascinating.

Stephen

Stephen Collette BBEC, LEED AP, BSSO
Your Healthy House - Indoor Environmental Testing & Building Consulting
http://www.yourhealthyhouse.ca
stephen at yourhealthyhouse.ca
705.652.5159








On 2010-12-13, at 9:58 AM, greenbuilding-request at lists.bioenergylists.org
wrote:


From: jfstraube <jfstraube at gmail.com>

ASHRAE standards have historically been set based on early research around
odour: it is human smells that set the ventilation rates. Depending on
culture and time, these rates have, under ASHRAE's guidelines, varied from
about 3 cfm to 30 cfm of fresh air per person.


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