Conference Paper
Proceedings of BSA Conference 2024: Sixth Conference of IBPSA-Italy
Estimating Indoor TVOCs in Response to Varying Humidity Regimes in Vernacular and Conventional Dwellings
Estimating Indoor TVOCs in Response to Varying Humidity Regimes in Vernacular and Conventional Dwellings
Shreyata Khurana, Monto ManiDOI: https://doi.org/10.13124/9788860462022_53Abstract: Indoor environment quality (IEQ) has emerged as a crucial factor after the COVID-19 pandemic determining the health, well-being and productivity of occupants. The current research aims to examine the buildings’ ability to regulate indoor air quality, specifically looking at indoor moisture and toxicity characterised in terms of total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs). According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the concentration of these compounds is two to five times greater indoors as compared to outdoors. Building materials and indoor surfaces such as paints, synthetic floorings, carpets, etc., constantly emit TVOCs. The dependence of TVOC on varying moisture regimes has been examined in this study. The climatic response of these dwellings has been examined through indoor comfort and air quality parameters. The indoor temperature, humidity and TVOC levels in conventional and vernacular residential dwellings have been examined for the warm and humid climatic zone. Concurrently, these dwellings have also been modelled (and validated with real-time data for temperature and relative humidity levels) using Design Builder. This study examines indoor moisture and toxicity (TVOCs) levels in vernacular and conventional buildings for three climate-change scenarios. Simulation studies gave an insight into how the indoor temperature, indoor humidity and indoor TVOC levels, attributed to fresh paints, could increase over the years as per different climate change scenarios. The ageing of the wall paints has been examined further to compare how power decay affects the emissions in the future. The naturally derived materials do not have any harmful chemicals and, hence, emit less TVOCs as compared to the conventional building materials, thereby, maintaining better indoor air quality for the occupants. Pages: 435 - 444 Paper: