Examination of effect of concentration reducing of volatile organic compound under construction

Abstract

In newly built houses, it is known well that the initial gas concentration rises. The gases evolving from volatile organic compounds (VOC) increase rapidly from the onset of interior finishing work. In most cases, the VOC concentration will not have decreased at the time completion of the building.This research investigates whether the VOC concentration attenuates when ventilation is performed after completing the interior finishing work. The effectiveness of ventilation was studied in the following three cases: 1)use of ventilating openings, 2)use of a ventilating fan and 3)use of an air-cleaning machine. The measurements were carried out for a month in the living room and in a bedroom.It was found that the VOC concentration decreases from the initial stages when the air-cleaning machine is used. In contrast, the concentration increased when the rooms were maintained in a sealed condition.