Abstract
Indoor environments in large-scale commercial buildings are managed under the "Law for Maintenance of Sanitation in Buildings" (enacted in 1970) in Japan. The law applies to specific buildings such as offices, stores, entertainment facilities, assembly halls, libraries, museums, and schools, and it establishes environmental standards for carbon dioxide concentration, airborne particulates, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, room temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity for controlling indoor climate. This study was aimed at examining the actual status of environmental sanitation and building maintenance by referring to the nationwide on-site building inspection database developed by the Japanese Government. We analyzed data from 1996 through 2008. The carbon dioxide concentration, room temperature, and relative humidity were found to increase by a small amount every year, especially in office and school buildings. The reasons for the tendencies could be the revision of the Law in 2002, which excessively encouraged energy saving measures in buildings.
