Measurements of air changes and particle concentrations in three residential houses equipped with natural and mechanical ventilation systems

Air particle concentration is known to have negative impact on human health. The particle concentration and its size distribution in indoor air is related to the indoor particle sources and ventilation of indoor spaces. This paper presents the measurement of air changes and particle concentrations in three newly establish residential houses in Holstebro, Denmark using different ventilation technologies. Two houses measured were equipped with mechanical ventilation systems with heat recovery and one house was equipped with a specially designed natural ventilation system. The concentrations of particles were measured with the indoor particle sources of burning candles, vacuum cleaning of floor in the living rooms and frying meat in the kitchens. For controlling indoor air particles, the measurements showed consistent advantages of the better designed ventilation and central vacuum cleaning technologies. The house with the specially designed natural ventilation system had highest air change rate than the two houses with mechanical ventilation and, therefore, low levels of particle concentration were measured in the naturally ventilated house.