Traffic pollution in and around a naturally ventilated building

Abstract

In two separate experiments carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations were recorded at different locations in and around a naturally ventilated building in Nottingham, UK. This building is situated close to a busy road (A52). The results show that when the building was downwind of the traffic source the concentration of CO was on average four times higher in a ground-floor room than when the wind was from a large traffic-free area. The relationship between the indoor and outdoor CO concentrations was found to change during the day, as was the relationship between the concentration at ground and first-floor windows. Further measurements, based on these findings, are suggested to determine whether benefits to indoor air quality may be gained from use of intelligent ventilation strategies.