National Academies Press: OpenBook

Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health (2011)

Chapter: Appendix B: Environmental Protection Agency Contractor Reports on Climate-Change, Indoor-Environment, and Health Topics

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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Environmental Protection Agency Contractor Reports on Climate-Change, Indoor-Environment, and Health Topics." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13115.
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B

Environmental Protection Agency Contractor Reports on Climate-Change, Indoor-Environment, and Health Topics

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Indoor Environments Division—the sponsor of this study—commissioned a set of white papers on topics related to climate change, the indoor environment, and health to provide information for the committee’s consideration. They are listed below1 and cited, where appropriate, throughout the report. The white papers are also compiled on an EPA Web site that provides links to a number of Agency and contractor reports on issues of indoor air quality (EPA, 2011).

The responsibility for the white papers listed below rests with their authors, and their content does not necessarily represent the views of the committee or the Institute of Medicine.

Contractor Report: Climate Change and Indoor Air Quality

This report presents a general discussion of the effects of climate change on indoor air quality, including occupant influences. Among the issues addressed are how increasing outdoor temperatures may change window and air-conditioning use, moisture intrusion and its adverse health effects, and the effects of weatherization and energy-efficiency efforts on indoor air quality.

Field WR. 2010. Climate change and indoor air quality. Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency.

_____________________

1 Descriptions of report content are derived in part from EPA (2011).

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Environmental Protection Agency Contractor Reports on Climate-Change, Indoor-Environment, and Health Topics." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13115.
×

Contractor Report: Research Needed to Address the Impacts of Climate Change on Indoor Air Quality

This report offers opinions on climate-change and indoor air quality research needs. Topics include high-temperature events; infiltration of outdoor allergens, particulate matter, and ozone; water and dampness intrusion; and disease vectors. The discussion of research gaps focuses on human health but also includes energy efficiency.

Girman J. 2010. Research needed to address the impacts of climate change on indoor air quality. Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency.

Contractor Report: National Programs to Assess Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Effects of Building Materials and Products

This report examines national building-materials and product-evaluation programs, which were developed often in response to indoor air quality concerns and vary in focus and scope. These include efforts in the United States, various countries in Europe, the European Union, Japan, and Korea.

Levin H. 2010. National programs to assess IEQ effects of building material and products. Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency, Indoor Environments Division.

Contractor Report: Climate Change and Potential Effects on Microbial Air Quality in the Built Environment

This report examines the effects of climate change on pathogens and indoor air quality. Changing climates have caused pathogens and pests to venture into new geographic areas and create new indoor environmental risks, including the possibility of increased pesticide use in response to invading organisms.

Morey PR. 2010. Climate change and potential effects on microbial air quality in the built environment. Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency.

Contractor Report: Building Codes and Indoor Air Quality

This report that examines energy-related building codes throughout the United States and how these codes affect ventilation, including air exchange, and indoor air pollution. Ventilation and moisture conditions in existing residential and commercial buildings may be altered because of an increase in extreme weather events due to climate change. Buildings constructed under a set of standards appropriate for the original climate may not be adequate in a different climate.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Environmental Protection Agency Contractor Reports on Climate-Change, Indoor-Environment, and Health Topics." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13115.
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Mudarri D. 2010. Building codes and indoor air quality. Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency.

Contractor Report: Public Health Consequences and Cost of Climate Change Impacts on Indoor Environments

This report addresses the public-health and economic implications of the effects of climate change on indoor environmental quality. It details the effects of biologic agents and of increased humidity, temperature, ventilation, and product emissions on the indoor environment and corresponding human health risks. Climate change and its effects on outdoor contaminants are also examined, and possible adaptation strategies are examined.

Mudarri D. 2010. Public health consequences and cost of climate change impacts on indoor environments. Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency.

Contractor Report: Climate Change, Indoor Air Quality and Health

This report describes exposure to common biologic and chemical agents that result from building adaptations. The discussion includes a look at Green Building programs and recommendations on how to make them more considerate of issues of indoor air quality. There is an emphasis on the need for community health-care practitioners to become more involved in addressing susceptible and vulnerable populations.

Schenck P, Ahmed, AK, Bracker A, DeBernardo R. 2010. Climate change, indoor air quality and health. Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency.

Contractor Report: Indoor Environmental Quality and Climate Change

This report addresses the impacts of climate change on indoor environments, including material related to potential interventions and solutions.

Brennan T. 2010. Indoor environmental quality and climate change. Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency.

Contractor Report: The Impact of Increasing Severe Weather Events on Shelter

This report addresses the impacts of severe weather events on indoor environments. Topics addressed include the use of buildings as shelters from weather extremes.

Brennan T. 2010. The impact of increasing severe weather events on shelter. Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Environmental Protection Agency Contractor Reports on Climate-Change, Indoor-Environment, and Health Topics." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13115.
×

DRAFT Contractor Report: Opportunities for Green Building (GB) Rating Systems to Improve Indoor Air Quality Credits and to Address Changing Climatic Conditions

This report describes green-building rating systems, climate change, and indoor environmental quality. Green-building rating systems focus mostly on indoor environments, including moisture, ventilation rates, volatile organic compounds, thermal comfort, and particulate matter but are evaluated in a climate-change context. Two rating systems, those of BREEAM and LEED, are detailed in this report.

Srebric J. 2010. Draft report: Opportunities for green building (GB) rating systems to improve indoor air quality credits and to address changing climatic conditions. Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency.

REFERENCE

EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). 2011. Indoor air—Publications and resources. http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ (accessed June 21, 2011).

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Environmental Protection Agency Contractor Reports on Climate-Change, Indoor-Environment, and Health Topics." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13115.
×
Page 263
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Environmental Protection Agency Contractor Reports on Climate-Change, Indoor-Environment, and Health Topics." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13115.
×
Page 264
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Environmental Protection Agency Contractor Reports on Climate-Change, Indoor-Environment, and Health Topics." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13115.
×
Page 265
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Environmental Protection Agency Contractor Reports on Climate-Change, Indoor-Environment, and Health Topics." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13115.
×
Page 266
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The indoor environment affects occupants' health and comfort. Poor environmental conditions and indoor contaminants are estimated to cost the U.S. economy tens of billions of dollars a year in exacerbation of illnesses like asthma, allergic symptoms, and subsequent lost productivity. Climate change has the potential to affect the indoor environment because conditions inside buildings are influenced by conditions outside them.

Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health addresses the impacts that climate change may have on the indoor environment and the resulting health effects. It finds that steps taken to mitigate climate change may cause or exacerbate harmful indoor environmental conditions. The book discusses the role the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should take in informing the public, health professionals, and those in the building industry about potential risks and what can be done to address them. The study also recommends that building codes account for climate change projections; that federal agencies join to develop or refine protocols and testing standards for evaluating emissions from materials, furnishings, and appliances used in buildings; and that building weatherization efforts include consideration of health effects.

Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health is written primarily for the EPA and other federal agencies, organizations, and researchers with interests in public health; the environment; building design, construction, and operation; and climate issues.

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