[deek]

It appears to be politically correct in today's environmentally conscious world to build housing that conserves heat energy (minimal heat losses) and add draught proofing to existing housing. In other words create "tight buildings".

My question is; at what cost? It is widely recognised that making buildings air tight causes wide ranging health complaints including allergy type symptoms (chemical sensitivity) in building occupants where the ventilation rates are substantially reduced. These symptoms have given rise to the term used by practitioners in occupational health; tight building syndrome.

All internal fixtures, fittings and furniture including wall and floor coverings emit high levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) when new and these indoor pollutants are recognised as causal factors in tight building syndrome. The off-gassing may last for years (yeah that's correct, years) and the VOC off-gassing is accelerated when the indoor air is heated.

Whilst research has identified the numerous VOCs emitted from building fixtures, fittings & furniture and the types of materials that cause the highest emission rates, very little has been done to address these serious health concerns.

So what advice would I give;- I would strongly recommend opening your windows (but don't compromise security) and allow fresh air to freely circulate around your home whenever possible.