Environmental monitoring and emission of pollutants in buildings

Building health and allergies

Buildings affect the health of occupants in many ways, contributing to building related illnesses (BRI), Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) and allergy and environmental health problems (AEHP).

The most common building health problems in domestic housing relate to dampness and condensation - resulting in mould growth, house dust mite and a range of other fungal and insect pests, aggravating respiratory problems and allergies.

Allergies

Signs and symptoms of allergic reactions include:

  • nose: itching, soreness, blocked, running, sneezing;
  • eyes: dryness, itching, redness, and soreness, swelling of the lids, weeping;
  • chest: discomfort, tightness, wheezing, breathlessness, and cough; and
  • skin: itching, redness, wheeling, blistering, scaling, and oozing.

For more detail see Indoor air quality.