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Abstract
This paper reviews current literature on the associations of ventilation rates and
carbon dioxide concentrations in non-residential and non-industrial buildings (primarily
offices) with health and other human outcomes. Twenty studies, with close to 30,000
subjects, investigated the association of ventilation rates with human responses,
and 21 studies, with over 30,000 subjects, investigated the association of carbon
dioxide concentration with these responses. Almost all studies found that ventilation
rates below 10 Ls-1 per person in all building types were associated with statistically
significant worsening in one or more health or perceived air quality outcomes. Some
studies determined that increases in ventilation rates above 10 Ls-1 per person, up
to approximately 20 Ls-1 per person, were associated with further significant decreases
in the prevalence of sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms or with further significant
improvements in perceived air quality. The carbon dioxide studies support these findings.
About half of the carbon dioxide studies suggest that the risk of sick building syndrome
symptoms continued to decrease significantly with decreasing carbon dioxide concentrations
below 800 ppm. The ventilation studies reported relative risks of 1.5-2 for respiratory
illnesses and 1.1-6 for sick building syndrome symptoms for low compared to high low
ventilation rates.