TY - JOUR
T1 - Indoor Volatile Organic Compounds in Prefabricated Timber Buildings—Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainability
AU - Goodman, Nigel
AU - Rajagopalan, Priyadarsini
AU - Francis, Matthew
AU - Nematollahi, Neda
AU - Vardoulakis, Sotiris
AU - Steinemann, Anne
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was funded by RMIT University through the Urban Futures Enabling Impact Platform, The University of Melbourne, and the Healthy Environments And Lives (HEAL) National Research Network from the National Health and Medical Research Council Special Initiative in Human Health and Environmental Change (NHMRC Grant No. 2008937).
Funding Information:
We gratefully acknowledge the strong support of this study from RMIT Urban Futures Enabling Impact Platform, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Healthy Environments And Lives (HEAL) National Research Network. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not represent those of these institutions. We also thank Murray Turner from the University of Canberra for his assistance in screening the literature and Pratika Chawala from the University of Canberra for her assistance with the Graphical Abstract.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.
PY - 2024/11
Y1 - 2024/11
N2 - Prefabricated timber buildings offer a low-carbon approach that can help reduce the environmental impact of the building and construction sectors. However, construction materials such as manufactured timber products can emit a range volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are potentially hazardous to human health. We evaluated 24 years (2000–2024) of peer-reviewed publications of VOCs within prefabricated timber buildings. Studies detected hazardous air pollutants such as formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and acetaldehyde (indoor concentration ranges of 3.4–94.9 µg/m3, 1.2–19 µg/m3, 0.97–28 µg/m3, and 0.75–352 µg/m3, respectively), with benzene concentrations potentially exceeding World Health Organization indoor air quality guidelines for long/short term exposure. Most studies also detected terpenes (range of 1.8–232 µg/m3). The highest concentrations of formaldehyde and terpenes were in a prefabricated house, and the highest of benzene and toluene were in a prefabricated office building. Paradoxically, the features of prefabricated buildings that make them attractive for sustainability, such as incorporation of manufactured timber products, increased building air tightness, and rapid construction times, make them more prone to indoor air quality problems. Source reduction strategies, such as the use of low-VOC materials and emission barriers, were found to substantially reduce levels of certain indoor pollutants, including formaldehyde. Increasing building ventilation rate during occupancy is also an effective strategy for reducing indoor VOC concentrations, although with the repercussion of increased energy use. Overall, the review revealed a wide range of indoor VOC concentrations, with formaldehyde levels approaching and benzene concentrations potentially exceeding WHO indoor air quality guidelines. The paucity of evidence on indoor air quality in prefabricated timber buildings is notable given the growth in the sector, and points to the need for further evaluation to assess potential health impacts.
AB - Prefabricated timber buildings offer a low-carbon approach that can help reduce the environmental impact of the building and construction sectors. However, construction materials such as manufactured timber products can emit a range volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are potentially hazardous to human health. We evaluated 24 years (2000–2024) of peer-reviewed publications of VOCs within prefabricated timber buildings. Studies detected hazardous air pollutants such as formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and acetaldehyde (indoor concentration ranges of 3.4–94.9 µg/m3, 1.2–19 µg/m3, 0.97–28 µg/m3, and 0.75–352 µg/m3, respectively), with benzene concentrations potentially exceeding World Health Organization indoor air quality guidelines for long/short term exposure. Most studies also detected terpenes (range of 1.8–232 µg/m3). The highest concentrations of formaldehyde and terpenes were in a prefabricated house, and the highest of benzene and toluene were in a prefabricated office building. Paradoxically, the features of prefabricated buildings that make them attractive for sustainability, such as incorporation of manufactured timber products, increased building air tightness, and rapid construction times, make them more prone to indoor air quality problems. Source reduction strategies, such as the use of low-VOC materials and emission barriers, were found to substantially reduce levels of certain indoor pollutants, including formaldehyde. Increasing building ventilation rate during occupancy is also an effective strategy for reducing indoor VOC concentrations, although with the repercussion of increased energy use. Overall, the review revealed a wide range of indoor VOC concentrations, with formaldehyde levels approaching and benzene concentrations potentially exceeding WHO indoor air quality guidelines. The paucity of evidence on indoor air quality in prefabricated timber buildings is notable given the growth in the sector, and points to the need for further evaluation to assess potential health impacts.
KW - formaldehyde
KW - indoor air quality
KW - manufactured timber products
KW - modular construction
KW - prefabricated buildings
KW - volatile organic compounds
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85213214961&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/buildings14123858
DO - 10.3390/buildings14123858
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85213214961
SN - 0007-3725
VL - 14
SP - 1
EP - 15
JO - Buildings
JF - Buildings
IS - 12
M1 - 3858
ER -