Modeling the resiliency of energy-efficient retrofits in low-income multifamily housing.

ABSTRACT: Residential energy efficiency and ventilation retrofits (eg, building weatherization, local exhaust ventilation, HVAC filtration) can influence indoor air quality (IAQ) and occupant health, but these measures' impact varies by occupant activity. In this study, we used the multizone airflow and IAQ analysis program CONTAM to simulate the impacts of energy retrofits on indoor concentrations of PM_2.5 and NO₂ in a low-income multifamily housing complex in Boston, Massachusetts (USA). We evaluated the differential impact of residential activities, such as low- and high-emission cooking, cigarette smoking, and window opening, on IAQ across two seasons. We found that a comprehensive package of energy and ventilation retrofits was resilient to a range of occupant activities,

SUBMITTER: Underhill LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6386461 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature