The majority of the world’s population breathes air that is harmful, according to a major new study. The State of Global Air report, released in April 2018 by the Health Effects Institute, estimates that 95% of people around the globe live in areas where concentrations of fine particulate matter, such as dust or soot particles in the air, exceed the World Health Organization’s Air Quality Guideline of 10 micrograms per cubic metre of air (µg/m3).

Believe it or not, there are up to 900 chemicals in indoor air. Not only this, but according to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air is found to be up to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air.

There are several types of condensation: surface condensation, cold-bridge condensation, warm-front condensation, interstitial condensation, reverse condensation, radiation condensation.

Four mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) units from EnviroVent, one of the UK’s leading ventilation manufacturers, have been approved by the Passive House Institute, for use in Passive House developments.

The air quality in our homes is something we frequently take for granted, but it's something we all need to think about. Studies show that the air indoors can be up to fifty times worse than the air outdoors, and yet we spend 90% of our lives inside, breathing in stale trapped air that could be contaminated with many different kinds of health hazards. The most common reaction to these hazards is an allergy, which in turn can lead to painful and debilitating attacks. But airborne hazards can also to other serious illnesses, including asthma and heart and lung disease.

For managers working to maintain student accommodation, damp and mould are a recurring enemy. From within the property, moisture is generated by students’ everyday activities, including cooking, cleaning — and breathing. This makes the need for adequate ventilation of paramount importance.

Many tenants tend to ignore the early signs of condensation and never mention it to their landlord until the problem has exacerbated, causing mould to spread across your walls, windows and ceilings. Despite the problem lingering for months beforehand the tenant then expects you to solve the problem in a timely manner and completely redecorate the damage that has been done.

Most of us first encounter mould when we are children whilst at school learning all about Alexander Fleming and his famous discovery of penicillin. Today many of us may also be experiencing mould in our own homes, around our windows, walls and even doors.

Ventilation is important for every home. There are different ways to implement ventilation systems, each with their pros and cons, but whole house ventilation has several distinct advantages.