Building related illness

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People in industrialised countries spend over 90% of their lives in indoor environments; therefore symptoms and illness related to these environments are common. The term building-related illness (BRI) is used to refer to disorders associated with, and directly caused by, being in and around a building.

BRIs differ from sick building syndrome (SBS) because the causes can be determined, whereas SBS is used as a term to refer to symptoms of acute health and/or comfort effects for which no specific cause can be found but that can be attributed to time spent in a particular building.

BRIs and stresses are caused by a number of factors such as:

• Biological factors.
• Physical factors.
• Chemical factors.
• Organisational and management factors.
• Psychological and psychosomatic factors.

The most common indicators of BRIs include:

• Occupants of a building experience symptoms such as coughing, chest tightness, fever, chills, muscle aches.
• The symptoms can be clinically defined and have clearly identifiable causes.
• After leaving the building, complainants may require prolonged recovery times.

Examples of BRIs include the following:

• Legionella infection.
• Occupational asthma.
• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
• Inhalational fever.
• Humidifier fever.

[edit] Find out more

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Building design.
• Building pathology.
• Design quality.
• Ergonomics in construction.
• Health and safety consultant.
• Humidity.
• Indoor air quality.
• Indoor environmental quality.
• Noise nuisance.
• Sick building syndrome.
• TG10 2016 At a glance, wellbeing.
• Thermal comfort.
• Thermal comfort and wellbeing.
• The full cost of poor housing.
• Ventilation.
• Wellbeing.

External references

• HSE
• Green Building Supply – SBS and BRI