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.
- Human comfort in buildings.
- 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
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Comments
Very interesting that you do not list the serious toxic molds and mycotoxins which the WHO describes as the epidemic of 21st century with ramifications worse than asbestos!
The diseases caused by moldy buildings can be tested for but only by specialists because your basic GP or local doctor will put you through series of USELESS tests that will give false negatives as results for urine/blood. But if correct testing is done then the species of mold can be detected, treatments started and remediation of the building/dwelling can begin. Lots of sources starting in late 1990s describe these symptoms and diseases and how LETHAL they are!
And still you design 'airtight' buildings with poor ventilation, ignore WHO, CDC, Aspergillus Centre (manchester, uk) and lawsuits and proof worldwide including USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Italy, Ireland, etc etc.
Shame on you for such an incomplete article but at least you do say it is different than 'sick building syndrome'!