Building Ventilation: The Consequences for Personal Exposure

Ventilation is central to human civilization. Without it, the indoor environment rapidly becomes uncomfortable or dangerous, but too much ventilation can be expensive. We spend much of our time indoors, where we are exposed to pollutants and can be infected by airborne diseases. Ventilation removes pollution and bioaerosols from indoor sources but also brings in pollution from outdoors. To determine an appropriate level of ventilation and an appropriate way of providing it, one must understand that the needs for ventilation extend beyond simple thermal comfort; the quality of indoor air is at least as important. An effective ventilation system will remove unwanted contaminants, whether generated within the space by activities or by the simple act of breathing, and ensure that the ventilation system does not itself introduce or spread contaminants from elsewhere. This review explores how ventilation flow in buildings influences personal exposure to indoor pollutants and the spread of airborne diseases.Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics, Volume 56 is January 2024. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.