Sick buildings in Taiwan ... not so good

Not to good news in the TT today, according to following article

taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/ … 2003292170

[quote]One-third of the nation’s buildings are `sick’: report

CNA , TAIPEI
Thursday, Feb 09, 2006,Page 2

Nearly one-third of the nation’s buildings have been classified as “sick” because they pose a health threat to inhabitants, with newly constructed or remodeled buildings having the worst problems, the United Daily News reported on Tuesday.

Quoting a study conducted by National Cheng Kung University for the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), the paper said that the indoor environments of about 30 percent of the buildings had poor air quality, and the concentrations of methanal, bacteria and fungi are higher than the standards set by the World Health Organization.

The study identified poor design as the main reason for many of the newer buildings being classified as “sick buildings” and poor sanitation as the main reason for most remodeled buildings.

Recently constructed and newly refurbished buildings exposed their inhabitants to the risks of allergic and cardiovascular diseases and even cancer with their fresh paint and decoration materials which release chemicals.

Central air-conditioning in old buildings, meanwhile, can lead to poor air quality when filters are not cleaned or changed regularly, and spores of bacteria and fungi can spread through ventilation systems.

Office buildings cause dangers in the workplace with machines like old printers releasing ozone, which causes emphysema and bronchitis in some people.

In addition, the study also found that about 30 percent of people developed so-called “sick building syndrome,” which includes such symptoms as a sore throat, itchy skin, headaches and an inability to concentrate.

Taiwanese spent over NT$4 billion (US$124 million) a year between 1997 and 2003 on treating allergic and respiratory diseases such as asthma, according to Bureau of National Health Insurance statistics. [/quote]

Ventilation duct cleaning is a big business in southern California, and probably a lot more areas of the USA.
When I moved into my last condothere I had the vents cleaned and it was amazing the crap that came out of them. I had it done on a yearly basis after that. Even with weekly vaccuming and cleaning the fungi and stuff would build up. And this was on the coast with very good air quality in a well constructed condo.
I can just imagine shudder what this would look like here on the island.

Is this service offered here to homes and businesses?
Is central air con/heating very common here?

[quote=“TainanCowboy”]Ventilation duct cleaning is a big business in southern California, and probably a lot more areas of the USA.
When I moved into my last condothere I had the vents cleaned and it was amazing the crap that came out of them. I had it done on a yearly basis after that. Even with weekly vaccuming and cleaning the fungi and stuff would build up. And this was on the coast with very good air quality in a well constructed condo.
I can just imagine shudder what this would look like here on the island.

Is this service offered here to homes and businesses?
Is central air con/heating very common here?[/quote]

Never seen something like it in Taiwan … :s and if, than cleaning wouldn’t be done until they break down the building :smiley:

Ack yeah, anyone who’s been to a public highschool while it was in session smelled wave after wave of piss-smelling air all day long could’ve told you that without a second thought.

Honestly, what is so hard about efficient plumbing?

In Far Eastern Trade Center in Sijhih the air often smells like foul food, comes out of the air condition vent above me.

It took me 2 weeks to understand that and so I gave up searching my desk for rotten sandwhiches and stopped washing myself 3 times a day on the toilet finaly :fume:

I was having a running battle with my local roomies… I figure that if it’s 10C outdoors, that’s great; if it’s 10C indoors as well, that’s going get cold after awhile. No sense in having the front door and all the windows standing open to let the breeze rip through… that gets uncomfortably cold.

Then I learned that any number of people supposedly die each year due to gas leaks and poor ventiliation… so rather than impose and enforce standards, the gov’t–or so I’m told–tells people not to close their windows.

So, I’m not surprised, not at all.

It’s sometimes impressive, though, just how wrong things can be.

[quote=“Jaboney”]I was having a running battle with my local roomies… I figure that if it’s 10C outdoors, that’s great; if it’s 10C indoors as well, that’s going get cold after awhile. No sense in having the front door and all the windows standing open to let the breeze rip through… that gets uncomfortably cold.

Then I learned that any number of people supposedly die each year due to gas leaks and poor ventiliation… so rather than impose and enforce standards, the gov’t–or so I’m told–tells people not to close their windows.

So, I’m not surprised, not at all.

It’s sometimes impressive, though, just how wrong things can be.[/quote]

We did not open the windows either. Has lead to extreme fungus attack in the apartment. Eating leather jacket, copper from watch, sitting in the towel. Extreme opening windows all day long until we come home helped. Those prison bar windows are good for that at least.

Um… found some on myself as well during most of 2004…aaaarg
Taiwan is humid, ventilation is required.

BobShadowCreature

Yes, open the windows so you get the ultrafine dust inside that settles deep in your lungs … it’s either … probably both …

And while doing that, I am chewing on my daily rice grown on one of those rice fields in Taipei county around a factory. Must be nice heavy metal stuff in the water where the rice grows… :smiley:

… no joke, look at the countryside

BobHeavyOnWire

Newly contructed buildings are the worst, the artickle says. So, I guess I’m in the clear. My building’s probably about 13 years old. Tho, maybe there’s a contaminated rebar in the walls… :s

As for the great window opening debate: One simply must have air circulation in this country, due to to excess humidity. Give that humidity someplace to hold onto, and there’s yer fungi etc.

I personally have a number of air cleaning devices, which I clean monthly. Having good filters is the key. The same applies with the a/c.
Regular maintenance is a must.

Especially with a library. It’s unreal what the air and the humidity can do to books over here. I try to keep my book cabinets as dry as a bone. It’s a full time job, expensive as hell, and my wife thinks I’m insane…

This is but one of the millstones to higher learning…

I saw a building down south that was about 5 stories high and all the bricks lined up :loco:

For those that don’t understand the significance of this it means that the cement which is far weaker than the brick lines up!

Much easier for that building to fall down during an Earthquake :bravo:

[quote=“Tyc00n”]I saw a building down south that was about 5 stories high and all the bricks lined up :loco:

For those that don’t understand the significance of this it means that the cement which is far weaker than the brick lines up!

Much easier for that building to fall down during an Earthquake :bravo:[/quote]

Must be a concrete building with brick-like decoration. Saw them at times. 5-storey brick building wouldn’t survive an earthquake no matter which brick pattern was used.