The indoor air quality of any closed space is closely related to the great diversity of construction materials and finishes used, as well as the low ventilation rates. In fact, several chemical products and toxic materials (asbestos fibers, formaldehyde vapors, volatile organic compounds, etc.) are used in construction materials, finishes (carpets, paints, sealants, preservatives, glues, plastics, etc.), and goods (fabrics, furniture, agglomerated wood particles, cleaning products, etc.), releasing polluting substances into the air, or retaining dust and impurities, some of which may contribute to the worsening of the users' health. As individuals spend 80 to 90% of their lives inside buildings, they are vulnerable to allergies, asthma, infectious diseases, and cancers. Other chronic low-level effects, diffuse in certain buildings called “Sick Building Syndrome” (SBS), particularly in mechanically ventilated buildings, should also be mentioned.
The objectives of this project are, on the one hand, the identification of air-polluting agents inside buildings, associated with construction and finish materials, which are harmful to health, and, on the other hand, the application of a generic methodology, combining multivariate data analysis techniques, with a geometric substrate, capable of generating quantitative indices that “measure” the spatial variability of air quality. To achieve these objectives, it is proposed to carry out the project in three steps:
Step 1. Identification and characterization of parameters (variables) likely to cause damage to user’s health;
Step 2. Measures of the previously identified parameters in three types of buildings (housing, office, teaching);
Step 3. Model adaptation, calibration, production, and validation of results for each case study.
English 
Português