A research project of the University of Navarra, which seeks to address the different sources of air pollution in housing and the measures to be implemented to prevent the effects of climate change and heat waves in residential construction, respectively, have won 145,200 euros in the latest call for proposals of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities "Proyectos de research and development+i Retos Investigación", recently resolved.

The project will be carried out by experts of the department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials of the School of Engineering (Tecnun ) , as well as from the Departments of Construction, Facilities and Structures of the School of Architecture and from the department of Environmental Biology of the School of Sciences of the University of Navarra.

 Its goal is to analyze, quantify and reduce the movement of air pollutants from the ventilation systems of residential buildings to urban environments: "For this purpose, a gas measurement system located at the outlets of the ventilation and extraction systems of the roofs or rooftops of residential buildings will be used", as Juan Carlos Ramos, professor of Tecnun and researcher participating from the School of Engineering explains in this project. Four types of buildings with different characteristics (age of the building, occupancy level, age of the tenants) have been selected in order to relate pollutant emissions to the typology of the dwellings.

"The main pollutants to be measured are CO, CO2, methane, suspended particles and volatile organic compounds, the latter released by furniture and building materials," continues the expert from Tecnun. The goal of project is to quantify the emissions caused by building exhalation and establish strategies to help minimize and eliminate them. "As far as possible, proposals will also be put forward to reuse, recycle and recover polluting substances," adds Professor Juan Carlos Ramos.  

 

The project, which has obtained funding of €145,200.00 for its development between June 2020 and June 2024, will ultimately propose measures to reduce or eliminate these pollutants, as well as their energy or material recovery when possible.