Center for the Built Environment

This paper continues a review of the humidity effects on health as addressed in indoor ventilation and environmental standards. Part I identified a number of health-related agents that are affected by indoor humidity, common sites of contam-ination withing buildings, and common remediation measures. Part II discusses the physical causes of moisture-related health problems in buildings, subdividing them by climate and mechanical system type. It examines studies done on moisture problems in these differing environments, showing that in most, if not all, cases the causes of the problem are only indirectly related to indoor humidity in the space. To do a better job of controlling such problems, the building- and system-specific causes of the problems should be studied. A number of specific research needs are identified.