This thesis is concerned with the identification, elimination and reduction of barriers to the use of personal respiratory protective equipment (RPE) in the workplace to reduce and prevent occupational inhalation disease. Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) is widely used in industry, health, emergency response, military settings and many other applications and are in daily use by thousands of people in Australasia. The equipment is generally used to filter or ab/adsorb the contaminants from the air prior to delivery to the wearer by filtering or ad/absorbing contaminants from the air prior to being breathed. There is increasing concerns being expressed worldwide as well as in Australia and New Zealand about the apparent increase in diagnosed occupational diseases and the use of RPE is an essential preventative measure able to be adopted by workplaces. The use of this type of equipment is the option after the preferred options of elimination and isolation of the individual from the contaminant in the atmosphere. In spite of this, many different types of RPE are routinely in use. There are, however, enormous practical, physiological and psychological difficulties in the wearing of RPE. Concerns have been expressed in the literature as well as in practical situations that many different types of RPE was unable to meet the needs of workers, particularly as related to airflows and that current standards did not reflect the real-life workplace demands. This work set out to determine an improved methodology for users to determine the total inward leakage (TIL), the different types and quantities of airflows, particularly Peak Inspiratory Air Flows (PIAF). When communicating (an essential aspect in the workplace for safety reasons), PIAFs rise dramatically. This work showed that PIAF were very high, particularly when communicating, and is likely to exceed the ability of many commercial types of commercially available respiratory equipment as well being in excess of the certification requirements of standard bodies. In addition, Minute Volumes (MV) in a typical Australian workforce were shown to be very variable between individuals and current certification requirement of airflows do not appear to reflect practical use. The thesis further investigated using a questionnaire survey, the knowledge and current intervention measures adopted by farmers in different sections of agriculture, particularly dairy farming. Agriculture in New Zealand is a critical economic activity, employing 10% of the total workforce. This work showed that in spite of many different types of intervention activity spread over many years by Government agencies and private organisations to date, limited awareness exists of inhalation diseases and appropriate types of RPE in different applications (for example, confined space applications). The research would suggest that a different and more intensive approach is needed by Government agencies to address the problem in this workplace community if workplace inhalation diseases are to be reduced in the future.

This thesis is concerned with the identification, elimination and reduction of barriers to the use of personal respiratory protective equipment (RPE) in the workplace to reduce and prevent occupational inhalation disease. Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) is widely used in industry, health, emergency response, military settings and many other applications and are in daily use by thousands of people in Australasia. The equipment is generally used to filter or ab/adsorb the contaminants from the air prior to delivery to the wearer by filtering or ad/absorbing contaminants from the air prior to being breathed. There is increasing concerns being expressed worldwide as well as in Australia and New Zealand about the apparent increase in diagnosed occupational diseases and the use of RPE is an essential preventative measure able to be adopted by workplaces. The use of this type of equipment is the option after the preferred options of elimination and isolation of the individual from the contaminant in the atmosphere. In spite of this, many different types of RPE are routinely in use. There are, however, enormous practical, physiological and psychological difficulties in the wearing of RPE. Concerns have been expressed in the literature as well as in practical situations that many different types of RPE was unable to meet the needs of workers, particularly as related to airflows and that current standards did not reflect the real-life workplace demands. This work set out to determine an improved methodology for users to determine the total inward leakage (TIL), the different types and quantities of airflows, particularly Peak Inspiratory Air Flows (PIAF). When communicating (an essential aspect in the workplace for safety reasons), PIAFs rise dramatically. This work showed that PIAF were very high, particularly when communicating, and is likely to exceed the ability of many commercial types of commercially available respiratory equipment as well being in excess of the certification requirements of standard bodies. In addition, Minute Volumes (MV) in a typical Australian workforce were shown to be very variable between individuals and current certification requirement of airflows do not appear to reflect practical use. The thesis further investigated using a questionnaire survey, the knowledge and current intervention measures adopted by farmers in different sections of agriculture, particularly dairy farming. Agriculture in New Zealand is a critical economic activity, employing 10% of the total workforce. This work showed that in spite of many different types of intervention activity spread over many years by Government agencies and private organisations to date, limited awareness exists of inhalation diseases and appropriate types of RPE in different applications (for example, confined space applications). The research would suggest that a different and more intensive approach is needed by Government agencies to address the problem in this workplace community if workplace inhalation diseases are to be reduced in the future.

This thesis investigates the possibilities of using hybrid ventilation in an office building in Stockholm. The focus is on simulating the natural airflow to find out for which conditions it is sufficient. The thesis is done at White Arkitekter AB in cooperation and under the supervision of environmental specialists working there. A literature study is carried out to study what has been done before in Sweden as well as in other countries. Computer simulations are used to simulate the airflow to examine the conditions and architecture. A synthetic computer model representing a realistic office building is built up as a starting point. The ventilation method for the natural ventilation part is to take air in through the fa\c{c}ade and use the stack effects in an atrium for natural ventilation. By altering the architecture and the sizes of the openings according to the results from the simulations the building is dimensioned and formed to cope with the rules and requirements about the indoor air quality in workplaces. The simulations are done with a multi zone energy performance simulation tool that can simulate airflows and indoor air climate conditions in the zones as well as the energy consumption. Computational fluid dynamics calculations are then used to more closely simulate the conditions within the zones. The results from those simulations suggest that the natural ventilation as a part of a hybrid ventilation works for all the floors of the building for up to 10$\,^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$. The computational fluid dynamics simulations showed that the thermal comfort of all the occupants is fulfilled for these conditions but there is a risk of occupants experiencing draught because of to high velocities in the air especially for the colder outdoor temperatures. For the higher outdoor temperatures the airflow needs to be enforced to ensure sufficient conditions for the occupants and for the colder temperatures mechanical ventilation is needed to decrease heat losses and avoid the risk of draught.

Syfte: Syftet är att genom en strukturell jämförelse av fallstudiens undersökningsobjekt få en överblick över kostnaden för arbetsutförandet av två luttätnings- och provtryckningsmetoder. Detta för att ta fram vilken metod som är lämpligast att tillämpa med avseende på kostnad.  Metod: Metoderna som tillämpats för att besvara målet var observationer, mätningar, beräkningar, litteraturstudie samt intervjuer. Den huvudsakliga metoden som användes var observationstekniken ”observatör som deltagare”. Intervjuer tillämpades för att anbringa ny kunskap men även verifiera empirin hämtad från observationerna.  Resultat: Studien visar att det finns både mindre och markanta skillnader mellan objektens lufttätnings- och provtryckningsmetoder som genererar både för och nackdelar. De största skillnaderna var framförallt vid fönster- och dörrutförandet, materialvalet i installationsväggen och om en tidig provtryckning utförs eller inte. Fördelarna med Gripen var att de inte var beroende av utomstående aktörers utförande vid fönsteranslutningen samt att de hade ett moment mindre under kontrollen av klimatskalet. Studien visar även att Gripen hade en lägre totalkostnad för lufttäthetsarbetet än Vimans Trädgård. Dock var kostnaden per kvadratmeter desto högre för varje färdigställd kvadratmeter. Efter en noggrann strukturell jämförelse bedömdes Vimans Trädgårds tillvägagångssätt var den mest kostnadseffektiva lufttätnings- och provtryckningsmetoden utifrån kr/kvm, se Tabell 13. Konsekvenser: Studien visar att båda objektens metoder fungerar för att nå byggnadens ställda lufttäthetkrav. Då metoderna liknade varandra på många punkter kunde slutsatsen dras att lufttätningsutförandet av fönster- och dörranslutningar hade en stor inverkan på tiden samt kostnaden. Slutligen kan följande rekommendationer ges, en byggnads lufttäthet bör säkerställas i ett tidigt skede, företagens luftätningsmetoder bör fortsätta utvecklas samt en enhetlig lufttätnings- och provtryckningsmetod bör utformas och appliceras inom hela företaget. Begränsningar: Rapportens undersökningsstrategi är en kvantitativ fallstudie. Studien begränsas till fallstudiens båda undersökningsobjekt och deras lufttätnings- samt provtryckningsmetod utan avseende till materialkostnader. Undersökningen begränsas även till objektens förutsättningar som materialval men tar ingen hänsyn till geografisk placering eller väderstrecksorientering. Detta medför att studien är giltig under specifika förhållanden. Vid en eventuell upprepning kan studien påvisa andra resultat och generera skilda slutsatser än det som vidtagits i denna utredning. / Purpose: The purpose is to provide an overview of the cost of the work performance of two air tightening and pressure testing methods through a structural comparison of the case study's investigative objects. This is to find out which method is most appropriate to apply in terms of cost. Method: The chosen methods, used to answer the goal, were observations, measurements, calculations, literature studies and interviews. The main method used was the observation technique "observer as a participant". Interviews were applied to conceive new knowledge, but also to verify the information from the observations. Findings: The study shows that there are both minor and significant differences between the objects air tightening and pressure testing methods that generate both pros and cons. The main differences were mainly the execution of the windows and doors, the choice of materials in the installation wall and if an early pressure test is performed or not. The benefits of Gripen were that they were not dependent on external operator’s performance at the window connection and that they had a moment less under the control of the climate scale. The study also shows that Gripen had a lower total cost of air tightness than Vimans Trädgård. However, the cost per square meter was the higher for each completed square meter. After a careful structural comparison, Vimans Trädgård ́s approach was evaluated as the most cost-effective air tightening and pressure testing method, see Table 13.  Implications: The study shows that the air tightening methods of both objects work to reach the building's airtightness requirements. As the methods were similar at many points, it could be concluded that the air tightening of window- and door connections had a major impact on time as well as the cost. Finally, the following recommendations that can be given is, building airtightness should be ensured at an early stage, companies' air tightening and pressure testing methods should continue to evolve and a uniform air tightening and pressure testing method should be designed and applied throughout the companies. Limitations: The report's investigation strategy is a quantitative case study. The study is limited to two study objects of the case study and their air tightening and pressure testing method without regard to material costs. The investigation is also limited to the object's conditions as material choice, but does not consider geographical location or weather-orientation. This means that the study is valid under specific conditions. In the event of a repeat, the study can demonstrate other results and generate different conclusions than those undertaken in this investigation.