Mould: Finding the invisible - phase 1 Investigation

Confirmed by overseas research, moulds have been found to produce over 80 different volatile chemicals. The compounds released by moulds can agitate or cause allergies and increase asthmatic effects, cause infections and, in rare cases, cause severe toxic reactions followed by death. It is well recognised that damp homes have an overall detrimental effect on the health of occupants. This is observed particularly in vulnerable people such as the elderly and young, Māori and Pacific Island communities and those who belong to the most economically deprived sectors of New Zealand. <br><br>In the 2015 BRANZ House Condition Survey, a high proportion of the homes assessed contained visible mould growth combined with insufficient insulation, poor ventilation and a lower than recommended measured internal temperature. While there have been moves to improve the quality of our buildings, this is leading to more airtight construction with minimal passive ventilation. With this initiative comes new issues, especially around the management of moisture inside the building envelope. This means that, instead of cold, damp buildings, we are now moving towards warmer, damp buildings. Unfortunately, this means that we are still creating unhealthy conditions for occupants. This issue is not unique to New Zealand as similar issues are being seen in Australia and Europe. This project builds upon previous and existing research to identify usable techniques for mould growth assessment, it will aim to make use of existing commercially available technologies to sample air and provide quantitative as well as qualitative indicators of mould growth.