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Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is used to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified. Sick building causes can be linked to flaws in the heating, lighting, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and can be ‘cured' by boosting the overall turnover rate in fresh air exchange with the outside air. Other causes may include contaminants produced by out-gassing of some types of building materials, or improper exhaust ventilation of light industrial chemicals used within buildings.

Related terms:

• Adaptive buildings
• BREAM
• Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH)
• Construction Waste
• Design for the environment (DfE)
• Green roof (or eco-roof or living roof)
• Recycled water
• Secured by design (SBD)
• Social Inclusion
• Sustainable Sourcing
• Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS )