ABSTRACT
The investigation of pathways of air movement are particularly important in responding to complaints about the presence of odors in the occupied spaces. The identification of pathways begins by understanding the basic forces that exist within and around buildings. A pathway is more than just a leakage site in the building; there also needs to be a mechanism to transport air from one place to another. It is the existence of building-related pressure relationships that govern the establishment of air movement pathways in that building. Once the pathway was identified and understood, the most effective location for eliminating this pathway was identified and the situation mitigated. The reentrainment of air contaminants from exhaust plumes back into the building, after all, represents a pathway of potential odor transmission. The identification of air movement pathways in a building begins with a visual assessment of the evidence, added to by the use of air current tubes.
