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The article presents the results of field studies of the content of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere in height from the earth's surface from mobile sources of pollution. Studies on the height of buildings of carbon monoxide concentration were not carried out for the climatic conditions of the south of Western Siberia. The object of the study were residential buildings. The studies were carried out at unfavorable wind speed. The processing of experimental data made it possible to obtain calculated dependences of the dimensionless value of carbon monoxide (II) concentration on the height of the facade of buildings from sources of emissions from highways with different traffic intensity. A nomogram has been constructed to determine the optimal air intake height for buildings of different number of storeys from highways of different traffic intensity. These recommendations make it possible to take into account external sources when designing building ventilation. Calculated dependences allow to determine the minimum concentration by the height of the building from vehicles.

ventilation

motor transport

1. Vladimirov E.A. Numerical modeling of the propagation of passive impurities in the atmosphere / E.A. Vladimirov // Meteorology and hydrology. - 1999. - No. 7. - S. 22-34.

2. Grimsrud D.T. Combating air pollution in residential buildings by means of ventilation: volatile organic substances and radon / D.T. Grimsrud, D.E. Hadlish // Proceedings of ASHRAE. - 1999. - P.114.

3. Gubernsky Yu.D. Ecological and hygienic safety of the dwelling / Yu.D. Provincial // Hygiene and sanitation. - 1994. - No. 3. - S.15-18.

4. Livchak V.I. Solutions for ventilation of multi-storey residential buildings / V.I. Livchak // ABOK. - 1999. - No. 6. - S. 21-25.

5. Malyavina E.G. Air regime of a high-rise building during the year / E.G. Malyavina, S.V. Biryukov, S.N. Dianov // ABOK. -2003. - No. 6. - S. 14.

6. Sidorenko V.F. On the calculation of carbon monoxide concentrations in the air of highways and adjacent residential buildings / V.F. Sidorenko, Yu.G. Feldman // Hygiene and sanitation. - 1974. - No. 1. - S. 7.

The number of cars in cities is rapidly increasing, and at the same time, the gross emission of harmful substances is increasing, most of which gets inside buildings. At the same time, natural exhaust ventilation is used in most buildings in urban areas, which does not allow controlling the level of indoor air pollution. When using mechanical ventilation, supply air in urban environments can also lead to poor air quality. This ventilation system has been designed in many residential buildings in large cities, such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, etc. All of the above cities are cities with a high level of air pollution.

The distribution of pollutants along the height of residential buildings has a certain character. Of interest are studies on the content of carbon monoxide between floors in multi-storey buildings under the influence of mobile emission sources, which is important when choosing an air intake for supply ventilation of buildings.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of the conducted research is the development of calculated dependences for optimizing the air regime of buildings, depending on the quality of the outdoor air from vehicles.

Objects and methods of research

Carbon monoxide (II) CO was chosen as a pollutant, as the most stable impurity in the air. The data of natural studies of CO concentrations along the entire height of the building from vehicles are not sufficiently presented, the studies were carried out only in the surface layer.

In the outside air, the concentration of carbon monoxide (II) was measured. All analyzes were carried out on the basis of the analytical laboratory of the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Tyumen Region. Field studies were carried out for three years in the spring-summer and autumn-winter periods.

The object of the study were residential buildings (five-, nine-, ten-storey) located in the area of ​​intersections with different traffic intensity: over 2000 vehicles per hour; from 1000-2000 car/hour; from 600-1000 vehicles/hour; up to 500-600 vehicles/hour. High-traffic areas with frequent braking and high emissions were selected, in particular intersections. The studies were carried out at the most unfavorable speed of the meter (1-3 m/s).

The value of CO concentration in the outdoor air was measured by the height of buildings. A total of 354 observation posts were selected on the border with residential areas.

Sampling from mobile sources was carried out from 06:00 to 13:00 or from 14:00 to 21:00, alternating days with morning and evening periods. At night - 1.2 times a week. At the same time, the wind speed (m/s) was measured and its direction was noted.

When sampling near the building at a distance of at least 0.5 m from the wall. Sampling was also carried out in the intra-quarter space.

Research results and discussion

Figures 1-2 show the dependences of the CO concentration on the height of the building, next to the intersection with an intensity of over 2000 vehicles per hour.

Rice. 1. Dependence of CO concentration on the height on the windward side of the building from the highway with an intensity of 2000 auth. /hour

Rice. Fig. 2. Dependence of CO concentration on the height on the leeward side of the building from the highway 2000 auth. /hour

The graphs show (Figure 1-2) that the concentration of CO from mobile sources decreases in height. The highest concentrations are observed from the side of the windward facade at the level of the 1st and 2nd floors: 1.4 MPCs.s., from the leeward side - 1.1 MPCs.s. and 1MPCs.s., approximation dependencies (1)-(2). With frontal development, a certain build-up of air masses is formed in front of the building, therefore, increased CO concentrations are created.

Buildings (frontal buildings) near intersections with a traffic intensity of up to 500-600 vehicles per hour were also investigated; 600-1000 vehicles/hour; over 2000 cars/hour. The result of measurements of CO concentrations along the height of buildings is also presented as a function of the dimensionless length (, where is the height of the building). The height concentration value is presented in a dimensionless form with respect to the maximum (, where is the maximum concentration along the height of the building, is the concentration at the height ).

Processing the results of experimental studies made it possible to obtain semi-empirical dependences of the CO concentration on the height of the building from intersections with different traffic intensity (Table 1). The dependencies are characterized by the value of the approximation reliability coefficient R2≥0.98.

Table 1

Calculation of the dimensionless concentration of CO over the entire height of the building from highways of different traffic intensity

Traffic intensity, avt./hour	Windward (I)	Leeward side (II)

In order to be able to determine the concentration at any point along the height of the building, a nomogram was built (Figure 3). Using this nomogram when designing the ventilation system of a building, it is possible to determine the maximum and minimum concentrations of CO at any point along the height of the building from intersections of different traffic intensity. In Figure 3, the line shows the permissible dimensionless concentration and heights at which it is possible to take in outside air along the height of the building. At an intensity of 1000-2000 avt / hour, the air flow should be carried out from a height above 0.24N meters, where H is the height of the building; at an intensity above 2000 avt / hour, the air intake is above 0.56N meters. For a small intensity, an excess was not detected, then according to the nomogram, it is desirable to carry out the air intake from a height equal to the height of the building H, since at this height the minimum concentration of CO is observed.

Rice. 3. Nomogram for determining the optimal height of the air intake by the concentration of carbon monoxide by the height of buildings in the outdoor air from vehicles:

h - height from the ground, m; H is the height of the building, m; Cmax is the maximum concentration of carbon monoxide along the height of the building, mg/m3; C - concentration of carbon monoxide at height h, mg/m3

For example, if the building is 30 meters high, then according to the nomogram in Figure 3, with a traffic intensity above 2000 vehicles / hour, the air flow should be above 0.56H = 16.8 meters, and under the same conditions for a building 40 meters - above 0 ,56H = 22.4 meters. This is due to the processes of the aerodynamics of the building, that is, the air flow around the building. The taller the building, the larger the wind shadow. The closer the point is to the building, the more secondary recirculation air currents and stagnant zones occur, in which the air velocity is close to zero. Therefore, the concentration of carbon monoxide is higher. In this regard, it is necessary to take into account the height of the building when choosing the optimal air intake location.

conclusions

Thus, field studies have shown that the highest concentrations from unorganized pollution sources are observed at the level of the 1st and 2nd floors and above, depending on the intensity of the traffic artery. With height, pollution from vehicles decreases depending on the height of the building.

Based on the research results, calculation methods have been developed to select the optimal air intake height for supply mechanical ventilation in buildings based on the CO concentration in the outdoor air at any point () along the building height () taking into account mobile sources. This is important at the first stage of designing a building ventilation system, since the obtained dependencies predict the level of pollution over the entire height of the building (above 2 m).

Reviewers:

Skipin L.N., Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department "Technospheric Safety", FGBOU Tyumen State Architectural and Construction Institute, Tyumen;

Sarkisyan G.T., Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Tyumen Higher Engineering and Command School (Military Institute), Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Tyumen.

Bibliographic link

Litvinova N.A. DISTRIBUTION OF THE CONCENTRATION OF CARBON OXIDE (II) BY THE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING FROM VEHICLES AND ROOMS VENTILATION // Modern problems of science and education. - 2015. - No. 1-1 .;
URL: http://science-education.ru/ru/article/view?id=19566 (date of access: 01.02.2020). We bring to your attention the journals published by the publishing house "Academy of Natural History"

wanted to go out onto the loggia, the previous tenants had to move a chest of drawers away from the balcony door, which served them as a psychological barrier between the living space and the “yawning” abyss outside the windows.

So if the reader is not afraid of heights, then we can invite him to climb up the facade of a modern high-rise residential building and see how the environmental parameters of the environment change vertically and this change is so fundamental that it pays for it.

First, the view from the window

The opening view should attract attention and delight the eye, cause a desire to peer and look. The larger the visible space and the more details it contains, the higher the psychological comfort. And vice versa: the view from the windows of the lower floors overlooking the courtyard and looking at the gray deaf ends of neighboring houses depresses the psyche, causes depression. This is what is called "video ecology". It is not for nothing that a person decorates the interior, saturating it, depending on his preferences, with works of art, decorative and applied products, souvenirs brought from distant countries or other cute trinkets. The interior, devoid of these details, resembles a dull hotel room, rather than a living room in a house. So the higher the apartment is located, the more video-environmental it is, especially if the view from the windows includes not only houses and streets, but also landscaped areas - boulevards, parks, river valleys - areas that change their shades and states depending on the time of day and weather, by which you can follow the change of seasons. Therefore, it is quite logical that the higher and, consequently, the richer the view from the windows, the better and more expensive.

Of course, you will not be pleased with the view from the window of the railroad marshalling yard or the production buildings of a house-building plant, but this is a rare case and they don’t take money for it (although, “not a fact”).

Second, neighbors cars

If a residential building is located not in the center of a production zone studded with pipes, but is located on a residential area, where the main source of atmospheric pollution is highways and parking lots, then definitely, the higher the apartment is located, the cleaner the air outside the windows.

In general, in Moscow, road transport accounts for about 80% of the total mass of pollutant emissions into the atmosphere. The remaining 20% ​​are divided approximately equally between thermal power facilities and the rest of the industry. On the territory of residential development, located far from thermal power plants and factories, the relative contribution of motor vehicles to air pollution is even greater. Vehicle emissions contain such toxic substances as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, soot and about 40 types of hydrocarbon compounds (aromatic, polycyclic, saturated, unsaturated).

It is significant that pollution by vehicle exhausts occurs in the surface layer of air, where the maximum levels of pollution are observed. How fundamental the difference in air purity between the lower and upper floors can be can be judged from the figures presented in this article. They display the results of mathematical modeling of a very specific situation of air pollution in a residential area surrounded by highways.

The simulation was carried out at the Research Institute of Urban Ecology using unique software tools that allow calculating the distribution of pollutants in the air due to dynamic and thermal convection, turbulent and molecular diffusion. This is a fundamentally more accurate and reliable method of calculation than the stochastic algorithm used in the mass practice of environmental support for projects, known as OND-86.

Complete calm. Vertical pollution

The most unfavorable, or, as they say, "dangerous" weather conditions for air pollution is calm. Therefore, we first consider the vertical structure of pollution under this condition. Theoretically, over a surface that is homogeneous in its physical properties, the wind speed in the absence of a horizontal atmospheric pressure gradient is zero. In real conditions, such a situation is not observed, since the synoptic situation determined by the general circulation of the atmosphere is always superimposed by smaller circulation processes induced by differences in the degree of absorption of solar radiation by different parts of the relief and urban development, evaporation and transpiration processes, the presence of artificial coatings, and features of the thermal balance of buildings. and structures.

It should be emphasized that calm conditions on the territory of Moscow have an annual average frequency of about 20% with a maximum in summer, when city residents spend most of their time outdoors. And it is under calm conditions that the most unfavorable conditions are created for the dispersion of pollutants. This is aggravated by the fact that in summer, during calm, the most uncomfortable “overheating” bioclimatic conditions are also created both in open spaces and inside buildings, which forces the population to ventilate the premises around the clock through open windows, giving access to polluted outdoor air inside the apartments. Thus, modeling of microscale processes for calm conditions is extremely important from an ecological point of view.

The figure shows how the concentrations of a gaseous pollutant (in this case, carbon monoxide) are distributed when there is no horizontal pressure gradient of atmospheric air near the earth's surface. Due to thermal convection, air pollution in clubs rises. During the day, these clubs occur both over highways covered with asphalt and therefore intensely heated in the sun, and at the southern facades of buildings that receive the greatest amount of solar radiation, and therefore also warmer relative to other surfaces in the building. The sections of these clubs show that the maximum concentration of the pollutant is in their central lower part. With height, the concentration falls, and faster than the linear dependence. Due to this, in the zone of maximum concentration there are low (up to 5 floors) buildings and the lower floors of tall buildings. Somewhere at the level of the 15th floor, the concentration of gaseous pollutants is 2 times lower, and at the level of the 30th floor it is already 10-20 times lower than at the level of the lower floors of the buildings of the first line of development adjacent to the highway.

Horizontal pollution

Another characteristic feature of air pollution during calm is that the bulk of pollutants accumulate over highways in canyons formed by buildings of the first line of development.

weak wind

Now let's look at the spatial structure of atmospheric pollution by a gaseous admixture under weak wind conditions. In our model, a southerly wind with a speed of 2 m/s was set, transferring emissions from the motorway (Marshal Zhukov Avenue) to the residential area. The result of the model experiment is shown in the figure. It can be seen how atmospheric pollution drifts into the residential area. Isosurfaces of pollutant concentration form something like a puff cake, the slope of the layers of which is directed from the source of pollution deep into the microdistrict.

suspended solids

In order to have a complete picture of air pollution from highway emissions, let's look at how the level of particulate matter pollution is distributed in space. It must be said that suspended solids entering the atmosphere from highways have a complex composition and are no less toxic than exhaust gases. The fine dust (so-called PM10) rising from the traffic flow contains carcinogenic amorphous carbon (soot), wear products of tires, brake pads (including asbestos), asphalt pavement and much more. Nothing pleasant. Previously, tetraethyl lead aerosol was also contained, but now the use of leaded gasoline is prohibited in the Moscow region.

The results of mathematical modeling of the distribution in buildings of dust entering the atmosphere from the highway (mainly from Marshal Zhukov Avenue) are shown in the following two figures. As you can see, the spatial structure of dust pollution is slightly different from gaseous pollution. The difference lies primarily in the higher value of the vertical concentration gradient. The content of suspended solids decreases with height faster than gases. As a result, we get a very high level of pollution at the height of the lower floors (about 1.5 MPC) and low levels of pollution at the level of the 10th floor and above (0.1 MPC or less). But that's not all. The bottom figure shows the results of the process of dust settling on the earth's surface. It can be seen how the “streams” of dust-carrying air penetrate between the buildings of the first echelon of development inside the microdistrict, leaving dust deposits (small black dots) on the ground. Moreover, some jets of dust penetrate the territory of residential development quite far - hundreds of meters.

With height, the intensity of dust deposition decreases according to the same law as the concentration of suspended solids, but the composition of the dust changes. At the level of the lower floors, the size of dust particles is larger than at a height. On the upper floors, fine dust prevails, which easily penetrates through the cracks of window openings, getting inside the living quarters, and is worse retained by mechanical filters. This dust is also more harmful to health than large particles.

But there is one property of dust pollution that inspires optimism. It lies in the fact that most of the dust is retained by the first echelon of highway construction, i.e. from dust more effectively than from gas, protect mechanical obstacles. Green spaces filter dust especially well. Therefore, wherever possible, residential developments should be separated from the highway by continuous planting of trees with dense, closed crowns (although the effectiveness of such plant filters from mid-September to mid-May is practically zero). It is better to pave the under-crown space with artificial coverings that can be mechanically and wet cleaned, and the crowns themselves should be regularly sprinkled during the growing season, otherwise the dust accumulating on the surface of leaves and branches will serve as a source of secondary air pollution.

Thus, the pattern “the higher, the cleaner the air” is beyond doubt. Moreover, pollution at the level of the lower 2-3rd floors and 18-20th floors and above differs by an order of magnitude.

Thirdly, the rise in housing prices with height is the price for silence or noise reduction, since it is, frankly, impossible to achieve silence in Moscow.

Microclimate

But everything is not so clear: the higher - the better, which means - all up! When you win on one, you lose on the other. What are the disadvantages of high floors, besides the fearful feeling of height for some residents? First of all, it is the wind, and this must be reckoned with. An idyllic picture of an apartment on the top floor with a roof garden or an open loggia is not for modern high-rise buildings and certainly not for our climate. Climbing to the very top, it should be borne in mind that at a height of 80 - 100 m and above, the wind speed almost always exceeds 2 - 3 m / s, even when there is complete calm near the surface of the earth. And when it blows noticeably near the ground, then it’s better not to go out on the unglazed balcony at the top. Therefore, you will almost always have to live behind blind glazing, ventilating the premises through ventilation devices.

In this article, we will consider the question of which floor is better to live on for human health and safety. When buying an apartment in a new building or an old building, there is always a choice of floors. But few people know to which floor the exhaust gases of cars rise, from which floor the firefighters will rescue you, and where is the cleanest air and the best environmental parameters. We will analyze the pros and cons of living on each of the floors of a multi-storey building and at the end we will determine which floor will be the best for buying.

We will evaluate the floors according to several parameters:

• Fire safety
• Ecology
• Health impact
• Resale price

Floor and fire safety

Few people think about a fire when buying an apartment, but fires in residential multi-storey buildings happen and this is not uncommon. It is better to know in advance how high the fire escape reaches and from where you can be rescued. This information can save your life in a dangerous situation.

The longest fire escapes in Ukraine

According to firefighters, in Ukraine there is only one 90-meter staircase that can put out fires in high-rise buildings. It is located only in Kyiv and will reach the 20-24th floor. In other million-plus cities, there are no such stairs. In the best case, there is one 50-meter staircase for the whole city, which can extinguish a fire on the 12th-13th floor of a residential building. This is the maximum height from which you can be rescued. But it's too early to rejoice.

Such a car is at best one for the whole city and it will drive to you for about an hour. Provided that at this moment it will not be involved and will not get stuck in a traffic jam. During this time, not only the entire apartment will burn out, but also the upper floors of the building. Therefore, all floors from 10 to 13-14, although they can be saved, are in danger.

How to extinguish a fire on the 22nd floor of a new building

This is a well-known case in Odessa, when the house of the Gagarin Plaza residential complex was on fire. The fire broke out on the top floor and the fire quickly spread throughout the façade. In Odessa, there is simply no equipment capable of extinguishing such tall buildings. All floors above 12 are potentially very dangerous in case of fire.

The only way to escape on the upper floors of high new buildings is a helicopter, but you understand, firefighters can only dream of a helicopter. This technique is not used by firefighters. The fire in Odessa was extinguished for 5 hours. 80 percent of the facade of the apartments burned down.

What equipment do firefighters have?

Firefighters have a common technique for extinguishing fires on floors no higher than 9. These are 30-meter ladders for fire trucks. In this case, the car will be able to arrive within 15 minutes and you have a great chance to survive and remain unharmed. The fire can be extinguished, and you can go down the fire escape.

Conclusion which floor is better in case of fire

The best floor in the event of a fire in your house will be up to 9 inclusive. At least there are fire trucks in your area that can come quickly. Anything above nine can already create difficulties for firefighters. And this is in ideal conditions, because usually our yards are full of cars and the fire escape stretches from a long distance. So the 9th floor can be potentially dangerous.

Choosing a floor in terms of ecology

The influence of ecology on human health is undeniable. The main sources of air pollution in cities are automobile exhaust gases and smoke from the chimneys of enterprises. It is necessary to be very careful in choosing the floor of the apartment in order to avoid the consequences of polluted air.

Of course, everything is a bit arbitrary, because the houses have different ceiling heights and different locations of the house itself relative to factories and highways. In any case, the 1st-2nd floor near the forest park without roads will be better than the 7th floor near the highway with trucks. But still.

To what floor do exhaust gases rise?

The closer the windows of the apartment are to the road, the more harmful the exhaust gases are. But the general background from exhaust gases pollutes the city air. Therefore, it is considered that the most dangerous floors are from 1 to 3.

On the third floor, the concentration of harmful substances is maximum. Only light connections reach the 4-5th floor. Exhaust gases do not rise above the 5th floor, they settle in the form of dust and dirt along highways and on city streets.

Smoke from factories and enterprises

The smoke from factories, thermal stations and enterprises that burn gas is no less harmful to humans than the exhaust gases of cars. Smoke and combustion products from the pipes will be concentrated from the 8th to the 16th floor, depending on the nature and density of the gases.

On which floor is the air cleaner?

The cleanest air is considered to be on floors above the height of the rise of exhaust gases. It's 5 and up. But if we take into account the smoke from the chimneys of factories, then it is better to give priority to floors from 5 to 7, as well as from 16 and above. The higher the floor, the less dust and impurities are contained in the air. Therefore, the air on high floors will be the cleanest.

Floor and human health

Man has lived for centuries in buildings at a low height from the ground. Only recently has high-rise construction become popular. And doctors are already very concerned about this. People need a certain level of the earth's magnetic field. And if the natural value is violated, well-being may worsen.

In Europe, they try not to use high-rise construction for residential apartments at all. High-rise buildings are used as prestigious offices. And people live in houses up to 7 floors and below. In Ukraine, skyscrapers are popular due to high earnings from the same building area. Why build 7 floors when you can build 20 and make more money.

The influence of the earth's magnetic field

Every third person suffers from claustrophobia and agoraphobia. It is the fear of closed and open spaces. The emotional state can change if you live on the upper floors of high-rise buildings. These problems arise due to the fact that the body senses a low level of the magnetic field and a high position above the ground.

The body perceives this as a violation of the natural position and tends to go down. Due to the fact that it is difficult for the body to relax and there is no feeling of security, discomfort and a feeling of fear arise. If a person spends a lot of time in a weak magnetic field, then immunity and performance decrease. The activity of the cardiovascular and autonomic nervous systems may be disrupted.

Each material has its own percentage of geomagnetic field weakening. Concrete weakens by about 10%, brick by 7%, and wood by 1%. The safest from this point of view are wooden houses. The less the magnetic field is weakened, the less the load and stress for the body.

Wall thickness

In multi-storey buildings, the wall thickness decreases towards the top of the building. This is done to make the top of the structure lighter and more stable. The difference in the thickness of the walls on the ground floor and on the 20th floor is significant, so the audibility increases.

And the more audibility between neighbors, the less the feeling of privacy and comfort. You will not be able to feel alone in your apartment. The noise of the neighbors will be heard and they will be able to hear you just as well. This can cause more negative emotions than lower floors with thicker walls.

Design micro-oscillations

Due to the thickness of the walls, microvibration appears on the upper floors. Vibrations of high-rise buildings to the top of the structure are 3-4 Hz. This interval corresponds to the fluctuations of human organs and can be very dangerous. Since at resonance the human body experiences a depressed state and a feeling of anxiety up to a state of horror.

electromagnetic background

All electrical appliances in the house have their own background and outgoing radiation. Reinforced concrete structure does not transmit electrical waves well. They circulate around the apartment and are transmitted to higher floors. The higher the apartment is in the house, the higher the total background. It is believed that it is for this reason that residents of high floors often have problems with headaches and poor health.

The closer to the ground, the better. Man has lived this way for thousands of years, and he is accustomed to this state. Doctors call a comfortable floor for living from 1 to 7. Everything that is higher is no longer too comfortable for a person to endure. On floors above the seventh, the magnetic field decreases, and microvibrations increase, and on the last floor of the building they acquire maximum deviations from the norm.

Video the best floor for human life and health

Doctors explain why it's better to live on certain floors of a building and to avoid upper and lower floors in high-rise buildings. What should be the optimal composition of the air for good health and what it actually is in our cities. The video is educational.

Study in Switzerland

In 2013, scientists from the University of Bern in Switzerland published a detailed report in which they analyzed the impact of the living floor in high-rise buildings on human life. They analyzed the mortality statistics of the Swiss, depending on which floor they lived on. The analysis was made on the basis of the 2000 and 2008 censuses with a sample of one and a half million people.

The conclusion of scientists

If you live in a city, with vehicles and a stream of cars, then residents of the first floors have significantly more risks compared to residents of higher floors. The mortality rate decreases with increasing altitude.

If we compare the 1st floor and 8th, then the conclusions are as follows: on the first floor, the mortality rate is 22 percent higher. People are 40% more likely to die from respiratory disease, 35% more likely to die from heart failure, and the risk of lung cancer is 22 percent higher than that of an eighth floor dweller. From this report, we can conclude that exhaust gases are extremely harmful to humans and living on the first floors in the city is not the best solution.

Overview of floors by parameters

Lighting

The higher the floor, the more light will enter the apartment. The first floors of buildings are usually dark. Even during the day, there may be discomfort due to lack of lighting. You have to turn on the light. Access to sunlight is blocked by trees and neighboring houses. If you want lighter, then you need to choose floors above 5.

Dust and insects

Dust, of course, is more contained on the nearest floors to the ground. On the first, its maximum number. And as the number of storeys increases, the dust becomes less and less. And with insects and mosquitoes, it's just a common myth that there are no mosquitoes and flies on the upper floors. Mosquitoes are everywhere and the 15th floor will not save. It's just that the higher the floor, the more wind, so it's harder for mosquitoes to fly.

Sound

In terms of sound comfort, it is impossible to identify a clear leader. The noise from the street is everywhere. It’s just that if on the first floors it will be noise from passing people, then on the last floors it will be disturbed by the wind and more specific noises. And the cars, the road, the playground, the music from the summer cafe, everything is heard almost the same on all floors.

Elevator

Everything is clear here. If any people can live on the 1st floor and a power outage does not bother you in any way, then going up to the 15th floor without an elevator requires good physical fitness. The pulse goes far beyond the normal range. You have to stop and take a break. Mothers with strollers will not be able to get up at all. It is very difficult to drag a stroller up to the 20th floor alone with a child.

Climbing materials, equipment and other bulky things to a high floor will be a real feat for you. Things do not always fit even in a freight elevator. And try to bring a voluminous sofa, large appliances or linoleum to the 20th floor without an elevator. Loaders charge for the ascent to each floor separately. The higher, the more expensive. And even it will be extremely difficult for them to drag the overall thing to the top floor.

View from the window

Here, of course, the highest floors win by a wide margin. The panoramic view is highly appreciated and pleasing to the eye. Sunrises and sunsets will be your constant companions. But whether it is worth paying for it at the cost of the possible problems described above is up to you.

Floor and sale price of the apartment

The first floors are few people like, so they are usually cheaper in price and harder to sell. The price of an apartment on the first floor, when compared with the 5th floor, will be 10-15% lower. For some, this is a big plus. The first floors are bought by people of retirement age and the disabled. It is convenient for them that they do not have to walk if the elevator is turned off, and the cost is cheaper.

On the first floor, there is the most noise, the purity of the air is not pleasing, dampness and cold come from the basement. Unlike the possibility of a fire on the upper floors, problems on the first floor worry residents every day.

Last floor

Apartments on the upper floors also do not please buyers. To sell, you need to offer a good discount. These are the same 10% of the price of the middle floor. On the last floor, you will be disturbed by the noise from the elevator and water pumps. As well as possible problems with the roof and walking to your floor in the event of a power outage. Apartments on the upper floors are not as valued as in the middle of the house, so these apartments are difficult to sell.

duplex apartments

Developers often offer to combine the last floor with the other floor and make a two-level apartment. In this case, you will need to worry about water leaks from the roof. Since you occupy the floor that goes directly to the roof. The height of the technical floor is usually 2.10, and not 2.60 as in ordinary apartments. Therefore, those floors are poorly suited for a comfortable life.

Attic

Developers often try to sell not only the last residential floor in the house, but also the attic space. As already mentioned, the ceiling height there is lower than in ordinary apartments. In addition, there is no elevator to the attic. You will need to climb the stairs from the last floor to your house on foot. Housing under a roof in the attic is called an attic.

There is another problem with documents. Since initially this is a utility room and you are buying not an apartment, but an attic, you will still have to spend money and time to legitimize your living space. It can cost several thousand dollars. Because of this, housing on the attic floors is valued even lower than on the last residential floor of the building.

Penthouse

A penthouse is a fashionable name for an attic in our country. But if you call an apartment on the top floor an attic, then no one will buy it. It is because of this that Ukrainian developers use the word penthouse in their new buildings and inflate the price.

In fact, the penthouse is a full-fledged house that occupies the entire top floor of the building and has its own elevator and terrace. This is your own private house on the roof of the building. You can equip a winter garden, swimming pool, gazebo.

Due to the exclusivity of such housing, prices can be higher than in the rest of the new development. But in Ukrainian realities, this is usually the same top floor of the building, but with access to the roof and for a higher price. It retains the problems of all the upper floors, but it has its own area in the form of a terrace. Buy or not, it's up to you. Housing, like an attic without documents, is specific. Not for everyone and not easy to sell.

Which floors are the most popular for sale

Floors 4 to 8 are the most sought after for sale. They sell out first. They are in demand both in the secondary market and in new buildings. Investors in new high-rise buildings first buy floors 5-7 and only after that 4 and 8. They are close to optimal, therefore they are also in demand.

1-3, 9 and above are no longer so attractive for life and because of this they lose a little in value. If the last floor loses 10% of the cost, then all the previous ones are proportional to the distance from the optimal middle floors in the house. This means that the 11th floor will cost 5-7 percent less than the average 7-8 out of 16.

Housing for children and their psychological state

If you have children or you are just planning them, then environmentalists do not advise to rise above the 5-6th floor. Children need clean air and the earth's magnetic field. All the negative features of the upper floors can have an impact on the children's body more than on adults. A fear of heights or enclosed spaces may develop.

A good view from the window is also important for children. It is desirable if it is a park, not garages, a cemetery or a highway. Child psychologists say that long-term contemplation of the sad view from the window can have a depressing effect on the child and cause a feeling of depression. On the contrary, a park with singing birds is what a child needs for a happy mood. Think about this moment when you choose your next apartment.

Conclusion on which floor is better to live and buy an apartment

We considered all the options for the influence of a floor on human health and comfort. So, if you buy an apartment not only with health benefits, but also with the possibility of a trouble-free sale in the future, then we advise you to opt for floors 5-7.

You won't go wrong here. These are the best floors in all respects. Here are the best conditions for rescue in case of fire and the best parameters for air purity and you will sell such an apartment quickly. Although the earth's magnetic field is not ideal, exhaust gases can cause much more harm to the human body.

Therefore, look for an apartment on the 5th-7th floor. If it doesn’t work out, then you can pay attention to the 4th and 8th floors of the building. Below the fourth, there is a risk of encountering exhaust gases, and above the eighth, problems for the health and comfortable living of a person begin. But everyone makes his own choice. We hope you figured out which floor is best for health and now you know all the features of new buildings and multi-storey buildings. Good luck choosing.

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The state of our health depends on how we live, in what conditions. Which floor is healthier to live on? Where is the air cleaner - especially when it comes to a big city? And how to clean the air in the house without special devices?

PURE AIR CONTAINS: 21% oxygen, 77% nitrogen, 0.03% carbon dioxide, 1.97% impurities from neon, xenon, dust, soot, etc.

POLLUTED AIR CONTAINS: 15% oxygen, 71% nitrogen, 0.108% carbon dioxide, 13.9% impurities from neon, xenon, dust, soot, etc. Of course, in cities the air is not always so dirty, but next to freeways or last summer, the situation looked exactly like that.

DISEASES THAT POLLUTED AIR CAN CAUSE: diseases of the upper respiratory tract (allergic rhinitis), bronchial asthma, exacerbation of chronic inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract (chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis), sarcoidosis, alveolitis (inflammatory processes in the lungs of a non-infectious nature) .
Which floor has cleaner air?

FROM THE FIRST TO THE FOURTH FLOOR. Exhaust gases accumulate. The maximum concentration of gases is kept at the level of the third floor. But trees grow outside the windows. In the shade of trees, grass grows poorly, and often the lawn under the windows of the apartment turns into a constantly dusty surface.

FIFTH - SEVENTH FLOOR. Exhaust gases do not rise above the fifth floor. From the seventh and above, there is an accumulation of harmful substances from the pipes of enterprises.

SEVENTEENTH AND ABOVE FLOOR. Electromagnetic radiation. The reinforced concrete structure of the house does not allow electric waves to pass through, forcing them to circulate around the apartment and giving out part of the background to higher floors. The higher the floor, the stronger the cumulative background. It is believed that this is why the inhabitants of the upper floors of the "panels" often suffer from headaches and bad mood.

TIP: It is best to choose an apartment from the fifth to the seventh floor. It is at this altitude that the air is cleaner than at others.
How to clean the air in the apartment?

FIRST. Do not smoke in the apartment.

SECOND. Plant 6-7 plants about half a meter high. Sansevieria (pike tail) is considered the champion in oxygen production. And it is worth remembering that moistened leaves absorb carbon dioxide 2-3 times more intensively than dry ones.

THIRD. Clean the hoods. Usually they are so dusty and dirty that they do not let air through at all.

FOURTH. Ventilate the room more often, even if the house is located next to the road. Regularly opening the windows in the house, you can significantly reduce the concentration of harmful substances in the air.

FIFTH. Get rid of excess carpets. Carpets collect and hold dust, dirt and animal dander and are very difficult to clean well.

SIXTH. Regular wet cleaning, washing of curtains and curtains. Curtains and curtains also accumulate dust, especially if they are made from synthetic fabrics. Cleaning and washing allow you to mechanically remove dust and harmful components contained in its composition.

IN case of serious emergencies, such as collapses and fires, the most safe. If there are no blind bars on the windows, then the apartment on the first floor is easy to leave.	1	Located apartments on the first floors are robbed most often. They are the noisiest, the air in them gets from the street the dirtiest. In old houses, moreover, basement dampness is felt and mosquitoes torment.
Safe enough. Best for the elderly and families with small children.	2	The problems of the first floor are inherent, only to a lesser extent.
Always considered the best in the old five-story buildings.	3	inconvenience arise when the elevator breaks down (if, of course, there is one). Himself to rise, still all right, but to raise a washing machine or an armchair floor is a problem.
Floors that are more environmentally friendly.	4,5,6	It will be very difficult for people who are not in the best physical shape to get to their floor in the event of a breakdown in the elevator.
IN typical multi-storey buildings - this is the best "golden" mean. Not this way noisy, car exhaust far below, fear of heights felt.	7	People with cardiovascular diseases and an unbalanced psyche are not recommended to settle higher.
The brightest apartments start from this floor and above. The tallest trees are lower.		If there are smoking pipes nearby, then at the level of 8-16 floors their negative impact is the strongest.
Best panoramic view and the cleanest air. Because it's warm in a high-rise building high-rise building rises, then these are, moreover, the warmest floors.		In case of fire, they are the most dangerous. Toxic products also tend to spread from the bottom up.
Help in case of fire can be rendered from the roof. There are some additional possibilities, type of equipment of a real fireplace or connection parts of the attic.	Top floor	The risk of robbery increases. In old houses, the water pressure is weak and there are often leaks.

Cons of high floors

How
the higher, the better, according to most: the air is cleaner, there is less noise, the view
more beautiful. However, according to urban planning ecologists, one should not climb
above the 6th floor. The air in the skies is not so clean: after all, the pipes
large and small enterprises fumigate any city, and the accumulation of harmful
substances at a height of 30 m and above can be very significant, especially
if the wind is blowing in your direction.

Another
an invisible enemy that overcomes the inhabitants of high floors - electromagnetic
radiation from electrical appliances. Of course, the wiring
the washing machine "flashes" equally on the first and on the 17th floors.
However, the reinforced concrete structure does not transmit electrical waves, forcing
circulate them around the apartment and give out part of the background to higher
floors up to the attic. The higher, the stronger the cumulative background.
It is believed that this is why the inhabitants of the upper floors of the "panels" more often
suffering from headaches and bad mood.

According to
according to the latest data of foreign scientists, every third person is afraid
height. And if he lives on the upper floors of a high-rise building, he may
develop a fear of enclosed spaces (claustrophobia) or
open space (agoraphobia).

Upper
floors of skyscrapers vibrate, and the higher the floor, the stronger the vibration. Sometimes
it may exceed the permissible values ​​and affect
certain structures of the brain, affecting the human nervous system. At
resonance, the body experiences a state of depression, inexplicable
feeling of anxiety, up to a feeling of horror. Live high above the ground
it is unusual for a person - he does not feel safe, cannot
relax and relieve psychological stress.

The fifth, sixth and seventh floors are considered the most attractive for living, since the concentration of harmful substances on these floors is minimized, including harmful exhaust gases all circling in the air only up to the fifth floor.

Nitrogen oxides, soot, fumes, dust and other harmful substances are maximally concentrated in the surface layer. They are heavier than ordinary atmospheric gases, therefore they do not rise high and, when there is no wind, tend to the ground and settle on grass and asphalt. Therefore, it is not recommended to eat fruits from garden trees growing along busy roads. And even small children are better to take in your arms, since the earth has the most harmful substances.

The best option is to buy an apartment on floors 5 to 7.

But the location of the house is also important. If the house is in a lowland, then smog will flow there from higher points in the city. I can see this from the window of a new building from the 16th floor near the highest point in the city when looking at the underlying area. There could be smog even higher than the fifth floor.

Exhaust gases from the car can rise quite high, namely to a height corresponding to approximately the fifth - fourth floor. Based on this, many citizens try to give preference to floors above the fifth, here exhaust gases certainly should not be expected.

Exhaust gases from motor vehicles have the highest concentration in the air near the surface of the earth. The higher up, the less their concentration becomes, and at the level of the fifth floor it no longer has a decisive value.

But if there are factories, state district power plants, thermal power plants or other industrial enterprises near the apartment, then the smoke from them accumulates at the level of the seventh floor and above.

Therefore, it is believed that the floors from the 5th to the 7th are the most favorable in terms of the purity of the atmosphere.

That's when they came home from vanity, whose apartment was on the 2nd floor near a busy highway, and we have the 10th floor not far from the Volga, the difference was very noticeable.

Exhaust gases can rise up to the fifth floor. If you choose housing, then apartments from the eighth floor and above are considered environmentally friendly. No harmful gases will definitely rise to the eighth floor, and even though rarely, harmful gases can rise to the fifth floor. Less than the fifth floor is better not to buy an apartment at all.

The fact is that each car has individual exhaust gases. Someone has worse filtration, because the density of smoke is greater and it settles from below. Others release smog as light as a feather through the exhaust, which rises high into the atmosphere. There is no specific level at which the exhaust gas is kept. Otherwise, it would be impossible to be there.

If speak about exhaust gases from cars, then they concentrate up to the 4th floor, according to other sources up to the 5th floor. Moreover, according to experts, growing shrubs nearby do not help much.

If you live near a factory that has smoking pipe, then these gases are said to harm people from the 8th floor to the 16th floor, depending on the nature and density of the gases.

I live on the tenth floor and I will tell you that the dust from the road, which lies a hundred meters from the house, flies onto my balcony, covers the window sill and the floor, clogs the mosquito net very well. You probably need to go even higher.

Exhaust gases cause maximum damage at a height of approximately 6-7 meters, but more volatile substances can rise to a height of approximately 14 meters.

So, if we take the most common height of 2.7 meters used for one floor, then it turns out that the peak is up to the 3rd floor, then the substances go down, but they breathe with light elements on the 5th floor, I believe that light substances cause more harm to health, so the 4th-5th floor is even worse.

So, if you choose housing close to the road, then it is best of course to focus on floors 7-8, these are the most environmentally (relatively) clean floors.

Although perhaps there is no other choice at all, since on the 7-8th floor the wind also begins to walk, dispersing all other substances.

The concentration of exhaust gases reaches its maximum at the level from the first to the fifth floor. In standard houses, the floor is from 2.7 meters to 3 meters. That is, at a height of 15 meters above ground level, the air is still very dirty.

Around the 13-15th floor, it is already almost twice as clean. Starting from the 28th-30th floor (again, this depends on the height of the floors in this particular building), emissions at this level are 15-18 times less than directly at the roadway.

Indeed, while we lived on the fourth floor, the windows had to be washed three times more often than now, on the 12th. The area is about the same, the number of transport is unchanged. Moscow.