Think about how air pollution could affect your home

There are a lot of things to think about when you design a home. But, how much consideration do you give to the affect air pollution will have on the property? It is definitely something you shouldn't underestimate.

The impact

Pollutants can have a massive impact on properties. In the worst cases, they can penetrate deep into materials and weaken them. Some materials are quite sensitive to carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, chlorides, and nitrogen. So, if you aren't careful you can have serious problems on your hands, including costly replacements.

Even if the situation doesn't get so bad that it ruins a material entirely, air pollution can have a massive impact on aesthetics. It can cause fading, discolouration, and other problems. If you're designing a home and choosing beautiful stone, timber, and other resources, you don't want to find that pollutants in the air are ruining them.

What to think about?

There are a few really important things to think about here. Firstly, you have to look at the level of air pollution from traffic in the area. Are you building in a built up area with lots of traffic? Is the site close to major roads? If you're designing residential architecture, it is a good idea to choose plots in quieter, greener areas if possible, or position the property back from the roads.

Secondly, you need to understand other factors that can have a major impact on the interaction between pollutants and the property. Wind speed and direction are both crucial. Ideally, what you want is higher speeds to disperse pollution quicker. If you have winds moving away from the property, that is ideal too.

Another thing to think about is vegetation. Air pollution can be a bigger problem in urban areas because there is typically less greenery. If you want to protect your home, consider how you can make the plot greener.

Finally, be carefully if you are building in an area with lots of high rise properties. They can recirculate air pollutants by creating a canyon effect. It will increase interaction time and cause greater damage to materials.

Ultimately, you should think about the level of air pollution and what materials to use. Favour those with higher resistance to ensure you are less likely to have structural or cosmetic problems.