Greenland’s climate problems are not limited to the great outdoors. PhD Martin Kotol has found solutions to the growing problems of asthma and poor indoor climate caused by poor ventilation of houses in Greenland.
By Bertel Henning Jensen
While Greenland’s climate is becoming increasingly hot, its climate challenges are not limited to the great outdoors. The number of asthma patients, especially among children, is growing in Greenland—and according to PhD Martin Kotol from DTU Civil Engineering—poor indoor climate may well be one of the contributing factors.
In March, Martin Kotol defended his PhD thesis, which focuses on solving the surprisingly large number of problems associated with ventilating houses in the polar regions in a healthy and economically viable way.
Despite the peripheral nature of the problem, for most Greenlanders indoor climate is just as problematic as the country’s much-discussed environmental issues.
“I’ve examined 80 homes in Greenland and discovered that the indoor climate is far worse than those of milder climates. People don’t open their windows and often cover their ventilation vents with wallpaper resulting in exhaled carbon dioxide, paint contaminants and cooking fumes polluting their homes,” explains Martin Kotol.
"People simply do not air out their homes. They keep their windows closed and often even duck tape over the air vents, resulting in polution from carbon dioxide, paint fumes and cooking fumes."
Martin Kotol, DTU Civil Engineering
Better houses—poorer indoor climate
Standard ventilation systems do not function particularly well in the Arctic regions, but based on his research findings, Martin Kotol has devised a series of recommendations that can solve the problems using a double ventilation system that does not freeze easily.
Paradoxically, Kotol’s research shows that the problem of poor indoor climate in Greenland is actually exacerbated by the improved standard of house construction in recent years.
The well-insulated homes require good ventilation, and when people block the ventilation system or turn it off in a well-insulated house, the result is an even poorer indoor climate—especially in a culture where many smoke indoors because it is so cold outside, says Martin Kotol.
He therefore has a great deal to look forward to when his PhD project is completed:
“I’d really like to continue working on the problem and install ventilation in Greenland homes—and I’m considering setting up a business to address these challenges. There’s definitely a great need to do something to improve ventilation in Greenland’s homes,” he concludes.