Centre Scientifique et Technique du Batiment (CSTB) is the French Building Research Institute, Public owned establishment, under the Direction of the French Ministry in charge of the construction. Experts, researchers, engineers and high-level technicians - backed up by the most advanced equipment and modern technology - apply their specialised skills to research, technical consultancy, quality assessment and knowledge dissemination. CSTB comprises a wide range of prominent experts, specialising in building materials and techniques, equipment, safety, thermology, acoustics, aerodynamics, lighting, environmental and health issues, advanced communications technology, as well as economics and sociology. CSTB plays a leading role in both European construction and international cooperation being a key participant in all major European research programmes.
The Health (H) Division at CSTB has a staff of 20 permanent (including 8 senior scientists). The H division is dealing with research and consulting in the various fields interfacing buildings and health: health assessment of building products, chemicals and odours in air, national indoor air quality survey, indoor microbiology, indoor water networks health aspects (legionella) and materials in contact with drinking water, heath safety in buildings (lead in paints, asbestos, etc). A large part of the activity of the division is devoted to provide technical and scientific grounds to national policy makers: ministry in charge of Health, Ministry in charge of construction, National Energy Agency and the new Agency for Environment and Health Safety with which the HB Division is currently setting up a cooperation on a permanent basis as regards building and health issues including indoor air quality. The health division at CSTB contributes to the Indoor Air EnVIE European Co-ordination Action as the co-ordinator of the project.
Dr. Christian Cochet (is the head of the Health Division at CSTB. He is graduated in chemical Engineering and Environmental Engineering and has a degree in Environmental Health Risk Assessment. He has been involved in numerous research projects and expertise activities both at national and international level in the fields of indoor air quality and health and building issues. Is he currently the co-ordinator of the European Coordination action on indoor air quality and health effects “indoor air EnVIE” (FP6).
Dr. François Maupetit, PhD in Atmospheric Pollution Chemistry and Environmental Physics in 1992, has more than 12 years experience in research and consulting in outdoor and indoor pollution. In the H Division, he is in charge of the health based evaluation of building products activity. This activity includes characterization of VOC and odours emissions from building products. Maupetit is an expert to CEN and EC in the field of indoor air quality.
Dr. Olivier Ramalho, PhD in Atmospheric Pollution Chemistry and Environmental Physics in 1999, has 10 years research experience in the field of indoor air quality. He is specialized in the field of analytical chemistry and odour measurements.
