In the article it is presented the knowledge concerning to characteristics, sources, human health effects and results of measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the indoor environment of buildings. A great number of indoor sources of VOC exist that can be summarized as follows: building materials, solvents and adhesives, environmental tobacco smoke and cooking. Construction materials that release VOC include plywood, particleboard and insulation materials, vinyl floor tiles, rubberized flooring and polystyrene foams. VOC emissions are the implication of either the inherent properties of the materials or the way of treatment and can contribute to high VOC concentrations in the indoor air. The identification of the sources and monitoring of their concentrations with regard to the stated hygienic limits are required for the indoor air quality evaluation.