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this research presents compelling health imperatives for the management and improvement of indoor air quality in the workplace and beyond , there are further productivity and employee wellbeing benefits when office air quality is good .
A 2005 report which examined the impact of office design on business performance , produced by CABE and the British Council for Offices ( BCO ), cited differences in productivity of 25 per cent between comfortable and uncomfortable staff , due to basics , such as air quality , temperature , overall comfort , noise and lighting . Clearly the problem is not just confined to either the office or the home : it is everywhere .
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The latest demand ventilation systems , such as the Sentinel Totus 2 Demand Energy Recovery Ventilation system ( D-ERV ), integrate 90 per cent energy recovery into the ventilation system . |
Airtight buildings
Modern , airtight buildings also present issues for indoor air quality . Although highly airtight buildings are energy efficient , they are often less well ventilated and prone to the accumulation of air pollutants . In recent years we have seen a rising demand for airtight energy efficient buildings , in response to growing concerns over climate change . However , simply increasing airtightness reduces ventilation levels , which may have an adverse impact on indoor air quality . Airtight buildings can also overheat . Excessively high workplace temperatures impact indoor air quality and reduce productivity . Hot rooms are linked to fatigue , irritability and headache . Chemicals are released from building materials faster when temperatures are higher , exposing occupants to higher pollutant levels .
Unfortunately , it is not possible to solve indoor air quality problems by simply opening a window ( if it is not fixed shut ). Although 60 per cent of office workers say it is the first thing they do if they need ‘ fresh air ’, opening office windows can present further pollution risks by letting in outdoor toxins .
Demanding change
The most practical way of managing indoor air quality is through continuous regulation , ideally using a modern demand ventilation system which automatically responds to the particular air quality needs of a space . Traditional fixed volume ventilation systems are either on or off , regardless of the conditions or the number of people in the room . Demand ventilation supplies or extracts air only when , and to the extent to which , it is required . This means continuous better air quality , as well as improved energy efficiency .
Demand ventilation operates according to sophisticated control and sensory options
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that are designed to provide ventilation appropriate to the needs of the occupiers . Sensors determine the room ’ s air quality condition , adjusting the ventilation requirements automatically and managing the system ’ s ventilation rates accordingly . Information gathered by these sensors is used by the main unit to determine the optimal fan speed to deliver the right airflow to responding exactly to the room ’ s climatic needs . Sensors can be combined to generate a hierarchy of control for the ventilation system and its operation can be easily linked to a Building Management System for full control and monitoring , if required . Therefore , only the energy that is needed to ventilate is actually used .
The latest demand ventilation systems , such as the Sentinel Totus 2 Demand Energy Recovery Ventilation system ( D-ERV ), integrate 90 per cent energy recovery into the ventilation system . This system extracts the energy from the room ’ s warm , stale air before it is exhausted outside , while fresh incoming air is preheated via the high efficiency plate heat exchanger and supplied into the room . The energy recovery process is proven to use up to 94 per cent of the heat energy which would otherwise be wasted .
D-ERV systems are available with 100 per cent summer bypass . When temperatures rise the automatic summer bypass closes off airflow from the heat exchanger while simultaneously opening a bypass which the air flows through , thus minimises instances of overheating . This allows the building to take advantage of any free cooling available when ambient temperature is below the room design conditions , typical in spring and autumn . Plus , a user enabled nighttime purge facility can reduce the start-up loads for a building ’ s air conditioning plant , reducing overheating in summer from non-air conditioned spaces .
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Although highly airtight buildings are energy efficient , they are often less well ventilated and prone to the accumulation of air pollutants . |
Cold rooms can cause discomfort to hands and feet , shivering , and fatigue . In the winter the high efficiency heat recovery of D-ERV systems tempers the air to such a level that the building should not suffer from draughts eliminating the need for reheaters . The latest systems now include frost heaters so that in extreme winter conditions the system can provide a heating boost to achieve thermal comfort for occupiers .
Despite indoor air quality having often been overshadowed by concerns around outdoor air pollution , the quality of the air inside the buildings in which we spend most of our lives can no longer be a side issue for homeowners , housebuilders , or commercial developers . New technology , such as that offered by D-ERV systems , provides an efficient and cost effective way to ensure our indoor environments remain healthy and productive , year-round . Following recent research and press coverage on the importance of indoor air quality the issue is set to gain further momentum , so the time is now for businesses to consider the air quality in their buildings .
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November 2016 | 61 |