Perception of importance and performance of the indoor environmental quality of high-rise residential buildings

The quality of buildings, including their performance in a range of indoor environmental attributes, is influential to the living quality of habitants. Many studies on appropriate importance weights for the attributes have been reported but few embraced both human perception of the importance of such attributes and the related performance of buildings. Focusing on typical public and private high-rise residential buildings in Hong Kong, users’ perceived importance of four key attributes, namely thermal comfort, air cleanliness, odour and noise, and their perceived performance of the buildings in these attributes were studied. Perceptions collected from 563 respondents were processed through an analytical hierarchy process to generate importance weights for the attributes. Correlation analyses corroborate that perceived importance may vary among buildings of different types and between residents and visitors. Thermal comfort was perceived by the vast majority as the most important. Using a performance-importance plot, it is shown how the gaps between perceived performance and perceived importance can be identified. The results can help determine the areas for improvement in new building designs and facilitate prioritization of limited resources for upgrading building performance.     

Effect of ventilation duct as a particle filter

This paper discusses the effect of ventilation duct as a particle filter by modeling particle deposition in ventilation ducts, which is the reason that ventilation ducts could “filter” particles. An Eulerian model is employed to predict the particle deposition velocity onto the wall and floor from fully developed turbulent flow in ventilation ducts [Zhao B, Wu J. Modeling particle deposition from fully developed turbulent flow in ventilation duct. Atmospheric Environment 2006;40:457–66], while an empirical equation is proposed to predict the particle deposition velocity onto the ceiling combined with experimental data and, another empirical equation by McFarland et al. [Aerosol deposition in bends with turbulent flow. Environmental Science and Technology 1997;31:3371–7] is used for predicting the particle penetration through the bends, which are hard to analyze by theoretical method.     

An experimental study on effects of increased ventilation flow on students' perception of indoor environment in computer classrooms

The effects of ventilation in computer classrooms were studied with university students (n = 355) in a blinded study, 31% were women and 3.8% had asthma. Two classrooms had a higher air exchange (4.1-5.2 ac/h); two others had a lower air exchange (2.3-2.6 ac/h). After 1 week, ventilation conditions were shifted. The students reported environmental perceptions during the last hour. Room temperature, RH, CO2, PM10 and ultra-fine particles were measured simultaneously. Mean CO2 was 1185 ppm at lower and 922 ppm at higher air exchange. Mean temperature was 23.2 degrees C at lower and 22.1 degrees C at higher air exchange. After mutual adjustment (temperature, RH, CO2, air exchange), measured temperature was associated with a perception of higher temperature (P < 0.001), lower air movement (P < 0.001), and poorer air quality (P < 0.001). Higher air exchange was associated with a perception of lower temperature (P < 0.001), higher air movement (P = 0.001), and better air quality (P < 0.001). In the longitudinal analysis (n = 83), increased air exchange caused a perception of lower temperature (P = 0.002), higher air movement (P < 0.001), better air quality (P = 0.001), and less odor (P = 0.02). In conclusion, computer classrooms have CO2 levels above 1000 ppm and temperatures above 22 degrees C. Increased ventilation from 7 l/s per person to 10-13 l/s per person can improve thermal comfort and air quality. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Computer classrooms are crowded indoor environments with a high thermal load from both students and computer equipment. It is important to control room temperature either by air conditioning, sun shields, or sufficiently high ventilation flow. A high ventilation flow is also crucial to achieving good perceived air quality. Personal ventilation flow should be at least 10 l/s. Possible loss of learning ability due to poor indoor air quality in university buildings deserves more attention.     

An evaluation model for indoor environmental quality (IEQ) acceptance in residential buildings

The indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in residential buildings is examined from the prospect of an occupant's acceptance in four aspects: thermal comfort, indoor air quality, noise level and illumination level. Based on the evaluations by 125 occupants living in 32 typical residential apartments in Hong Kong, this study proposes empirical expressions to approximate the overall IEQ acceptance with respect to four contributors, namely operative temperature, carbon dioxide concentration, equivalent noise level and illumination level, via a multivariate logistic regression model. A range of IEQ acceptances for regular residential conditions is determined and the dependence of the predicted overall IEQ acceptance on the variations of the contributors is discussed. The proposed overall IEQ acceptance can be used as a quantitative assessment criterion for similar residential environments where an occupant's evaluation is expected.     

上海智能楼宇空调系统对室内生态环境的影响

在对上海7栋智能建筑的实测和调研中发现,对室内环境品质的主观问卷调查与客观实测数据之间没有明显的相关性,有的甚至大相径庭。分析表明,这些大楼空调系统的设计、安装和运行对室内环境品质的主观调查结果有很大的影响,主要影响因素有：室内设定参数,室内气流分布,新风供给方式,窗是否能开启,空气龄,楼宇自控理念等。提出了改善室内生态环境的建议。     

Improving energy performance of school buildings while ensuring indoor air quality ventilation

Energy conscious design of school buildings, as well as deemed-to-satisfy provisions in a Performance Based Energy Code, should address the problem known as the energy efficiency—thermal comfort—indoor air quality dilemma (EE-TC-IAQ Dilemma). In warm and moderate climates, the large internal heat sources usually found in school buildings prevent achieving thermal comfort without active cooling in summer, but are not sufficient to eliminate the need for heating in winter. Commonly used air-conditioners do not improve air quality, while natural ventilation induces uncontrolled energy losses. In this study, a step by step process was used for the development of deemed-to-satisfy design solutions, which cope with the EE-TC-IAQ Dilemma, for a performance based code. A distinction is made between improving building design variables and improving ventilation schemes. Results indicate that implementation of improved ventilation schemes in an otherwise well designed energy-conscious building result in savings of 28–30% and 17–18% for northern and southern classroom orientations, respectively.     

福建省典型气候区居住建筑适时通风节能研究

本文基于福建近年新建住宅的调查调查结果,提取了1梯2户住宅的模式;根据这种模式和现有节能标准,构建了2单元6层住宅,并用软件模拟分析了其在福建典型气候区适时通风与非适时通风的能耗状况。模拟分析表明：（1）无论气候区如何,通风是否适时,住宅南北向布置时能耗最小,而东西向布置时能耗最大;（2）适时通风的节能效果与地区气候有...     

Analysis of indoor humidity environment in Chinese residential buildings

A high or low humidity environment is related closely to not only many health problems, but also has great influence on the construction durability and energy consumption. It is very important to control humidity level, in order to achieve a healthy and comfortable indoor environment. However, various problems of the air humidity in inhabited dwellings are not yet taken serious consideration in China. Moreover, there is hardly any information available regarding the actual humidity environment in Chinese residential houses. For this reason, it is difficult to select appropriate moderate moisture strategies to maintain a harmonious indoor humidity level.     

Effects of ventilation rate per person and per floor area on perceived air quality,sick building syndrome symptoms,and decision‐making

Ventilation rates (VRs) in buildings must adequately control indoor levels of pollutants; however, VRs are constrained by the energy costs. Experiments in a simulated office assessed the effects of VR per occupant on perceived air quality (PAQ), Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) symptoms, and decision‐making performance. A parallel set of experiments assessed the effects of VR per unit floor area on the same outcomes. Sixteen blinded healthy young adult subjects participated in each study. Each exposure lasted four hours and each subject experienced two conditions in a within‐subject study design. The order of presentation of test conditions, day of testing, and gender were balanced. Temperature, relative humidity, VRs, and concentrations of pollutants were monitored. Online surveys assessed PAQ and SBS symptoms and a validated computer‐based tool measured decision‐making performance. Neither changing the VR per person nor changing the VR per floor area, had consistent statistically significant effects on PAQ or SBS symptoms. However, reductions in either occupant‐based VR or floor‐area‐based VR had a significant and independent negative impact on most decision‐making measures. These results indicate that the changes in VR employed in the study influence performance of healthy young adults even when PAQ and SBS symptoms are unaffected.     

Thermal comfort for naturally ventilated residential buildings in Harbin

This field study was conducted during summer 2009 in Harbin, northeast of China in order to investigate human responses to the thermal conditions in naturally ventilated residential buildings in cold climate. We visited 257 families in six residential communities and collected 423 sets of physical data and subjective questionnaires. The neutral temperature is 23.7 °C, with the clothing insulation of 0.54 clo. The neutral temperature in Harbin is lower than neutral temperatures in warm climates by others, which is in accordance with the thermal adaptive model. 80% of the occupants can accept the air temperature range of 21.5-31.0 °C, which is wider than the summer comfort temperature limits by the adaptive model. The preferred temperature range fell between 24.0 °C and 28.0 °C. About 57.9% of the subjects voted “no change” with the humid range of 40% and 70%. 61.5% of the occupants voted “no change” with the air velocity within the range of 0.05-0.30 m/s. In summer, occupants preferred air velocity of lower than 0.25 m/s even at higher indoor temperature, which is different from the other field studies. The Harbin occupants in naturally ventilated dwellings can achieve thermal comfort by operable windows instead of running air-conditioners.     

The impacts of ventilation strategies and facade on indoor thermal environment for naturally ventilated residential buildings in Singapore

The impacts of various ventilation strategies and facade designs on indoor thermal environment for naturally ventilated residential buildings in Singapore are investigated in this study based on thermal comfort index. Four ventilation strategies, nighttime-only ventilation, daytime-only ventilation, full-day ventilation and no ventilation were evaluated for hot-humid climate according to the number of thermal discomfort hours in the whole typical year on the basis of a series of TAS simulations. Parametric studies of facade designs on orientations, window to wall ratios and shading devices were performed for two typical weeks by coupled simulations between building simulation ESP-r and CFD (FLUENT). The results indicate that full-day ventilation for indoor thermal comfort is better than the other three ventilation strategies. With various facade design studies, it was found that north- and south-facing facades can provide much comfortable indoor environment than east- and west-facing facades in Singapore. It is recommended that optimum window to wall ratio 0.24 can improve indoor thermal comfort for full-day ventilation and 600 mm horizontal shading devices are needed for each orientation in order to improve thermal comfort in further.     

On-site quantification of re-entry ratio of ventilation exhausts in multi-family residential buildings and implications

Abstract Abstract In the worldwide spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, cluster of cases occurred in a number of large high‐rise residential building blocks, especially in Hong Kong. In this study, we examined one of the most likely virus‐spread mechanisms, which is related to the inter‐flat or inter‐zonal airflow through open‐windows caused by buoyancy effects. Dual tracer gases of CO₂ and SF₆ are employed simultaneously to quantify the amount of the exhaust air coming out of the upper part of the window of a floor that re‐enters the lower part of the open‐window at the immediate upper floor. It was found that the room air could contain up to 7% of the exhaust air from the lower floor, and this occurs at low wind conditions with a combination of indoor–outdoor temperature difference. The results can well explain the earlier governmental finding that DNA strings of SARS Corono‐Virus were detected within the sampled deposits on the window sills of the upper floors of the two index patients’ flats. The preliminary and yet alarming conclusion may be that, in high‐rise buildings, windows flush with a flat façade can be a major route for the vertical spread of pathogen‐containing aerosols.     

基于EPC模式的住宅建筑节能改造研究

文章先对住宅建筑节能改造中EPC模式应用的必要性进行阐述,之后对EPC的运行流程进行设计,又对EPC模式构建策略进行分析,最后对住宅建筑节能改造中EPC模式应用进行探讨。     

Control of heating systems in residential buildings: Current practice

Heating is the most important energy consumer for households in Belgium. The primary energy consumption of a heating system is determined by the net energy demand of the building, but also by the efficiency of the equipment and the way it is used by the inhabitants.

To estimate the potential primary energy savings, today's situation should be analysed first. Therefore, the results of two surveys are combined to sketch current practice in Belgium. The most common systems in Western Europe, i.e. gas boilers combined with radiators, are then simulated to test their performance in dwellings with varied insulation quality. Typical internal heat gains and set temperature profiles are included, but the influence of the inhabitant behaviour on the heating efficiency is not studied as such.

The results show that current practice does lead to important energy losses, resulting in overall efficiencies as low as 30%, but improvements are possible by using intelligent controllers. However, correct boiler sizing and a sound combination of boiler and heat emitter control are still required to ensure high heating system efficiencies, especially for better insulated buildings with a high heat balance ratio.     

Determination of particle concentration in the breathing zone for four different types of office ventilation systems

Many factors affect the airflow patterns, thermal comfort, contaminant removal efficiency and indoor air quality at individual workstations in office buildings. In this study, four ventilation systems were used in a test chamber designed to represent an area of a typical office building floor and reproduce the real characteristics of a modern office space. Measurements of particle concentration and thermal parameters (temperature and velocity) were carried out for each of the following types of ventilation systems: (a) conventional air distribution system with ceiling supply and return; (b) conventional air distribution system with ceiling supply and return near the floor; (c) underfloor air distribution system; and (d) split system. The measurements aimed to analyse the particle removal efficiency in the breathing zone and the impact of particle concentration on an individual at the workstation. The efficiency of the ventilation system was analysed by measuring particle size and concentration, ventilation effectiveness and the indoor/outdoor ratio. Each ventilation system showed different airflow patterns and the efficiency of each ventilation system in the removal of the particles in the breathing zone showed no correlation with particle size and the various methods of analyses used.     

人性化在居住建筑地下车库的表达

通过对居住建筑地下车库整体环境考量,从人性化的设计角度重点分析地下车库与外界进行物质交换的空间节点,并提出相应的设计措施。     

国外非工业建筑室内空气品质研究动态

以１９７年健康建筑和室内空气品质国际会议文献为基础,概略介绍了国际上的有关研究近况,涉及病态建筑综合症和室内空气污染问题以及减少污染的办法和手段,阐述了作者对我国室内空气品质问题的看法。     

Changing microbial concentrations are associated with ventilation performance in Taiwan's air-conditioned office buildings

Our study conducted serial environmental measurements in 12 large office buildings with two different ventilation designs to obtain airborne microbial concentrations in typical office buildings, and to examine the effects of occupant density, ventilation type and air exchange efficiency on indoor microbial concentrations. Duplicate samples of airborne fungi and bacteria, a total of 2477 measurements, were collected based on a scheme of conducting sampling three times a day for at least seven consecutive days at every study building. Air change rates (ACHs) were also estimated by tracer gas concentration decay method, and measured by continuous Multi-Gas monitor for each building. Most sampling sites were with total fungal and bacteria concentrations higher than 1000 CFU/m(3), an often-quoted guideline in earlier research. Significantly higher concentrations of fungi and bacteria, as well as higher indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios across most groups of airborne microbes, were identified in buildings with fan coil unit (FCU) system than those with air-handling unit (AHU) system (Student's t test, P < 0.0001). Older buildings and higher air exchange rates were statistically associated with greater indoor bacteria levels in FCU ventilated buildings (R(2) = 0.452); a pattern not found in AHU buildings. Increasing ACH seemed to be the determinant factor for rising indoor fungal and Cladosporium concentrations in those FCU buildings (R(2) = 0.346; 0.518). Our data indicated that FCU ventilated buildings might have provided more outdoor matters into indoor environments through direct penetration of outdoor air. Results also demonstrated a quantitative association between rising numbers of occupants and increasing indoor levels of yeast in both FCU and AHU ventilated buildings. The regression model identified in this study may be considered a reference value for proposing an optimal ACH, while with adequate filtration of fresh air, as an effective strategy in lowering indoor microbial concentrations in air-conditioned buildings. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: As control of indoor microbial contamination has become an increasing concern around the world, feasibility and effectiveness of adopting ventilation approach has attracted a significant interest. This field investigation demonstrated, quantitatively, critical variables to be taken into consideration while applying such a measure, including the kinds of microbes to be removed and the types of ventilation system already in place.     

Penetration of nitrogen oxides and particles from outdoor into indoor air and removal of the pollutants through filtration of incoming air

We studied the effect of ventilation and air filtration systems on indoor air quality in a children's day-care center in Finland. Ambient air nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2) and particles (TSP, PM10) were simultaneously measured outdoors and indoors with automatic nitrogen oxide analyzers and dust monitoring. Without filtration nitrogen oxides and particulate matter generated by nearby motor traffic penetrated readily indoors. With chemical filtration 50-70% of nitrogen oxides could be removed. Mechanical ventilation and filtration also reduced indoor particle levels. During holidays and weekends when there was no opening of doors and windows and no particle-generating activity indoors, the indoor particle level was reduced to less than 10% of the outdoor level. At times when outdoor particle concentrations were high during weekdays, the indoor level was about 25% of the outdoor level. Thus, the possible adverse health effects of nitrogen oxides and particles indoors could be countered by efficient filtration. We also showed that inclusion of heat recovery equipment can make new ventilation installations economical.     

Exhaust ventilation in attached garages improves residential indoor air quality

Previous research has shown that indoor benzene levels in homes with attached garages are higher than homes without attached garages. Exhaust ventilation in attached garages is one possible intervention to reduce these concentrations. To evaluate the effectiveness of this intervention, a randomized crossover study was conducted in 33 Ottawa homes in winter 2014. VOCs including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and air exchange rates were measured over four 48‐hour periods when a garage exhaust fan was turned on or off. A blower door test conducted in each garage was used to determine the required exhaust fan flow rate to provide a depressurization of 5 Pa in each garage relative to the home. When corrected for ambient concentrations, the fan decreased geometric mean indoor benzene concentrations from 1.04 to 0.40 μg/m³, or by 62% (P<.05). The garage exhaust fan also significantly reduced outdoor‐corrected geometric mean indoor concentrations of other pollutants, including toluene (53%), ethylbenzene (47%), m,p‐xylene (45%), o‐xylene (43%), and carbon monoxide (23%) (P<.05) while having no impact on the home air exchange rate. This study provides evidence that mechanical exhaust ventilation in attached garages can reduce indoor concentrations of pollutants originating from within attached garages.