A Florida community college prioritizes student and staff health for exceptional education. The College places the relationship between comfort and productivity at the core of its priorities. Installing thermal dispersion airflow measuring stations within every campus at the College makes it possible to accurately measure outdoor air ventilation in real-time, even from a smartphone. The college staff collaborated with Original Solutions Company Inc., a Manufacturer’s Representative of Engineered HVAC Products, to furnish a network of airflow measuring stations at the college campuses. The installation successfully achieved the desired Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) goal and energy savings. Users can easily access real-time data from every airflow measuring station via the BACnet integrated Building Management System or the EBLink App on their smartphone.
Download: Improved Air Quality for a Healthier Environment
The increasing requirement for intelligent cities and energy-efficient facilities with enhanced security systems fuels the Building Automation Systems (BAS) industry. The global BAS market size was valued at USD 86.8 billion in 2022, and it is projected to reach USD 148.6 billion by 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.4%. 1
Thermal dispersion airflow measurement stations with BACnet communication protocols address the industry’s need for data integration and operational transparency. Advanced BAS systems use extracted data for decision-making, trend analysis, interoperability, and issue resolution. The advantage of using a BACnet airflow sensor is that it allows for more actionable data with the option of using analog for the local controller.
Download: Journal of Building Automation
The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic is a challenge for establishments to maintain high indoor air quality (IAQ) standards for occupants. The ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force (ETF) has guided ventilation and air filtration systems and protocols during the pandemic. ASHRAE Standard 241, Control of Infectious Aerosols, is an improved approach to creating infection-resilient buildings. The standard can assist designers, facility managers, engineers, and building owners make informed decisions regarding IAQ protocols.
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Wildfires in Canada and the Western United States have sparked a renewed discussion about indoor air quality (IAQ). Building codes and ASHRAE’s Ventilation and IAQ Standards (62.1, 62.2) basis for achieving IAQ is through dilution (ventilation) and air cleaning (filtration). Ensuring air enters or leaves a building in a controlled and intended manner (pressurization control) is essential to maintaining indoor contaminant levels. The contaminants outdoors may be higher than indoors, universally measured by the air quality index (AQI), and differ by country. Wildfires generate gases and particulate matter that the AQI measures; it is a good indicator to determine when the outdoor air is at risk.
Download: Wildfires Have Increased Advocacy for Better Indoor Air Quality and Building Codes
Outdoor air is essential to dilute airborne contaminants. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that inadequate outdoor air ventilation increased transmission between occupants. Under-ventilation of outdoor air also affects building pressure, increasing moisture levels in the building envelope and ventilation zone. Excessive moisture is a prerequisite to mold and fungal growth and contributes to poor IAQ and thermal comfort. Mechanical codes, including the IMC and UMC, and energy codes, including the IgCC and California’s Title 24, specify outdoor air ventilation rates for compliance. However, most buildings are deficient in code-required ventilation during operation.
Download: The Importance of Airflow Measurement
This paper aims to clarify industry misconceptions regarding Demand Control Ventilation (DCV) and highlights the significant uncertainties associated with CO2-DVC. Additionally, it offers two improved methods for CO2 as a method of demand control ventilation. Both utilize outdoor airflow measurement, one at the air handler (for recirculating air systems) and the other at the ventilation zone (for Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS)). The industry should consider using direct occupancy measurement as a method of DCV when feasible instead of relying solely on CO2.
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Outdoor air ventilation in schools promotes health and well-being. Ventilation is typically through mechanical HVAC systems. The state, provincial, and municipal codes determine the amount of ventilation. Studies reveal that increased ventilation boosts health and academic performance. Conditioning and filtering the air for indoor use can be costly if not accurately monitored and controlled. That’s why efforts to scale back ventilation during lower occupancy is crucial. But it’s not that austere – internal and external environments and HVAC system wear and tear influence the ventilation. This constant flux means actual ventilation rates are constantly changing. Integrating a method to measure and control ventilation within every system is essential to ensure the right balance of fresh air without wasting resources. It’s time to prioritize accurate and efficient ventilation rates for healthier, smarter school spaces.
Download: The Importance of Controlled Ventilation in Schools
Abstract: Outdoor air ventilation is essential to providing a healthy indoor environment. The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), brought about by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is putting new focus on the approach to ventilation design and operation of buildings. This is because control of ventilation above normal rates is necessary to create a safe indoor environment while protecting the building infrastructure.
A safe and healthy building is dependent on dilution ventilation and maintaining proper pressurization. A building’s ventilation system during normal operation strives to achieve acceptable indoor air quality (IAQ) based on building codes. The setup and operation of ventilation systems has variances and limitations. When a ventilation system fails to provide adequate ventilation, the effects of this are not immediately known. Unless the rate of outdoor airflow is actively measured, determining under-ventilation may only come after it is too late to prevent the outcome.
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