The primary reason for ventilation is to provide an indoor air quality that contributes towards a safe and effective internal environment by controlling airborne contaminants – both internally and externally derived – as well as temperature and humidity, and by promoting air movement.
The increasing use of room units in commercial buildings – to cope with sensible heating and cooling loads – in conjunction with a mechanical ventilation system to deliver fresh air, provides a perfect opportunity for this CPD to look beyond current standards in an attempt to identify future trends, based on recent research work. The required amount of fresh air has been set in codes and standards and, for many designers, is a simple – often single – value that is remembered and applied. Every building services engineer will appreciate that the supply of ‘fresh’, outdoor, ventilation air into an occupied building is a fundamental requirement, both for occupant comfort and health, and for maintaining a productive living environment.
