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The Relationship between Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and energy conservation
Hypothesis
The existence and good management of an IAQ is an effective incentive to prospective tenants, and property buyers. When quality IAQ systems are installed in a building can be used as a selling point for the properties since people needs clean air where they are living or working. Therefore, indoor quality air improves energy conservation.
Abstract
There exists a strong relationship between IAQ and energy efficiency, and therefore appropriate maintenance of the internal air quality within buildings is increasing becoming very important. With the ravages of the environment such as global warming, green house gas emissions, and other type of environmental pollution, it has become a requirement to have clean air. With the effects of globalization, many people are increasing becoming aware on te need for environmental conservation, and everybody is increasingly getting concerned with green production, green chemistry, and almost every facet of man today has a “green” suffix. The concept of having clean air to breath is gaining much prominence, where the occupants of various buildings need comfort, performance, and quality health. There are many factors that affect the indoor air quality, and controlling these factors for improved air quality is an important marketing instrument. These factors would include pollution, heat, humidity, ventilation, and other methods of controlling air flow and the quality of air.
Introduction
The objectives of this study are to establish a connection between likeability of buildings and the nature of controlling the quality of air. Another reason for the study is to discern how he comfortability of the occupants of buildings is highly relative to the methods used in controlling air quality in buildings. The dilemma of regarding the indoor quality of air must have been an issue of facility managers and real estate owners. The demand for facilities that ensure indoor quality air is on the exponential rise, with a greater percentage of the human population being aware of the effects of having bad air (Sridevi, &, Monto, 676-686).
Today’s consumer is very perceptive about his or her environment, and it will always be the first thing a buyer or consumer will countercheck before committing to purchase a service or good. How the service or good is packaged is of great essence. In this case , the concern is on houses where people live, offices and factories where people work. This also includes recreational areas. If the property marketers can vigorously include the fact that their properties ensures that IAQ conserves the environment, then it is a good starting point to sell the properties. When the environment is conserved implies that all the components including heat is conserved.
Discussion
Good preventive maintenance and housekeeping measure are very central to establishing quality air within buildings. Air quality has many components including the level of heat, the presence of pollutants such as odors, foul air, level of humidity, and the general flow of air within the buildings. The outdoor air flow rates affect the conditions of indoor air quality, along with temperature and humidity requirements. The cost of energy regulation is an important part of ensuring the indoor quality air. The cost is related to installing ventilation systems and other control methods. Energy efficiency reduces the cost of operation. The system that uses fossil fuels contributes to emission of green gases, and it is a matter of public policy to promote efficient utilization of control systems and energy utilization. The thermal comfortably sheds light on the design and operation of HVAC especially in commercial buildings which accommodates many people at a particular time (Wang, et al, 638-647)
The energy conservation strategies must be in line with the standards set by ANSI/ASHRAE standard 55-1992 for thermal environmental conditions for human occupancy . The temperature and humidity requirements needs that the outside air flow rates is 20 cfm per occupant of office spaces, 15 cfm per occupant for educational premises, and auditoriums should go by the ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55-1992. These flow rates are set due to occupancy design conditions to regulate temperature and humidity. The space temperatures should be maintained at between 70 and 79 degrees F, and relative humidity levels not exceeding 60%. The space temperature and space relative humidity are to be taken care of to ensure the occupants of buildings have access to quality indoor air. These criteria are associated with cost reduction, heat reduction, and increased comfort. The different control systems such as ventilation controls and air cleaning technologies impacts on the outdoor air so that the air flow do not have outdoor pollution elements affecting the indoor quality air (Wang, et al, 638-647)
The issue of outdoor air flow is important for both old and new buildings, which should incorporate features of energy conscious designs and retrofit strategies. If the existing buildings had been designed with poor outdoor air flow performance, will be urged to raise these rates to improve the quality of indoor air. These factors should be able to address the issues of the environment adequately in buildings, and property owners should address and identify situations where serious problems could occur. Assessing the balance between energy, indoor air, and thermal objectives is key to the design and operation of HVAC systems in commercial buildings. Professional and practitioners should generate the necessary data to guide the design and operation of ventilation systems to check cost reduction and energy saving strategies, while maintaining the thermal comfort and outdoor air flow performance. Areas where studies that are more concerted should be performed to ensure quality air for occupants of buildings are. Development of an environmental assessment database, assessment of energy and outdoor air flow rates for office buildings, assessment of the impacts of increasing outdoor airflow, and energy costs for protecting indoor environmental quality (Wang, et al, 638-647)
Justification for the adaption of ASHRAE
The level of energy usage in homes and commercial building is worrying. Most of the energy usage in homes is for running the HVACS. This may be the worst scenario in Polar Regions. However, the energy usage in most building can be significantly reduced through the adoption of the ASHRAE standards
ASHRAE Standard 62-1989: Ventilation for acceptable indoor air quality
The main purpose of the standard is to set a minimum and maximum ventilation and indoor air quality standard that is acceptable to the human occupancy and avoid negative impact on health. The minimum ventilation rates are geared at balancing indoor air quality and energy usage. The standard was specifically based on the mechanical ventilation and heat energy recovery system while considering the variable occupancy and building types (Wang, et al, 638-647)
Air infiltration and Ventilation Centre (AIVC)
All buildings should have an AIVC to help in analyzing and understanding the complex behaviors of air in the building. This will not only advance the application of related energy saving measures but also help inn deigning new buildings and improve the building
According to Macfarlane, & Ester, (599-611), the buildings should be appropriately air tight depending on the function of the building. This is geared at achieving an optimal thermal comfort during summer and winter. Additionally, the building should also be enveloped to reduce energy consumption. The thermal building design should emphasize on the installation of aq central heating system and ensure that the building offers thermal comfort without excessive energy use. This is important because there is a need to use the passive solar technologies. While the indoor air quality is dependent on the HVAC systems, the energy usage may be unrealistic therefore; there is need for the consideration of the technological consequences associated with over reliance on then HVAC systems and energy. It is also important to consider using the self regulated inlets and outlet. These should be geared at ensuring that the wind, and temperature flow is constant in all rooms (Siddique, &, Noumowe, 612-622).
Requirements for products and materials
The basic requirement form the building products geared at reducing the level of pollution and by controlling the causes of pollution and to achieve an ideal indoor air quality and energy usage are to control the general emission by building. This can be achieved by banning the usage of asbestos in the occupied areas, limiting the use of formaldehyde emissions by chipboards up to 10mg/100 g and using stronger guidelines for protecting radon in building. Additionally the separation of smoking and non smoking zones is also important. All these factors tend to consider the fact that most of the indoor air quality systems are only used due to the presences of pollutants, therefore if the polluting sources are eliminated, and then the indoor air quality is superlatively excellent (Chuck, 595-598).
Design of HVAC-Systems ventilation Rates
The recommendation for redesigning the, commissioning and maintaining the HVAC-systems must be considered as a supreme measure to reducing the energy usage (energy conservation) through increasing their efficiency and effectiveness
Conclusion
The relationship between the indoor air quality and the energy usage is very strong; this means that the HVAC-systems are responsible for a larger part of the energy bills. For example, the amount of energy used to run a fan or air freshener is high. Most of the HVAC systems are not energy efficient. The relationship between the indoor climate and the general energy use is also dependent on the building characteristics, the HVAC systems for heating and lighting and people using then indoor air and energy. For example, the ventilation needs, the efficiency of the equipment, control measures on the usage of the ventilation equipment are very important factors to consider. However, the most important thing to consider is the fact the most control of the ventilation source overarches most of the solutions presented in early finding and researchers. One of the main ways of maintaining a good balance between the indoor air quality and the energy usage is the usage of passive techniques. However, passive techniques may not be adequate for energy conservation, necessitating the usage of other techniques such as reducing the total energy load or the load placed on the indoor climate.
The pollutant sources control specifically looks at the human factors in polluting the indoor air and compromising the indoor air quality, this may not be realistic but the level of population can be checked to reduce the load on the indoor air. Human occupancy can also been looked at as the contributing source of pollution, but the energy managers should also give due consideration to the design of the building and the general construction processes and maintenance
Work cited
Chuck W. F. Yu. Flooding and EcoBuild – Strategies for the Future: Dykes, Dams, SUDS and Floating Homes, Indoor and Built Environment.19: 595-598. (2010)
Anson K, Macfarlane, & Ester C. Reliability and Validity of a New Building Environmental Quality Questionnaire. Indoor and Built Environment. 19: 599-611,. (2010).
Rafat Siddique and Albert N. Noumowe. An Overview of the Properties of High-strength Concrete Subjected to Elevated Temperatures Indoor and Built Environment 19: 612-622. (2010)
J.H. Wang, L. Niu, P. Liu, &, F. Yu. Assessment of Pollutant Dispersion in the Re-entrance Space of a High-rise Residential Building, Using Wind Tunnel Simulations Indoor and Built Environment 19: 638-647. (2010)
Sridevi K, &, Monto M. Current State of Domestic Concealed Wiring Practices in Bangalore, India .Indoor and Built Environment. 19: 676-686, (2010)
