|
|
You are at: Home > Air Quality In The Workplace3
Ventilation and Air Quality in Offices
|
Controlling Indoor Air Pollution
Control of pollutants at the source is the most effective strategy for maintaining clean indoor air. Control or mitigation of all sources, however, is not always possible or practical. Ventilation, either natural or mechanical, is the second most effective approach to providing acceptable indoor air.
In the past, most buildings had windows that opened; airing out a stuffy room was common practice. In addition, indoor-outdoor air pressure differences provided ventilation by movement of air through leaks in the building shell. Today however, most newer office buildings are constructed without operable windows, and mechanical ventilation systems are used to exchange indoor air with a supply of relatively cleaner outdoor air.
The rate at which outdoor air is supplied to a building is specified by the building code. Supply rates are based primarily on the need to control odors and carbon dioxide levels; carbon dioxide is a component of outdoor air, but its excessive accumulation indoors can indicate inadequate ventilation. Supply rates, hereafter referred to as ventilation rates, are commonly expressed in units of cubic feet per minute per person (cfm/person).
|
<-- Go Back | Continue -->
|
|
Ste. S 6 