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IndoorAirQuality(IAQ)
Heating,VentilationandAirconditioningText
ModulesfortheIndoorAirQualityBuilding
EducationandAssessmentModel
TextModules:Heating,VentilationandAir
conditioning(HVAC)
Thismoduleidentifieselementsoftheheating,ventilatingandairconditioning
(HVAC)systemthatareimportanttoIAQ,aswellasinformationimportantto
developingprotocolsfortheoperatingsetpointsandschedulesconsistentwith
goodIAQperformance.
HVACSystem
VentilationSystems
ConstantVolume(CV)Systems
VariableAirVolume(VAV)Systems
Economizer
HVACComponents
CoilsandDrainPans
HumidificationandDehumidificationEquipment
OutdoorAirDampers
AirFilters
Ducts
ExhaustSystems
ReturnAirPlenum
VAVBoxes
CoolingTowers
Boilers
HVACOperationsandStandards
ASHRAEStandard621999,VentilationforAcceptableIndoorAir
Quality
ExistingBuildings
MultipleSpaceSystems
IntermittentOccupancy
PreOccupancyPurge
ControlofTemperatureandRelativeHumidity
ASHRAEThermalComfortRequirements
HumidityandMicrobialGrowth

HVACSystems
VentilationSystems

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Therearesignificantspatialandseasonalvariationsinthevolumeofairdelivered
bymostHVACsystems.HVACOperatorsmustunderstandthevariationstoknow
howtoprovideoccupantswithadequateoutdoorairinallspacesthroughoutthe
year.TheventilationfeaturesmostimportanttoIAQarethewayinwhichsupply
airvolumeiscontrolled,andthewayinwhichoutdoorairdeliveryiscontrolled.
InmostHVACsystemsaportionofventilationairsuppliedtooccupiedspacesis
outdoorairandaportionisrecirculatedair.Thetotalvolumeofairisimportant
fortworeasons:
1.Airmovementcontributestothermalcomfort.Thelackofairmovement
cancreateasensationofhot/stuffyair.
2.InmanyVAVsystems(seebelow),outdoorairisaconstantfractionofthe
totalsupplyair.Thus,thetotalvolumeofoutdoorairdependsonboththe
outdoorairfraction,andthesupplyairvolume.
TherearetwomajortypesofHVACsystemsbasedupontheuseofairflowto
controltemperaturetheConstantVolume(CV)system,andtheVariableAir
Volume(VAV)system.

ConstantVolume(CV)Systems
InaConstantVolume(CV)ventilationsystem,variationsinthethermal
requirementsofaspacearesatisfiedbyvaryingthetemperatureofaconstant
volumeofairdeliveredtothespace.Aconstantfractionofoutdoorairwillmean
thataconstantvolumeofoutdoorairwillbedeliveredtooccupiedspaces.This
volumecanbesettosatisfyapplicableventilationstandards.CVsystemsareless
energyefficientthanVAVsystems,butcontrolsforoutdoorairdeliveryare
simplertomanage.

VariableAirVolume(VAV)Systems
InaVariableAirVolume(VAV)ventilationsystem,variationsinthethermal
requirementsofaspacearesatisfiedbyvaryingthevolumeofairthatisdelivered
tothespaceataconstanttemperature.VAVsystemsreduceHVACenergycostby
1020%overCVsystemsbutcomplicatethedeliveryofoutdoorair.Ifthe
fractionofoutdoorairisconstant,thetotalvolumeofoutdoorairwillbereduced
asthesupplyairvolumeisreduced.Aninadequateoutdoorairfraction,combined
withaninadequateVAVboxminimumsetting,mayresultininadequateoutdoor
airflowtooccupantspaces.Thiswouldoccurduringpartloadconditions.
VAVsystemsalsocomplicatepressurerelationshipsinthebuildingandmake
testing,adjustingandbalancingmoredifficult.
VAVboxminimumsetting
Mostoftheyear,thevolumeofoutsideairmaybereducedtoaboutathirdofthe
outdoorairvolumeatdesignload.Thiscouldresultinindoorairquality
problems.Separatecontrolstoinsureadequateoutsideairyearrounddonot
increaseenergycosts.SomenewVAVsystemsincorporatethesecontrols.

Economizer

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Economizersarecontrolsoftheoutdoorairdesignedtosaveenergybyusingcool
outsideairasameansofcoolingtheindoorspace.Whentheenthalpyofthe
outsideairislessthantheenthalpyoftherecirculatingair,conditioningthe
outsideairismoreenergyefficientthanconditioningrecirculatingair.
EconomizerscanreduceHVACenergycostsincoldandtemperateclimateswhile
potentiallyimprovingIAQ,butarenotappropriateinhotandhumidclimates.

HVACComponents
ManyHVACcomponentsareparticularlyimportanttomaintaininggoodIAQ.
Tipsforoptimumfunctioningarelistedbelow.

CoilsandDrainPans
Malfunctioningcoils,includingdirtycoils,canwasteenergyandcause
thermaldiscomfort.Leakyvalvesthatallowhotorchilledwaterthrough
thecoilwhenthereisnodemandwasteenergyandcreatethermal
discomfort.
Coolingcoilsdehumidifytheairandcausecondensatewatertodripintoa
drainpanandexitviaadeepsealtrap.
Standingwaterwillaccumulateifthedrainpanisnotproperlydesigned
andmaintained,creatingamicrobialhabitat.Properslopingandfrequent
cleaningofthedrainpansisessentialtogoodindoorairquality.

HumidificationandDehumidificationEquipment
Potablewaterratherthanboilerwatershouldbeusedasasourceofsteam
toavoidcontaminatingtheindoorairwithboilertreatmentchemicals.
Wetsurfacesshouldbeproperlydrainedandperiodicallytreatedas
necessarytopreventmicrobialgrowth.
Ductliningsshouldnotbeallowedtobecomemoistfromwaterspray.

OutdoorAirDampers
Screensandgrillescanbecomeobstructed.Removeobstructions,check
connectionsandotherwiseinsurethatdampersareoperatingtobringinsufficient
outdoorairtomeetdesignlevelrequirementsunderalloperatingconditions.

AirFilters
Usefilterstoremoveparticlesfromtheairstream.
Filtersshouldbereplacedonaregularbasis,onthebasisofpressuredrop
acrossthefilter,oronascheduledbasis.
Fansshouldbeshutoffwhenchangingthefiltertopreventcontamination
oftheair.
Filtersshouldfittightlyinthefilterhousing.
Lowefficiencyfilters(ASHRAEDustSpotratingof10%20%),ifloaded
toexcess,willbecomedeformedandevenblowout,leadingtoclogged
coils,dirtyducts,reducedindoorairqualityandgreaterenergyuse.
Higherefficiencyfiltersareoftenrecommendedasacosteffectivemeans
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ofimprovingIAQperformancewhileminimizingenergyconsumption.
Filtrationefficiencyshouldbematchedtoequipmentcapabilitiesand
expectedairflows.

Ducts
Asmallamountofdustonductsurfacesisnormal.Partsoftheductsusceptibleto
contaminationincludeareaswithrestrictedairflow,ductlining,orareasof
moistureorcondensation.Problemswithbiologicalpollutantscanbeprevented
by:
Minimizingdustanddirtbuildup(especiallyduringconstructionor
renovation)
Promptlyrepairingleaksandwaterdamage
Keepingsystemcomponentsdrythatshouldbedry
Cleaningcomponentssuchascoilsanddrippans
Goodfiltermaintenance
Goodhousekeepinginoccupiedspaces.
Ductleakagecancauseorexacerbateairqualityproblemsandwasteenergy.
Sealedductsystemswithaleakagerateoflessthan3%willusuallyhavea
superiorlifecyclecostanalysisandreduceproblemsassociatedwithleaky
ductwork.Commonproblemsinclude:
Leaksaroundloosefittingjoints.
LeaksaroundlightTroffertypediffusersatthediffuserlightfixture
interfacewheninstalledinthereturnplenum.
Leaksinreturnductsinunconditionedspacesorundergroundcandraw
contaminantsfromthesespacesintothesupplyairsystem.

ExhaustSystems
Ingeneral,slightlymoreoutdoorairshouldbebroughtintothebuildingthanthe
exhaustairandreliefairoftheHVACsystem.Thiswillinsurethatthebuilding
remainsunderslightpositivepressure.
Exhaustintakeshouldbelocatedasclosetothesourceaspossible.
Fanshoulddrawsufficientairtokeeptheroominwhichtheexhaustis
locatedundernegativepressurerelativetothesurroundingspaces,
includingwallcavitiesandplenums.
Airshouldflowinto,butnotoutof,theexhaustarea,whichmayrequire
louveredpanelsindoorsorwallstoprovideanunobstructedpathwayfor
replacementair.
Theintegrityofwallsandceilingsofroomstobeexhaustedmustbewell
maintainedtopreventcontaminatedairfromescapingintothereturnair
plenum.
Provisionsmustbemadeforreplacingallairexhaustedoutofthebuilding
withmakeupoutsideair.

ReturnAirPlenum
Spaceabovetheceilingtilesisoftenusedasareturnairplenum.
Strictlyfollowcodewhichrestrictsmaterialandsuppliesintheplenumto
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preventcontaminationandinsurethatairflowisnotinterrupted.Removeall
dirtanddebrisfromconstructionactivity.
Allexhaustsystemspassingthroughtheplenummustberigorously
maintainedtopreventleaks,andnoexhaustshouldbereleasedintothe
plenum.
Avoidcondensationonpipesinplenumarea.Moisturecreatesahabitatfor
microbialgrowth.

VAVBoxes
InaVAVsystem,aVAVboxintheoccupiedspaceregulatestheamountofsupply
airdeliveredtothespace,basedonthethermalneedsofthespace.
MalfunctioningVAVboxescanresultinthermaldiscomfortandfailtoprevent
buildupofindooraircontaminants.ItisimportanttoinsurethatVAVbox
minimumsettings(e.g.,30%ofpeakflow)combinedwiththeoutdoorairfraction
provideenoughsupplyairsothatsufficientoutdoorairentersthespaceatpartial
loads.
outdoorairfraction

CoolingTowers
Waterisaconvenientincubatorformicrobialgrowth,withpotentiallyfatal
consequences,suchasLegionnairesDisease,forbuildingoccupants.Periodically
monitoringwaterqualityandchemicaltreatmenttopreventmicrobialgrowthis
essential.Physicalcleaningtopreventsedimentaccumulationandinstallationof
drifteliminatorsmayalsobenecessary.

Boilers
Fossilfuelcombustionboilersprovidethepotentialforcontaminationwithcarbon
monoxideorothercombustionbyproducts.
Maintaingasketsandbreachingtopreventcarbonmonoxidefromescaping.
Maintaintheroominwhichtheboilerislocatedundersufficientpositive
pressurerelativetotheoutsidetopreventbackdraftingoffluegases.Back
draftingoccurswhenfluegasesfailtobedrawnupthetheflueandspillout
intotheroom.Providecombustionairdirectlyfromtheoutsidetoprevent
backdrafting.Asmoketubecanbeusedtocheckforbackdrafting.
Providehighenoughexhauststackstopreventreentrainmentintothe
building,andmaintainfuellinestopreventleaks.

HVACOperationsandStandards
ASHRAEStandard621999,VentilationforAcceptableIndoorAir
Quality
ASHRAEStandard621999,VentilationforAcceptableIndoorAirQuality,isthe
generallyacceptedstandardforcommercialbuildingsintheUnitedStates.Table
2inthatStandardprovidesventilationrequirementsforvariousspaces.
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Table2.1SelectedVentilationRecommendations
Application

Occupancy(people/1000
Cfm/personCfm/ft2
ft2)

Dining
rooms
Cafeteria,
70
fastfood
Foodand
100
Bars,
BeverageService
100
cocktail
20
lounges
Kitchen
(cooking)
Officespace
Reception 7
Offices
areas
60
Conference 50
rooms
Smoking
70
PublicSpaces
lounge

Elevator
Basement
andstreet
30
RetailStores,
Upperfloors
20
SalesFloors,
Mallsand
20
ShowroomFloors Arcades
70
Smoking
lounge
Spectator
areas
150
Gamerooms
Sportsand
70
Playing
Amusement
30
floors
100
Ballrooms
anddiscos
Lobbies
150
Theaters
Auditorium 150
Classrooms 50
Musicrooms 50
Education
Libraries
20
Auditoriums 150
Bedrooms
Living

rooms
Hotels,Motels,

Lobbies
Resorts,
30
Conference
Dormitories
50
rooms
120
Assembly
rooms

20
20
30
15

20
15
20

60

1.00

60

0.30
0.20
0.20

15
25
20
25

20
15
15
15
15
15

15
20
15

30
cfm/room
30
cfm/room

Sinceindoorairqualitydependsonmanyfactors,including:
sourcestrengths
moisturecontrol
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thermalparameters
Theseventilationrequirementscannotguaranteegoodindoorairquality,but
meetingtheserequirementsisasignofmanagingforgoodindoorairquality,
whereunusualcountercurrentsorsourcesarepresent,theyshouldbecontrolledat
thesource.
TheoutdoorairflowrequirementsofASHRAEStandard621999areusually
specifiedascfm/occupant.Theoccupancyvalueshouldbetheactualoccupancy
ofthespaceor,fornewbuildings,thedesignoccupancy.Thetotaloutdoorairflow
isgivenby:

OA=(cfm/occupant)X(numberofoccupants)
Therequiredoutdoorairfractionisthefractionofoutdoorairrequiredsothatthe
totaloutdoorairflowinthesupplyairissufficienttoprovidetheamountof
outdoorairperoccupantrequiredintheStandard.However,theoutdoorair
fractioninthesupplyairisNOTequivalenttotheoutdoorairrequirements
specifiedinTable2oftheStandard.Thatis,iftheStandardrequires20cfmof
outdoorairperoccupant,thatdoesNOTmeanthattheoutdoorairfractionshould
be20%.Thebestwaytodetermineoutdoorairflowistomeasureit.
ForVAVsystems,theoutdoorairfractionwillchangeasthesupplyairvolume
changesinresponsetochangingloads.Inthecaseofcontrolsystemsthatprovide
aconstantoutdoorairfractionandmeetoutdoorairrequirementsatdesign(peak)
loads,outdoorairflowintothebuildingatpartloadwillreducetheoutdoorairto
betweenonehalftotwothirdsthedesignflow.Thismaybeacauseofindoorair
qualitycomplaints.ManufacturersoffercontrolsforVAVsystemsthatcanvary
theoutdoorairfractiontosatisfyTable2oftheStandardunderallload
conditions.

ExistingBuildings
Forexistingbuildings,theHVACsystemshouldbeoperatedtomeet,ata
minimum,operatingparametersforprovidingthermalcomfortandoutdoorair
ventilationflowasspecifiedindesigndocuments.However,providedthat
capacityisavailableinolderbuildings,itisagoodideatogobeyonddesign
requirementswherefeasible,andprogramtheoperatingcontrolstosatisfythe
outdoorairventilationrequirementsofASHRAE621999.
ShouldtheoutdoorairflowratesofASHRAEStandard621999exceedthe
systemsdesignflowrates,acarefulloadanalysisattheseelevatedflowrates
shouldbeundertakentoinsurethatthesystemhassufficientcapacityforthe
addedloadatpeakloadconditions.Failuretoperformsuchananalysiscould
resultindeteriorationofIAQand/orcoilfreezingduringextremeweather
conditions.

MultipleSpaceSystems
Inmultiplezonesystems,differentspaceswithinasystemwillcallfordifferent
outdoorairfractions.Thisisbecauseloads(andthereforesupplyairrequirement)
aredifferent,and/oroccupantdensities(andthereforeoutdoorairrequirements)
aredifferent.
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Formultiplespacesystems,evenwhenthetotaloutdoorairvolumeequalsthe
sumoftherequirementsofindividualspaces,manyofthespacesmaybeunder
ventilatedmostofthetime.Forexample,evenwithuniformoccupantdensities,
systemsservicingboththeperimeterandcorezoneswillleavethecorezonewith
onlyathirdtoahalfoftheoutdoorairrequiredbyTable2throughouttheyear,
whilethesouthzonewillbeoverventilatedmostofthetime.Thismayresultin
indoorairqualitycomplaints.
Thus,multiplespacesystemsrequirehigheroveralloutdoorairfractions.Thisis
calculatedbyconsideringtheoutdoorairfractionrequiredtosatisfythecritical
zone.Thecriticalzoneisthezonewiththehighestoutdoorairfraction
requirement.Thecalculationfortheoutdoorairfractionrequiredattheair
handlerisasfollows:
Y=X/(1+XZ)
where:
Y=adjustedoutdoorairfractionrequiredforthesystem
X=unadjustedoutdoorairfractionforthesystemcalculatedfromthe
Standard
Z=outdoorairfractioninthecriticalzone
Unfortunately,boththecriticalzoneandtheoutdoorairfractionswillbedifferent
atfullloadandatpartload.SomemanufacturesdoofferDDC/VAVcontrol
systemsthatdynamicallycalculatethecorrectoutdoorairfractionattheair
handlerasthespaceloadrequirementchanges.
Shortcircuitingofthesupplyairintoaspacedirectlytotheexhaustshouldbe
avoided(ASHRAE,1989,Section6.1.3.3).Ifshortcircuitingdoesoccur,
buildingengineersmaywishtoincreasetheoutdoorairflowratetoinsuregood
indoorairquality.

IntermittentOccupancy
Conferenceroomsortrainingspacesoftenhaveintermittentoccupancies.
Providedthatpeakoccupanciesareoflessthanthreehoursduration,theStandard
allowsthattheoutdoorairrequirementofthespacebecalculatedonthebasisof
theaverageoccupancy.However,theoutdoorairmayneverbebelowonehalfthe
maximum.(ASHRAE,1989,Section6.1.3.4)
Alternatively,ventilationinthesespacesmaybeincreasedanddecreasedas
occupancyincreasesordecreases,butevenwhenunoccupied,theoutdoorair
ventilationshouldneverbelessthannecessarytodilutebuildingrelated
contaminants.(ASHRAE,1989,Section6.1.3.1)

PreOccupancyPurge
Deliveryofoutdoorairshouldprecedeoccupancytopurgetheairof
contaminantsthatbuiltuppriortooccupancy.(ASHRAE,1989,Section6.1.3.4)

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ControlofTemperatureandRelativeHumidity
Thethermalrequirementsofthespacearedesignedtoprovidethermalcomfortto
occupantsduringallhoursofoccupancy.Requirementsfortemperature,relative
humidityandairmovementduringallseasonsshouldbeestablishedand
monitoredtoinsurethatthermalcomfortrequirementsaremet.

ASHRAEThermalComfortRequirements
ASHRAEStandard551992,ThermalEnvironmentalConditionsforHuman
Occupancy,identifiesmanyfactorsthatinfluencethermalcomfortandthe
perceptionofthermalconditions.Amongthemaretemperature,radiation,
humidity,airmovement,verticalandhorizontaltemperaturedifferences,
temperaturedrift,personalactivityandclothing.
Asapracticalmatter,maintainingabuildingwithinthefollowingrangesof
temperatureandrelativehumiditywillsatisfythermalcomfortrequirementsof
thisstandardinmostcases.

Table2.2AcceptableTemperatureandHumidityRanges
MeasurementType Winter
Summer
DryBulbat30%RH 68.5F76.0F 74.0F80.0F
DryBulbat50%RH 68.5F74.5F 73.0F79.0F
Wetbulbmaximum 64F
68F
Relativehumidity* 30%60%
30%60%
*Upperboundof50%RHwillalsocontroldustmites.

HumidityandMicrobialGrowth
Inadditiontothermalcomfort,thecontrolofrelativehumidityisimportantto
limitthegrowthofmicroorganismssuchasmoldanddustmites.Tocontrol
microorganisms,itisbesttokeeprelativehumiditybelow60%(tocontrolmold)
and50%(tocontroldustmites)atalltimes,includingunoccupiedhours.High
relativehumiditycanfosterproliferationofmoldanddustmites.SeealsotheIAQ
Moldwebsite.

LastupdatedonOctober15,2015

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