"Ventilation rates" refers to the amount or speed at which fresh air is exchanged with indoor air in a specific space, such as a room or building. It is a measurement of how quickly air is circulated and replaced, which helps maintain healthy and comfortable indoor air quality.
Full definition
Generally, the ratios of emission rates at the low and
high ventilation rates decreased with decreasing compound volatility.
Lastly, it has been well proven that ventilation systems are extremely efficient, provide a
controlled ventilation rate throughout the house and ensure clean air through the use of filters.
This setup means that the homeowner does not have to
adjust ventilation rates, and that the system will ramp down when it's not needed to conserve energy.
The report points to several studies that link recirculating air and
low ventilation rates in classrooms with lower average daily attendance and slower speed in completing tasks.
Consequently,
ventilation rates in new houses without supplemental ventilation can be relatively low with a related potential for degraded indoor air quality.
Specific concentrations of these pollutants, as well
as ventilation rates, have been linked to sick building syndrome (SBS), which can include symptoms like headaches and lethargy.
Extensive data
on ventilation rates was collected from more than 150 classrooms in California over two years.
This report found that bringing
classroom ventilation rates up to the state - mandated standard may reduce student absences due to illness by approximately 3.4 percent.
However, Hedrick cautions, if future studies (and there will be some) confirm the new findings, «It would be very strong evidence that
ventilation rates need to be increased.»
For those larger than 120 sqm the rate is determined by the 0.3 air changes per hour
backstop ventilation rate rather than the number of people living in the house.
Minimum ventilation rates typically are established by indoor air quality issues and are stipulated by ASHRAE Standard 62.2, the strength of pollutant sources within enclosures and / or authorities having jurisdiction.
As a prerequisite in the LEED for Homes program, a project must «design and install a whole building ventilation system that complies with ASHRAE Standard 62.2 - 2007,» a standard developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air - Conditioning Engineers that
details ventilation rates and strategies for healthy homes.
Two takeaways: The first, from the researchers is that should this work be confirmed by other studies,
indoor ventilation rates should be increase; the second, a question from me, is that as outdoor CO2 rises to 600ppm (as it well may should we not reduce greenhouse gas emissions), what will the effect be on indoor levels — after all you would be starting from a considerably higher baseline?
Hall, T.M., T.W.N. Haine, M. Holzer, D.A. LeBel, F. Terenzi, and D.W. Waugh, 2007:
Ventilation rates estimated from tracers in the presence of mixing.
«Hospitals often try to solve problems of indoor air quality and infection transmission with
high ventilation rates,» Brown says.
State of Our Schools cites the findings of researchers at Lawrence Berkeley Labs, who discovered an increase of 50 % to 370 % in respiratory illness in spaces with
low ventilation rates, such as schools.
So far, he says, they are the first and only structures with a direct correlation to high
ventilation rates, which are key to endothermy.
What's more, as communities try to reduce their energy costs, many schools have reduced
their ventilation rates.
What's more, elevated CO2 levels have been linked to symptoms of wheezing among children and low
ventilation rates have been associated with increase incidences of SBS and nurse visits.
The ventilation rate was regulated depending on relative humidity of the air inside the cabin with a minimum ventilation below 50 % and maximum ventilation above 80 % relative humidity, rarely reached (only when cooking food or on wake up in the morning).
Concentrations of 54 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and
ventilation rates were measured in four new manufactured houses over 2 - to - 9.5 months following installation and in seven new site - built houses 1 - to - 2 months after completion.
Parker and Sherwin (1998) studied the temperatures in 6 conventional ventilated roof assemblies installed in a test hut at Cocoa Beach, Florida, and noted the coolest temperatures in roof systems that had greater thermal mass, lighter colored roof coverings and higher
ventilation rates.
The demand controlled ventilation option allows us to automatically vary
the ventilation rate based on the occupancy of the classroom»