Energy and acoustic evaluation of classroom ventilation and its influence on the design of the air-conditioning system

Abstract

This contribution presents research results on the stable acoustic microclimate of a classroom and ventilation system design. The authors investigated the acoustic parameters of the classroom during a long-term operation of a forced ventilation system with variable airflow. By conducting an acoustic and energy study, the energy significance of variable airflow forced ventilation is demonstrated, leading to substantial energy savings relative to the widely used constant airflow ventilation systems. The calculations show the necessity to implement specific acoustic measures to maintain an optimal acoustic microclimate in the classroom. A significant finding is the clear benefit of combining building acoustic measures with variable air volume forced ventilation systems. As shown by simulations and calculations, the use of the presented building acoustic measures can ensure a stable indoor environment in the classroom even when a forced ventilation system containing specific control elements is installed, and at the same time, reduce the energy consumption of the ventilation system by 15–20 % compared to constant airflow ventilation systems.