Ventilation in Office Buildings

Abstract

Ventilation in a building is accomplished through natural ventilation or mechanical/forced air distribution systems. This chapter elucidates various aspects of natural ventilation systems, such as wind action, buoyancy ventilation (stack ventilation), air wells, facade designs, ventilation openings, and also the good practices of natural ventilation in buildings. Despite preference towards natural ventilation in buildings, use of mechanical cooling in hot and humid climates is inevitable to meet requirements of the occupants. The chapter discusses the HVAC system component in meeting design goals of user thermal comfort, improved IEQ, and cost-effective operation in a building environment. The ventilation systems ( mixing ventilation, displacement ventilation, personalized ventilation, impinging jet ventilation, local exhaust ventilation, piston ventilation, protected occupied zone ventilation) are chosen depending on the pollution load, the location of the air supply/exhaust device and the mixed use of natural and mechanical ventilation. Issues related to ventilation design recommendations cover methods of measuring of ventilation, fan-forced ventilation, infiltration and exfiltration of air, ventilation maintenance, indices to evaluate air distribution, air exchange effectiveness and about levels of air change in building facilities. This chapter has a dedicated section on ventilation design and analysis software and simulation tools that are useful in airflow modelling, contaminant distribution, temperature and humidity distribution, and thermal comfort in and around buildings.