Improving Energy Performance and Indoor Air Quality in Laboratory Buildings Using an Innovative Air Handling Unit System

Solar Energy ◽  
2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Cui ◽  
M. Liu
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Unit System ◽  
Air Handling Unit ◽  
Air Intake

The Laboratory Air Handling Unit (LAHU) system is developed to improve building energy performance and indoor air quality (IAQ) in laboratory buildings. The LAHU system sends more (up to 100%) outside air to the office section first and re-circulates the office section air to the laboratory section. The theoretical model analysis shows that the LAHU system improves office section indoor air quality, uses less outside air during hot and cold weathers, and consumes significantly less thermal energy. The optimal control of outside air intake to office section maximizes IAQ improvement and thermal energy savings.

scholarly journals Radon Investigation in 650 Energy Efficient Dwellings in Western Switzerland: Impact of Energy Renovation and Building Characteristics

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 777 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shen Yang ◽  
Joëlle Goyette Pernot ◽  
Corinne Hager Jörin ◽  
Hélène Niculita-Hirzel ◽  
Vincent Perret ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Radon Level ◽  
Efficiency Measures ◽  
Building Characteristics ◽  
Radon Measurements

As part of more stringent energy targets in Switzerland, we witness the appearance of new green-certified dwellings while many existing dwellings have undergone energy efficiency measures. These measures have led to reduced energy consumption, but rarely consider their impact on indoor air quality. Consequently, such energy renovation actions can lead to an accumulation of radon in dwellings located in radon-prone areas at doses that can affect human health. This study compared the radon levels over 650 energy-efficient dwellings in western Switzerland between green-certified (Minergie) and energy-renovated dwellings, and analyzed the building characteristics responsible of this accumulation. We found that the newly green-certified dwellings had significantly lower radon level than energy-renovated, which were green- and non-green-certified houses (geometric mean 52, 87, and 105 Bq/m3, respectively). The new dwellings with integrated mechanical ventilation exhibited lower radon concentrations. Thermal retrofitting of windows, roofs, exterior walls, and floors were associated with a higher radon level. Compared to radon measurements prior to energy renovation, we found a 20% increase in radon levels. The results highlight the need to consider indoor air quality when addressing energy savings to avoid compromising occupants’ health, and are useful for enhancing the ventilation design and energy renovation procedures in dwellings.

scholarly journals Indoor Air Quality – a Key Element of the Energy Performance of the Buildings

2016 ◽  
Vol 96 ◽  
pp. 277-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Vasile ◽  
H. Petran ◽  
A. Dima ◽  
C. Petcu
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Energy Performance

Coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) for Prediction of Traffic-related Air Pollution Infiltration Effects in Hong Kong

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fritz Nieborowski
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Forced Ventilation ◽  
Real Life Data ◽  
Air Intake ◽  
Forced Air

<div> <p>Improper ventilation of buildings may lead to an accumulation of pollutants indoors. In the case of a room with forced air ventilation and external air intake like most centralized and some home air conditioning units, this study will show CFD simulations of various indoor air quality conditions based on different forced ventilation AC unit intake conditions like common in housing situations like Hong Kong. Especially when close to roadways or other external pollution sources, the positioning of the air intake shows up to have a high significance for the infiltration rate resulting as influence for the indoor air quality as previous research shows (e.g. Zheming Tong et al., 2016). The same is the case for a forced ventilation case like air conditioning units with outside air intake. Research like earlier referenced paper has not been conducted with higher buildings or forced air intake yet. Parametrized CFD-based air quality models with using OpenFoam will be employed to quantify the impact of the air intake location and rate in a 2-dimensional interface on the indoor air quality of a forced ventilated section of a building. The findings of the CFD simulation will be simplified as average indoor air pollution and other external factors. As an approach to predict the estimate indoor infiltration rate, an ANN (Artificial Neuronal Network) will be used, trained and validated with said data. The neural network is supposed to predict the pollutant intake based on fewer and as easier to obtain meteorological parameters and air pollution data. Finally, the ANN predictions of the models will be verified with real life data from other papers. Results will show that a major part of indoor pollutants may emerge indoors and cannot be neglected. In comparison with real life data, it seems the model lacks significant input to predict with high accuracy. </p> </div>

scholarly journals Planning and Design of Low-Power-Consuming Full-Outer-Air-Intake Natural Air-Conditioning System

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Chien-Lun Weng ◽  
Lih-Jen Kau
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Low Power ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Air Conditioning ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Air Conditioning System ◽  
Solvent Vapor ◽  
Air Intake

A person stays indoors for about 85%∼90% time of his lifetime, and the need for a comfortable indoor environment is getting higher; thus, the air-conditioning dependency becomes intense too. Nowadays, residents focus on both the comfortable living environment and indoor air quality. A closed environment will become hazardous because of carbon dioxide released during respiration and toxic organic solvent vapor released from interior decoration. In order to improve the indoor air quality (IAQ), we must allow outer fresh air into the indoor space and release the dirty air out. But while taking in fresh air, the heat and factory/vehicle exhaust are also introduced. Indoor CO2, HCHO, and VOCs and outer dirty gas threaten human health badly. To solve this problem, we bring up an innovative low-power-consuming full-outer-air-intake natural air-conditioning system that completely separates intake and exhaust air, which is a solution for cross-contamination and makes mass/energy exchange by means of air and water. Design airflow exceeds 300∼500 CFM, steam evaporation mass rate reaches 3.13∼3.88 kg/hr, and heat exchange capacity becomes 1,855∼2,300 kcal/hr. The sensible heat effectiveness is 71%∼112%, and EER exceeds 14.05∼17.42 kcal/W·h. In addition, the system under design can be of positive or negative pressure status according to the user’s or work’s requirement. It creates a comfortable and healthy living environment by supplying clean and fresh outer ambient air with low power consumption.

Monitoring building energy consumption, thermal performance, and indoor air quality in a cold climate region

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 57-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanzia Sharmin ◽  
Mustafa Gül ◽  
Xinming Li ◽  
Veselin Ganev ◽  
Ioanis Nikolaidis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Cold Climate ◽  
Building Energy Consumption ◽  
Climate Region

scholarly journals Energy Performance, Indoor Air Quality and Comfort in New Nearly Zero Energy Day-care Centres in Northern Climatic Conditions

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalle Kuusk ◽  
Ahmed Kaiser ◽  
Nicola Lolli ◽  
Jan Johansson ◽  
Tero Hasu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Day Care ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Indoor Climate ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Day Care Centres

The European energy policy pushes the member states to transform building stock into nearly Zero-Energy Buildings (nZEB). This paper is focused on data collected from existing nZEB day-care centres,in order to be able to assess possible differences between predicted and actual energy and indoorenvironmental performance. Building structures, service systems and the indoor climate and energyperformance of five day-care centres were investigated in Estonia, Finland and Norway.Indoor climate condition measurements showed that in general, the thermal environment and indoor airquality corresponded to the highest indoor climate categories I and II (EN 15251). Building heating andventilation systems in studied buildings are working without major problems. Good indoor climate conditions were also reflected in the occupant satisfaction questionnaires. For most of the studied buildings, over 80%of the people marked all indoor environment condition parameters (thermal comfort, indoor air quality,acoustics, odour and illuminance) acceptable. The thermal environment in the cooling season was reportedproblematic because it was lower than the minimum temperature for indoor climate category II.Energy consumption analysis showed that measured real energy use was higher, or even significantlyhigher, than the energy use calculated during the design phase. Potential causes of the higher actualenergy consumption are caused by differences of measured and designed solutions, methodology of theenergy calculations, and the differences in user behaviour.Lessons learnt from previously constructed day-care centres can be utilised in the planning and designof new nZEBs.

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