United States Air and Energy Engineering

Environmental Protection Research Laboratory

Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27711

E AP Project Summary

Research and Development EPA/600/SR-95/065 June 1995

The full report gives results of a

project to develop a systems analysis

of ventilation technology and provide a

state-of-the-art assessment of ventilation and indoor air quality (IAQ) research needs. Goals of the analysis

were to (1) define the state-of-the-art in

building design and operation, (2) identify emerging technologies and trends

that will influence IAQ, building design,

and operation, and (3) define and prioritize ventilation research needs that

will improve IAQ.

This Project Summary was developed

by EPA’s Air and Energy Engineering

Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC, to announce key findings of the research project that is fully

documented in a separate report of the

same title (see Project Report ordering

information at back).

Objective

The objective of this project was to develop a systems analysis of ventilation

technology and provide a state-of-the-art

assessment of ventilation and IAQ research needs.

Ventilation technology is defined as the

hardware necessary to bring outdoor air

into a building and to treat and effectively

distribute the outdoor air to and within the

occupied spaces of the building.

Purpose

IAQ is a broad topic. The purpose of

this systems analysis is to investigate the

relationship between ventilation and IAQ.

Ventilation Technology Systems

Analysis

Goals

Goals of this analysis were to

1. define the state-of-the-art in building

design and operation,

2. identify emerging technologies and

trends that will influence IAQ, building design, and operation, and

3. define and prioritize ventilation research needs that will improve IAQ.

General Description

The ventilation technology systems

analysis was developed in two phases.

Phase I was to determine the status of

applied ventilation technology and its impact on IAQ, using surveys and interviews

with five groups of professionals involved

with IAQ and the heating, ventilating, and

air-conditioning (HVAC) industry: researchers, equipment manufacturers, design engineers, construction contractors, and

building managers.

Phase 2 was to bring together 60-80

IAQ and ventilation experts for a Ventilation and IAQ Consensus Workshop to

achieve the stated goals. The workshop

was held September 14-16, 1994, in Raleigh, NC.

Findings

IAQ has become an issue as a result

of several influences: conservation practices, building construction techniques,

new construction materials, and a more

litigative environment. A lack of understanding and communication has resulted in minimal accountability for overJ. B. Priest, J. McLaughlin, L. Christianson, A. Zhivov, M. McCulley,

G. Chamberlin, M. Tumbleson, R. Maghirang, B. Shaw, Z. Li, J. Arogo,

and R. Zhang
2

• •

United States

Environmental Protection Agency

Center for Environmental Research Information

Cincinnati, OH 45268

EPA/600/SR-95/065

BULK RATE

POSTAGE & FEES PAID

EPA

PERMIT No. G-35

J. B. Priest, J. McLaughlin, L. Christianson, A. Zhivov, M. McCulley, G. Chamberlin,

M. Tumbleson, R. Maghirang, B. Shaw, Z. Li, J. Arogo, and R. Zhang are with the

University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801.

Russell N. Kulp is the EPA Project Officer (see below).

The complete report, entitled “Ventilation Technology Systems Analysis,” (Order

No. PB95-212767; Cost: $27.00, subject to change) will be available only from:

National Technical Information Service

5285 Port Royal Road

Springfield, VA 22161

Telephone: 703-487-4650

The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:

Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Research Triangle Park, NC 27711

all IAQ. IAQ is rarely designed for, rather

it is the by-product of, several systems

and contracted work coming together.

Codes and standards that define acceptable IAQ are needed. The absence of

standards discourages designers, manufacturers, operators, and owners from

achieving IAQ conditions generally agreed

to be reasonable economically and important to health.

Some owners, designers, builders, and

operators are recognizing that the costs

of achieving acceptable IAQ generally are

more than offset by the benefits of improved productivity and health for building

occupants.

Research consensus topics that were

determined address the industry’s knowledge deficiencies. Research should proceed concurrently in (1) IAQ control—including ventilation, air cleaning, and source

management, (2) understanding IAQ impacts and health effects, and (3) risk assessment/economic optimization of systems.

Ventilation research priorities are (1)

evaluate different system designs for their

impact on IAQ, (2) develop checklists, protocols, standards, and codes that guide

and regulate the design, construction, commissioning, operation, and maintenance

of HVAC systems, (3) define ventilation

effectiveness and the method of its field

verification, (4) develop advanced IAQ sensors and control techniques, (5) develop

adequate models to predict air and contaminant distribution, (6) validate ASHRAE

Standard 62-1989 to see if it really results

in acceptable IAQ, and (7) measure effectiveness of outdoor air supply strategies.

Official Business

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