The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-06
OFFICE 9
DEMAND GOOD AIR
Modern Business Has Reduced Eff.
cheney Due to Ventilation to
Matter of Dollars

Ventilation has a wide significance
race and represents a desire for fresh
air. supplied without discomfort. n
cheney has a comparatively new use in
the modern science OF obtaining the
maximum returns for an expenditure OF
time and money. II a human being
was az all times breathing fresh air at
a comfortable temperature and IL every
thing was accomplished at an efficiency
OF 100 per cent. there would be no use
for these words and they would prob
ably not have been coined.
In TIE name OF one or the other. many
mechanical and commercial mistakes
have been made and a proposed scheme
for producing better ventilation or in
creas.ng efficiency Is not bi,ndly &C.
cepted, but starts with a handicap Of
doubt or unbelIef because OF tho many
failures that have been made by those
who have been supposed TO be expert.
The relation between ventilation and
efficiency is close when tho aim IL to
obtain the largest amount OF work from
a human being in return for his wag es
or salary. n Il is provahle thai proper
ventilation can be provided for offices,
factories. homes, &c, the matter IL OF
much interest to those who are study
ing problems In human efficiency. Man.
in order TO remain warm in winter
weather. has housed himself In and pro-
vided means for heating tho enclosures
in which he lives. He has arranged
for the admission OF daylight when avail
able and the production OF artificial light
when daylight fails. His desire for
warmth has made him afraid OF the
admission OF fresh unheated air during
the colder months. and SO mechanical
apparatus has been designed with the
object OF delivering fresh air heated by
passing Il over steam pipes TO the rooms
occupied by students. patients. workers
or those seeking amusement. Such APP
paratus Is expensive in first cost and
also for operating and uDkeep. The use
, of mechanical apparatus has therefore
been confined TO schools. hospitals. thea
tres. auditorluIns. factories and in some
cases congested offices where the man
eme believes that such an invest
ment will he profitable.
The expenditure for tfts purpose has
amounted 10 many millions OF dollars
and Il Is SAID that n very great per-
centage OF Installations OF this nature
are no. operated because " unsatisfac-
tory results and excessive operating
charges. Many attempts have been made
10 obtain proper ventilation by admit
ting air through the windows. and de-
vices OF varying design have been placed
on the market which admit a certain
amour. Of air TO the rpoms. but owing
70 their faulty design and limited capac-
NY they have failed 10 accomplish the
results desired.
II has finally come 20 ~ apepteh that
breathing vitiated air IL one of the Ills
that cannot he avoided and that II the
human being Is reasonably efficient
without an hourly supply Of fresh air,
Il is as much as can he expected under
modern conditions. This belief is 40
prevalent that tenants seeking new
b quarters have heretofore considered ad-
rantages offered by the renting agents
from every standpoint except that Of
ventilation. II tho agent, IN addition TO
the many ya,uahl Inducements that he
offcrs. IAN add that each room Will no
supplied with tho proper amount Of fresh
, air without drafts or discomfort 10
tho occupants. Il will provo TO he n
valuable factor In his negotiations and
perhaps the deciding argument that
obtains q tenant for hts building,
owners and builders have long recoE-
rl7cd tia. s,ich an inducement would
No Of crca. value in rapidly renting their
new buildings or IN keeping their tenants
from changing their quarters. but The
excessive -ost o. placing mechanical ap-
pa-atuS IN the cellars and Easements and
,hc cost not only OF the ducts, hut of the
rentah,e floor space occupied ~ them,
has made the matter Of ventilation pro-
hibitiye IN cost.
II Is possible for a comparatively
small amount OF money 10 so install
simple devices In eD'h room that the
proysn- amount 81 air can be delivered
without causing discomfort TO tho cNcu-
pants and without there being any up
keep or ~ eratlug charges connected with
II. A statement Of this kind could not
have hnen made two or three years ago,
hut much evidence is at hand 10 prove
that these results are being obtained In
/, grct, number OF offices in New York
rttv with uniform satisfaction 10 tho
.. tenants of such offices.
Many surveys OF offices IN New York
4 city have Shown that where there are
many office employees Il ~ fair TO as
slim. cha, WAGES amounting to 5000 a
wear. are paid % those receiving light
from one window. Il IS q common
me, tlre IN some of these of'ces to ar
line room ty opening the windows at
least four times q day and tn" ngui"s
I furnished by the manager "' one "' '"ts'
rooms snow that the cost IN wages for
this method Of ycatilatou Is - n daN.
THIS amounts TO >luu a month or 1900
for the sLx months Of cool weather. INC