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Outdoor Air Ventilation and Work-Related Symptoms in U.S. Office Buildings--Results from the Base Study.

DE2006862007

Publication Date	2005
Personal Author	Mendell, M. J.; Lei, Q.; Apte, M. G.; Fisk, W. J.
Page Count	12
Abstract	Insufficient information has been available on measured ventilation rates and symptoms in office workers. Using US EPA data from 100 large US office buildings, they assessed relationships in multivariate models between ventilation/person and lower respiratory and mucous membrane symptoms. Three preliminary ventilation estimates were used, based on CO(sub 2) ratio in air streams, peak indoor CO(sub 2) concentrations, and volumetric estimates of flow rates. Ventilation rates (VRs) from 6-17 cfm/person above the current 20 cfm/person guideline for offices were associated generally with reduced symptom prevalence, but further benefits were not evident from higher VRs. For all ventilation estimates, higher occupant density was independently associated with more symptoms. Findings suggest that VRs somewhat above current guidelines would reduce symptoms in office workers, and that occupant density may play an unrecognized role in ventilation requirements. Different findings for the various ventilation estimates were surprising. Clarification of these relationships, and validation of VR measurement methods are necessary.
Keywords	Ventilation Office buildings Indoor air quality Symptoms Air quality Public health Outdoor air Occupants
Source Agency	Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee
Corporate Authors	Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA.; Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Supplemental Notes	Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	200617

Outdoor Air Ventilation and Work-Related Symptoms in U.S. Office Buildings--Results from the Base Study.

Outdoor Air Ventilation and Work-Related Symptoms in U.S. Office Buildings--Results from the Base Study.
DE2006862007

Publication Date	2005
Personal Author	Mendell, M. J.; Lei, Q.; Apte, M. G.; Fisk, W. J.
Page Count	12
Abstract	Insufficient information has been available on measured ventilation rates and symptoms in office workers. Using US EPA data from 100 large US office buildings, they assessed relationships in multivariate models between ventilation/person and lower respiratory and mucous membrane symptoms. Three preliminary ventilation estimates were used, based on CO(sub 2) ratio in air streams, peak indoor CO(sub 2) concentrations, and volumetric estimates of flow rates. Ventilation rates (VRs) from 6-17 cfm/person above the current 20 cfm/person guideline for offices were associated generally with reduced symptom prevalence, but further benefits were not evident from higher VRs. For all ventilation estimates, higher occupant density was independently associated with more symptoms. Findings suggest that VRs somewhat above current guidelines would reduce symptoms in office workers, and that occupant density may play an unrecognized role in ventilation requirements. Different findings for the various ventilation estimates were surprising. Clarification of these relationships, and validation of VR measurement methods are necessary.
Keywords	Ventilation Office buildings Indoor air quality Symptoms Air quality Public health Outdoor air Occupants
Source Agency	Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee
Corporate Authors	Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA.; Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Supplemental Notes	Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	200617