How HVAC Systems Impact Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) The Importance of Indoor Air Quality and the Role it Plays in Your Company
Presented by:
MelinkCorp.com Introduction
• Darren Witter, Vice President, has been with Melink Corporation since 1996. He has served in a variety of capacities including engineering, product development, manufacturing, field services, and management in the HVAC arena. Darren earned a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Cincinnati and is a State of Ohio Professional Engineer (PE). He is also qualified as a LEED-accredited professional and a NEBB-certified professional.
• Cameron Lenard, joined Melink Corporation in 2017 and currently serves as Business Development Manager. Cameron is responsible for developing partnerships and national accounts in the retail sector. He is a Certified Commercial Air Balancer through the National Comfort Institute. Cameron holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Dayton. HQ2 HQ1
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What is Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
Common IAQ Factors
Impacts on Employee Health & Performance
Effects on Building Health
Energy Effects of Poor IAQ
How to Promote Good IAQ Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. -Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) BUILDING HEALTH HVAC SYSTEM FUNCTION
Temperature control – OSHA recommends facilities stay between 68-76 degrees
Moisture/humidity control – ASHRAE recommends relative humidity between 30%-60%
Ventilation, introducing fresh outside air and removing polluted air– ASHRAE 62.1 specifies various requirements for fresh air in a facility
Pressurization of the building & zones/spaces - Stay positive
Air filtration - Keep filters cleaned and replace when dirty HVAC SYSTEM FUNCTION
Exhaust air exits Outside air at enters at + 5500 - 5000 cfm cfm
Building Pressure of + 500 cfm RELEVANT STANDARDS
62.1-2019, Ventilation for Enhanced Ventilation, Acceptable Indoor Air Quality 1, 2 62.2-2019, Ventilation for Outdoor Air Ventilation, Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 Low-Rise Residential Buildings
1910, Occupational Health NIOSH, Building Ventilation and Environmental Control
03: Ventilation Effectiveness 05: Air Filtration Z9.1 - Z9.14, 15: Increased Ventilation Ventilation Standards 18: Air Quality Monitoring and Feedback Indoor Air Pollution is a GLOBAL problem in need of LOCAL solutions 3.8 million premature“The average deaths adult annually spends from 90% noncommunicable of diseases includingtheir time stroke, indoors ischaemic and thatheart same disease, air chronic obstructive pulmonarycan be 2 to disease 5 times (COPD) more polluted and lung cancer are attributed to thanexposure outdoor to household air.” - EPA air pollution. -World Health Organization EMPLOYEE HEALTH EMPLOYEE HEALTH Poor ventilation can lead to prolonged exposure to harmful everyday fumes
Per the WHO, poor ventilation in facilities is associated with increased disease transmission
CO2 levels of 1,400 PPM or more can lead to a 50% decrease in cognitive function
Many short-term and long-term health effects may appear from exposure to VOC’s in a poorly ventilated facility BUILDING HEALTH HVAC systems largely affect your IAQ
Improper air turnover can create negative building pressure, which can cause infiltration of unconditioned air
Outside air intake can affect relative humidity, which can lead to condensation collecting and causing organic growth and water damage
Equipment not set to designed setpoints can cause high energy use in a facility as well as shortened equipment life Causes of Bad IAQ CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
Too little fresh air intake Not properly ventilating an office can lead to a lack of fresh air turnover The average human exhales about 2.3 pounds of carbon dioxide per day Many common products used everyday contain and give off toxins, which can be harmful if exposed to over long periods of time
Too much fresh air intake High humidity levels from too much fresh air can cause damage to the building materials, furniture, equipment and electronics High levels of fresh air intake can lead to wasted energy cost
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) VOCs are harmful gases that are emitted from specific solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which have long and short-term adverse health effects. COMMON ISSUES FOUND
Poor Smoke Capture Flex Duct Detached Clogged Filters
MELINK THE PROBLEM
Back Draft Dampers Obstructed Economizer Missing Missing Volume Damper COMMON ISSUES FOUND
Exposed Wiring Frozen Evaporator Coil
Dirty RTU Blower Wheel Poor Sensor Location Bird Debris WAYS TO IMPROVE IAQ IMPROVING IAQ
Keep up with preventative maintenance checkpoints
Have a Test and Balance to provide a snapshot of facility condition
Perform an IAQ flush out
Hold your contractor accountable, rework equipment under warranty
Maintain peace of mind by monitoring and staying proactive with building health
Perform air quality test for VOC’s and other harmful particles IMPROVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Implement energy recovery systems to capture & reuse return air
Install high-efficiency equipment/systems
Utilize economizer or "free-cooling" mode
Relaxed temperature control in peak seasons
Verify proper airflow in all spaces of facility
Review control programming & calibration BENEFITS OF GOOD IAQ BENEFITS Being mindful of and working towards improving IAQ really pays off Employee Health Promote good health of employees 1 Compliance Avoid litigation for non-compliance with regulations Productivity 3 Create pleasant work environment that maximizes efficiency and minimizes sick days Building Upkeep Minimize building and equipment damage due to poor IAQ Cost Savings Extend the life of your equipment through regular upkeep of HVAC system ANY QUESTIONS? 513-965-7300
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