A longitudinal study of IAQ metrics and the efficacy of default HVAC ventilation

摘要: People spend approximately 90% of their time indoors, making effective indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring crucial for occupants’ well-being. Traditional IAQ monitoring primarily focuses on carbon dioxide (CO 2) levels to regulate Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems. However, HVAC systems often overlook other critical IAQ metrics, such as volatile organic compounds (VOC), which may correspond better to occupant activities in some cases. This naturalistic study, conducted over four months at the University of Virginia, addresses this significant gap by observing changes in VOC and CO 2 levels across various times, events, and spaces, including conference rooms, single occupancy offices, and common open-space areas. We aimed to determine whether CO 2 can be the only representative of IAQ for dynamically adjusting the ventilation rates within this testbed. A key focus was on poor IAQ …