Indoor air CO2 concentrations and ventilation rates in two residences in İzmir, Turkey

Year 2022, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 172 - 180, 30.06.2022

Aybüke Taşer Sedef Uçaryılmaz Ilgın Çataroğlu Sait Cemil Sofuoğlu

https://doi.org/10.35208/ert.1084052

Cited By: 2

Abstract

Houses are the places where people spend most of their time. That is why indoor air quality at home is essential for public health. Sufficient ventilation is the factor to avoid accumulation of pollutants in indoor air, which include microorganisms, such as SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, adequate ventilation is needed to provide good indoor air quality for human health and reduce infection risk at home. There are no reports of residential ventilation rates in Turkey. In this study, CO₂ concentrations were measured in two residences in Izmir, Turkey. Three experiments were conducted to determine background concentrations and the rate of natural ventilation with infiltration and opening windows. Results show that air exchange provided by infiltration is low for both case rooms, while adequate ventilation could be achieved with natural ventilation under the studied conditions. Infiltration provided air exchange and ventilation rates of 0.18 h^-1 and 5.9 m³/h for Case 1 and 0.29 h^-1 and 8.23 m³/h for Case 2, respectively. Air exchange and ventilation rates were increased to 2.36 h^-1 and 76.9 m³/h for Case 1 and 1.2 h^-1 and 34 m³/h for Case 2, respectively, by opening the windows. Although ventilation can be provided by opening the windows, the other factors that determine its rate, e.g., meteorological variables, cannot be controlled by the occupants. Consequently, people cannot ensure the good indoor air quality in bedrooms and sufficient reduction in transmission of pathogenic microorganisms; therefore, risk of spreading diseases such as COVID-19 at home.

Keywords

Air Exchange Rate, building monitoring, CO2 concentration, infiltration rate, ventilation rate

References

• L. Morawska, G.A. Ayoko, G.N. Bae, G. Buonanno, C.H.Y. Chao, S. Clifford, S.C. Fu, et al., “Airborne particles in indoor environment of homes, schools, offices and aged care facilities: the main routes of exposure,” Environment International, Vol. 108, pp. 75-83, 2017.
• L. Morawska and J. Cao, “Airborne transmission of Sars-Cov-2: the World should face the reality,” Environment International, Vol. 139, 2020.
• L. Morawska, J.W. Tang, W. Bahnfleth, P.M. Bluyssen, A. Boerstra, G. Buonanno, J. Cao, et al., “How can airborne transmission of Covid-19 indoors be minimised?” Environment International, Vol. 142, 2020.
• V.T. Chu, A.R. Yousaf, K. Chang, N.G. Schwartz, C.J. McDaniel, S.H.Lee, C.M. Szablewski, et al., “Household transmission of Sars-Cov-2 from children and adolescents,” Journal of Medicine, Vol. 385, pp. 954-956, 2021.
• S.C. Sofuoglu and M. Toksoy, “COVID-19 ve okullarda mekanik havalandırmanın aciliyeti,” TTMD Dergisi, Vol. 129, pp. 40-42, 2021.
• A. Frattolillo, L. Stabile, and M. Dell’Isola, “Natural ventilation measurements in a multi-room dwelling: critical aspects and comparability of pressurization and tracer gas decay tests,” Journal of Building Engineering, Vol. 42, 2021.
• L. Zhao, J. Liu, and J. Ren, “Impact of various ventilation modes on IAQ and energy consumption in Chinese dwellings: “First long-term monitoring study in Tianjin, China,’’ Building and Environment, Vol. 143, pp. 99-106, 2018.
• C. Dimitroulopoulou, “Ventilation in European dwellings: a review,” Building and Environment, Vol. 37, pp. 109-125, 2012.
• EN 15251, “Indoor Environmental Input Parameters for Design and Assessment of Energy Performance of Buildings Addressing Indoor Air Quality, Thermal Environment, Lighting and Acoustics,” 2007.
• ASHRAE, “ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.2-2017, ventilation for acceptable indoor air quality,” American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.: Atlanta, GA, USA, 2017.
• I. Kang, A. McCreery, P. Azimi, A. Gramigna, G. Baca, K. Abromitis, M. Wang, et al., "Indoor air quality impacts of residential mechanical ventilation system retrofits in existing homes in Chicago, Il," Science of The Total Environment, 2022.
• A.V. Silva, C.M. Oliveira, N. Canha, A.I. Miranda, and S.M. Almeida, “Long-term assessment of air quality and identification of aerosol sources at Setúbal, Portugal,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 17, 2020.
• EN 16798-1 “Energy Performance of Buildings – Ventilation for Buildings’’, 2019.
• S.B. Molloy, M. Cheng, I. E. Galbally, M. D. Keywood, S. J. Lawson, J. C. Powell, R. Gillett, E. Dunne, and P. W. Selleck, "Indoor air quality in typical temperate zone Australian dwellings," Atmospheric Environment Vol.54, 2012.
• S. Batterman, “Review and extension of CO2-based methods to determine ventilation rates with application to school classrooms,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 14, pp. 145, 2017.
• E. Schramek, “Recknagel-Sprenger Schramek ısıtma ve klima tekniği el kitabı,” 11 Nolu Teknik Yayın, TTMD, Ankara, 2003.
• A. Persily, “Evaluating building IAQ and ventilation with indoor carbon dioxide,” American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, Vol. 103, pp. 193-204, 1997.
• ASHRAE, “ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2013, ventilation for acceptable indoor air quality,” American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.: Atlanta, GA, USA, 2013.
• H. Bulut, “Havalandırma ve iç hava kalitesi açısından CO2 miktarının analizi,” in National Cong. of Plumbing Engineering, pp. 61, 2012.
• J.G. Allen and L.C. Marr, “Recognizing and controlling airborne transmission of SARSCoV-2 in indoor environments,” Indoor Air, Vol. 30, pp. 557-558, 2020.
• K. Insung, A. McCreery, P. Azimi, A. Gramigna, G. Baca, K. Abromitis, M. Wang, et al., “Indoor air quality impacts of residential mechanical ventilation system retrofits in existing homes in Chicago, IL,” Science of The Total Environment, Vol. 804, 2022.
• V.T. Chu, A.R. Yousaf, K. Chang, N.G. Schwartz, C.J. McDaniel, S.H.Lee, C.M. Szablewski, et al., “Household transmission of Sars-Cov-2 from children and adolescents,” Journal of Medicine, Vol. 385, pp. 954-956, 2021.
• Y. Li, G.M. Leung, J.W. Tang, X. Yang, C.Y.H. Chao, J.Z. Lin, J.W. Lu, P.V. Nielsen, J. Niu, H. Qian, A.C. Sleigh, H.J.J. Su, J. Sundell, T.W. Wong, and P.L. Yuen, “Role of ventilation in airborne transmission of infectious agents in the built environment - a multidisciplinary systematic review,” Indoor Air, Vol. 17, pp. 2-18, 2007.
• E. Işık and S. Çibuk, “Yemekhaneler ve kantinlerde iç hava kalitesi ile ilgili ölçüm sonuçları ve analizi-Tunceli Üniversitesi örneği,” Mühendislik Dergisi, pp. 39-50, 2015.
• M. Santamouris, A. Synnefa, M. Asssimakopoulos, I. Livada, K. Pavlou, M. Papaglastra, N. Gaitani, D. Kolokotsa, and V. Assimakopoulos, “Experimental investigation of the air flow and indoor carbon dioxide concentration in classrooms with intermittent natural ventilation,” Energy and Buildings, Vol. 40, pp. 1833-1843, 2008.
• S. Pedersen, H. Takai, J.O. Johnsen, J.H.M. Metz, P.W.G.G. Koerkamp, G.H. Uenk, V.R. Phillips, M.R. Holden, R.W. Sneath, J.L. Short, R.P. White, J. Hartung, J. Seedorf, M. Schroder, K.H. Linkert, and C.M. Wathes, “A comparison of three balance methods for calculating ventilation rates in livestock buildings,” Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research, Vol. 70, pp. 25-37, 1998.
• V.R. Phillips, D.S. Lee, R. Scholtens, J.A. Garland, and R.W. Sneath, “A review of methods for measuring emission rates of ammonia from livestock buildings and slurry on manure stores, part 2: monitoring flux rates, concentrations and airflow rates,” Journal of Agricultural Engineering, Vol. 78, pp. 1-14, 2001.
• J. Sundell, H. Levin, W.W. Nazaroff, W.S. Cain, W.J. Fisk, D.T. Grimsrud, F. Gyntelberg, Y. Li, A.K. Persily, et al., “Ventilation rates and health: Multidisciplinary review of the scientific literature,” Indoor Air, Vol. 21, pp. 191-204, 2011.