Technical Note TN 6/88 Fresh air control: case study in 5 commercial buildings

Publication Year

1988

Document Status

Withdrawn

Abstract

Notes the practice of recirculating air to the occupied environment of a commercial building utilising a central plant for ventilating the occupied space to minimise the running costs of an air conditioning system. Provides the results of an investigation which set out to develop and evaluate a test method to measure air flow rates and monitor the amount of fresh air supplied to the building where air was recirculated. Compares the results of measurements carried out on the air conditioning systems in five commercial buildings with their design specification to determine the effectiveness of the control regime. States that the results indicate that insufficient information was available for the building operators to determine whether their system was operating correctly, with the consequence that it is unknown if one type of system operates more efficiently than another. With the exception of one building the air flow rates did not achieve their design specification. In one building a comparison of the set minimum fresh air quantity and that delivered by the air conditioning system was found to be non-linear. Indications are that a reduction in the amount of energy used could be achieved if the systems were made to operate correctly.

ISBN

9780860222156

Publisher Information