Contents
Factors Affecting Ventilation in buildings
Ventilation is a very essential factor for any type of building. Occupiers cannot lead a healthy life without proper ventilation. The following factor should be considered, as they affect ventilation very much from a comfort point of view to the persons.
- Rate of fresh air change
- Temperature
- Quality of air
- Use of the Building
Rate of fresh air change
If the air movement does not occur in a room where some people are working, After some time the air of this room will be contaminated because of the respiration of the people working there.
If this air is not changed with fresh air, the concentration of carbon dioxide, other gases, and bacteria will increase, and the environment will be polluted which is not suitable for any person to work or stay there.
Temperature
It is obvious that the air needed for ventilation should be warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The temperature difference between the inside and outside of a building should be kept at around 8 to 10 degrees C.
The term effective temperature is used, with regard to human comfort. The value of effective temperature depends on several factors like geological conditions, age of the occupants, type of activity, etc. The recommended value of effective temperature in winter is 21.7 degrees and in summer is 23.9 degrees.
Quality of air
The purity of air plays an important role in the ventilation system. The ventilating air should be free from organic matter, inorganic dust, objectionable gases, odour, etc.
Use of the Building
The rate or quantity of fresh air supply to a room depends upon the use of the building. The number of occupants, types of activity, period of working, etc. are the factors that are taken into consideration while recommending the minimum air supply. Following are the minimum and recommended rate of fresh air supply for different types of buildings
| Types of buildings | Recommended air requirement ( m3/min) | Minimum air requirement (m3/min) |
| Factories, workshops | 0.28 | 0.21 |
| Restaurants, dining hall | 0.42 | 0.34 |
| Retail shop | 0.28 | 0.21 |
| Hospital i) Operating room ii) Private room iii) Wards | 0.84 0.56 0.84 | 0.70 0.28 0.70 |
| Laboratories | 0.56 | 0.42 |
| General office | 0.42 | 0.28 |
| Private office | 0.70 | 0.42 |
| Meeting room | 1.40 | 0.84 |
| Banking space | 0.28 | 0.21 |
| Cafeteria | 0.34 | 0.28 |
Read More:
How Can You Get Good Natural Ventilation in Buildings