Proposed Metrics For IAQ in Low-Energy Residential Buildings

The overall objective of the International Energy Agency project, Energy in Buildings and Communities Annex 68 "Indoor Air Quality Design and Control in Low-energy Residential Buildings,"1 is to provide a scientific basis for optimal and practically applicable design and control strategies for high IAQin residential buildings. An obstacle for close inte­gration of energy and IAQstrategies in building design and optimization is the lack of an index that can quantitatively describe indoor air quality (IAQ) and be compared with indices that describe energy performance.

AIVC & EBC Annex 86 Webinar "IAQ and Ventilation Metrics"

The recordings and the slides of the recent AIVC & EBC Annex 86 Webinar “IAQ and Ventilation Metrics” held on April 8th, 2021, are now available online at: https://www.aivc.org/event/8-april-2021-webinar-iaq-and-ventilation-metrics

The full collection of past events’ recordings and slides can be found at: https://www.aivc.org/events/webinars

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New release! AIVC Contributed Report 19

We are now pleased to announce the release of AIVC's Contributed Report o19: Indoor Air Quality Design and Control in Low-Energy Residential Buildings - EBC Annex 68 | Subtask 4: Current challenges, selected case studies and innovative solutions covering indoor air quality, ventilation design and control in residences! 

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CR19: Indoor Air Quality Design and Control in Low-Energy Residential Buildings - EBC Annex 68 | Subtask 4: Current challenges, selected case studies and innovative solutions covering indoor air quality, ventilation design and control in residences

The objective of Subtask 4 in the IEA EBC Annec 68 was to integrate knowledge and results from remaining Subtasks and present them in the context with current knowledge. The focus of the Subtask 4 was on practitioners dealing with ensuring high Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in modern low-energy residences, the demands and challenges they meet during daily work. This especially includes architects and ventilation designers, facility managers, property developers and employees of public authorities. This publication is a result of Subtask 4’s work.

Practical use of the Annex68 IAQ Dashboard

The present paper aims at illustrating the practical use of the Annex68 IAQ Dashboard. To this end, numerical simulations have been performed to provide useable data about the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) of a low-energy detached house. The dashboard has been used to compare three possible solutions of ventilation systems commonly found in French residential buildings i.e. natural ventilation using vertical ducts for extraction, self-regulated exhaust and balanced mechanical ventilation.

Why do we care about IAQ Metrics?

    

Why do we care about IAQ Metrics?

  

CR 17: Indoor Air Quality Design and Control in Low-energy Residential Buildings- Annex 68 | Subtask 1: Defining the metrics | In the search of indices to evaluate the Indoor Air Quality of low-energy residential buildings

The objective of present work was to develop the metric that assess the performance of solutions securing high indoor air quality in low-energy (modern) residential buildings. This was achieved by summarizing data on the levels and types of gaseous pollutants and particulate matter in low-energy buildings and comparing them with the existing exposure limits for pollutants.

March 14-15, 2017 | "Is ventilation the answer to indoor air quality control in buildings? Do we need performance-based approaches?"

Indoor exposure to contaminants should be minimized to avoid adverse health and comfort effects. Experience shows that this qualitative statement is difficult to translate into measurable terms, such as performance indicators or metrics, which can be used as a basis for defining and assessing requirements in regulations and standards while holistically reflecting indoor air quality. The simplest and most commonly used approaches rely on ventilation airflow rates determined by experts or codes.