English

Three offices ventilated with charcoal filtered outdoor air were investigated with different air change rates, ozone level and limonene, using the perception of a sensory panel. Results confirm that ventilation is necessary for ensuring good indoor quality even in low-polluting offices.

A simple method was used to assess odor intensity in indoor environments by a trained panel. Reliable results were obtained. Other factors, i.e., interaction with other senses, annoyance and other cognitive processes seemed to influence individual evaluation, especially during adaptation. Therefore, laboratory experiments could be useful to assess immediate odor intensity with minimum context influences. Comparison of odor sampled in Tedlar bags and in the living room were acceptable in terms of intensity but not in terms of recognition and description, indicating presence of biases.

This study investigated if low air temperature, which is known to improve the perception of air quality, also can reduce the intensity of some SBS symptoms. In a low-polluting office, human subjects were exposed to air at two temperatures 23 C and 18 C both with and without a pollution source present at the low temperature. To maintain overall thermal neutrality, the low air temperature was partly compensated for by individually controlled radiant heating, and partly by allowing subjects to modify clothing insulation.

The relationship between outside air ventilation rate and indoor VOC concentrations was studied through measurements in an office building (the call center of a health maintenance organization - 4600 m2 - 290 persons). Direct relationships between ventilation rate and concentrations were not found for most VOC's.

A survey was conducted in a new office building in Beijing (China) with mechanical air supply and natural exhaust, in which sick building symptoms were reported. Measurements and data from a questionnaire suggested that ventilation was insufficient.

30 human subjects were exposed to simulated office conditions to study perceived air quality and sick building symptoms. The sensory pollution load of personal computers was found to be 3 olf each.

This paper describes the hybrid ventilation system of a new office building (650 employees) in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) equipped with a decentralized building automation and individual controls.

In a building with two parts, one with bad indoor air quality, workers have been moved around from one to another and absenteeism rate and causes have been monitored.

Difficulties of CFD calculations to predict comfort especially in case of high level of turbulences are enquired in this study. Statistical corrections when the direction of the velocity vector changes are proposed to improve CFD models.

The study presents a zonal model to evaluate the global comfort of air conditioned buildings. The model calculates various criterions such as Ppo and DR. Sound measure level is estimated with Sabine law. Comparisons with tests are presented.