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This paper presents the results of a research program that was conducted for ASHRAE by TRC- Environmental Consultants, Inc. The purpose of the study was to provide information on the effectiveness of existing ASHRAE ventilation guidelines for maintaining acceptable air pollutant levels and to develop a methodology for including economic utilization of energy in the consideration of future guidelines.
Ventilation requirements for enclosed parking garages are currently expressed in terms of flow rate per unit of floor area or in air volume changes per unit time. Such guidelines are based on assumptions about ventilation system flow rates, motor vehicle emissions, traffic patterns and resulting carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations. This program was based on measurement of all these parameters at several underground parking garages. Data analysis included a review of pertinent literature and development of simple mathematical models for ventilation assessment.
This study has focused on carbon monoxide (CO). Other pollutants such as sulfates, oxides of nitrogen and odorous compounds also affect air quality, but CO is universally associated with garage operation and is generally seen a9 the major health factor.