Assessment of Indoor Air Quality in an Air-Conditioning Split Units (Acsu) Office Building

Abstract

The indoor air quality (IAQ) in Air-Conditioning Split Units (ACSU) offices depends mainly on recirculated indoor air that has gone through filters. Workers usually spend eight hours in the office space with restricted air circulation. An IAQ assessment was conducted at the administrative office space, USM, to investigate conditions in an ACSU office space; from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. It starts with a walkthrough survey followed by the filling of questionnaires, with a sample size of 11 workers for insights into the office operations. The specific physical parameters (T, RH, and AM) and indoor air contaminants (CO, CH 2 O, O 3 , PM 10 , TVOC, TBC, TFC, and CO 2 ) were conducted at three points indoor and one point outdoor. The T and RH were within the acceptable range of 23-26°C and 40-70%, respectively by ICOP, while the AM was very low and less than the acceptable threshold range of 0.

Indoor Air Quality Assessment via Experimentally Calibrated Dynamic Simulation: A Case Study in an Office Building in Panama

“…One of the points of interest in this study was to identify how having a split unit to condition a space, can affect the air quality of the occupants. As observed in the study by Rasli et al [6] and Oliviera et al [10], while the split unit is operating inside the office, there was no air exchange registered, as shown in Fig. 4.…”

“…Regarding CO2 levels, [25] stated in his study that split units are related to high CO2 levels. Rasli et al [6] states that to lower CO2 levels in spaces where split air is installed, at least on e fresh air intake must be ensured in the office. In Fig.…”

“…Ventilation equipment can also influence Indoor Air Quality. Central heating, ventilation and conditioning systems, introduces outdoor air into indoor spaces but split units depends mainly on recirculated air that has gone through filters [6] and certainly, in spaces where split units are implemented, there is no mechanical ventilation system for air renovation [9]. Oliveira, Rupp & Ghisi, recommended implementing an air Digital Object Identifier (DOI): http://dx.doi.org/10.18687/LACCEI2022.1.1.440 ISBN: 978-628-95207-0-5 ISSN: 2414-6390 exchange device when using split air-conditioner devices, to provide suitable indoor ventilation an d red u ce p o llu t an t concentration [10].…”