Experimental investigation into perceived air quality and sick building syndrome of stratum ventilation under heating mode

Abstract

Stratum ventilation was able to provide satisfactory thermal sensation under heating mode, but its performance on perceived air quality and SBS (sick building syndrome) was still unknown. This study objectively measured indoor CO2 concentration and subjectively surveyed human responses to perceived air quality and SBS symptoms in a stratum-ventilated classroom under the heating mode. Three cases with different supply air velocities and temperatures were designed. Twenty-three subjects were recruited to attend this study. The results showed that indoor CO2 concentration under the three cases were all below 900 ppm and the contaminant removal effectiveness could be up to 1.9, indicating good indoor air quality. With proper designs of supply air velocity and temperature, the perceived air was fresh, and the perceived air quality was acceptable. The percentage of the subjects having SBS symptoms were below 20%. Therefore, stratum ventilation could bring satisfactory perceived air quality with few SBS symptoms under the heating mode.