modelling

The results of indoor air quality surveys have showed that it was quite easy to fulfil the requirements of indoor climate standards and recommendations, even in office buildings where the workers experienced sick building symptoms, and complained that the reason for their symptoms was poor indoor air quality (1, 2). Many researchers consider that psychosocial factors may serve as moderators or mediators in the sick building syndrome process, either increasing or decreasing the vulnerability of the individual to environmental exposures (3, 4).

Large premises, such as airport tenninals or international conference centers, have high ceilings and large floor area. Most of passengers who use these facilities do not stay for a long time as they do in office blocks or residential housings, but occupy the buildings en masse for short periods of times.

Computer modelling is becoming an everyday tool for the building services engineer to ensure that a ventilation design will work early on in the development process. This paper describes this process in relation to Novartis' new office building in the UK. In this case, airflow modelling was used to fine-tune a conceptual idea for the atrium air conditioning. This influenced the solar shading incorporated into the architectural design and allowed engineers to optimise the volume of air used and the location of supply air terminals.

Efficient control of ventilation systems needs information on indoor air pollutant concentration. But most of the time, the pollutant concentration is not measured. However, outdoor air pollution forecast models are becoming operational and a relation between outdoor and indoor pollutant concentration may be used to predict pollutant concentration peaks and to infer recommendations to reduce its value . A prediction model of the outdoor/indoor air pollutant transfer, based on experimental data, was obtained using multiple linear regression.

The provision of a healthy and satisfactorily clean indoor environment requires that consideration be given to a range of issues, such as the type of indoor environment, indoor and outdoor sources, indoor activity and others. The selection of relevant measures to achieve the required indoor air quality (IAQ) depends on knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms and parameters affecting the concentration levels indoors.