public building

Occupant response in a good indicator of the effectiveness of a ventilation system. In a one-year study in the province of Quebec region, 20 public buildings were studied. Occupants were asked to answer questions on their perception of their environment and the ventilation at their workstation. Annual energy consumption for each building was recorded. The ventilation systems were studied as well as their rates; minimum outdoor air rates and average total air rates, at each workstation and at the ventilation system. Ventilation rates were plotted against energy consumption.

In the period 1980-1987 Rotterdam carried out an energy saving programme for municipal buildings in the non-profit sector (hospitals, schools, offices, libraries, etc). The target of this programme was to save energy with a yearly balance between costs and benefits. In 1987 this programme resulted in aninvestment of F.42,000.000,--. The energy consumption was reduced with 16.000.000m3 gas. After 1987 the energy consumption slowly grew to the situation of 1980. In 1989 Rotterdam started with the introduction of energy management.

The design of Rotherham's new courthouse adopts passive solar architecture and heat recovery systems in an effort to make the legal process less energy intensive. Stephen Ashley reports.

Ventilation air distribution problems involving system design, installation, operation and maintenance are often suspected of causing air quality problems that plague many modern sealed office buildings, such air quality problems have resulted in occupants suffering symptoms of discomfort and ill health. Three case studies are described in which tests of ventilation performance appear to relate poor air quality to air distribution and ventilation. In all cases, ventilation system retrofits were designed to improve indoor environmental conditions.