English

This paper is a review and an exploration of the literature on indoor air quality in schools and the reported health problems related to it.The aim of that review was to identify health symptoms the most commonly reported in schools ;then to sum-up the existing measurement data on ventilation rate, CO2 concentrations and VOCs and biological contaminants in schools ; then sto um-up the information that exists on causal relationship between pollutant exposures and health symptoms in shools.

For that study, computer simulations and calculations of outdoor airflow rates and indoor air quality were made in parallel with site measurements in two Shanga office buildings equipped with typical Variable Air Volume systems.In addition to those site measurements, electrical consumption was recorded. Simulations and calculations of the electrical consumption and energy cost were performed.The site recorded data and the simulations results have been then compared and analyzed.

Turbine ventilator is an equipment that uses natural wind force to exhaust airflow ; such ventilators are widely installed in Taiwan to enhance building and factories ventilation. In theory, the combination of turbine ventilator with natural ventilation improves the indoor air quality while it decreases the reliance on air-conditioning. So that allows a reduction of the energy consumption.A variety of tests on different types of ventilators was conducted. The results proved it is helpful to increase ventilation with the installation of ventilators.

This paper analyses the cooling capacity and the possibilities of energy saving due to a correct natural ventilation.A correct exposure of the buildings to prevailing winds in a mediterranean area allows the reducing of cooling loads even in non-bioclimatic buildings, and without any cost. A correct natural ventilation offers great cooling capacity and possibilities of energy savings.

An investigation of the natural ventilation performance of an hawker center in Singapore is the subject of that study. Thermal comfort perceptions of the users of the center have been evaluated.The impact of four variations in the structure of the building on natural ventilation has also been explored (increasing size of passageway, openings in the roof, removal of end walls and increasing of the roof height)

This paper is the presentation of the development and application of an IAQ audit methodology applied in tertiary institutional buildings in the tropics. For that study, a staff room and a typical lecture theatre have been selected.The IAQ audit consisted in monitoring thermal comfort parameters. In parallel the staff and students have answered a questionnaire to give a subjective assessment of the indoor air quality.The IAQ results will be then used to develop an IAQ database for institutional buildings in Singapore.

Due to its simplicity in installation and maintenance on the one hand, and to its potential to conserve energy on the other hand, the refrigerant modulating air-conditioning system has become very popular. This paper presents the results of an IAQ energy audit of two buildings in Singapore that use that kind of system. The results are compared to those obtained from conventional air-conditioning systems.

Many indoor models have been developed to describe thermal indoor discomfort, but are they relevant to outdoor or semi-outdoor environments ? They have not been yet critically validated . So, the thermal comfort of more than one thousand subjects living in outdoor and semi-outdoor locations in subtropical Sydney has been investigated by a questionnaire on the one hand and measured with micro-meteorological instruments.

The objective of the European project AIRLESS was to develop strategies, principles and protocols to improve and control the performance of HVAC systems and their components to be incorporated in codes and guidelines.This paper is a sum-up fo the first-phase of the AIRLESS project : definition of air pollution caused by HVAC systems, investigation to prevent this pollution and definition of strategies to keep away that pollution.

Objective measurement, CFD modelling and subjective assessment have been used in that study to evaluate the thermal comfort of an air-conditoned lecture theatre in the tropics. The simulated parameters are temperature, airflow rate and relative humidity.The parameters were found in the limits of the comfort standard. Occupants' vote show that they were uncomfotable and dissatisfied.