Evolution of ventilation strategies in air-conditioned buildings in Singapore – IAQ and Energy perspectives

Situated 1º North of the equator, Singapore has a year-round hot and humid climate with temperatures in the range of 25 and 32º C and relative humidity around 70%.  In view of these environmental conditions, there is really no need for “Heating (or simply “H”) in the traditional Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) terminology.  Consequently, the term Air-Conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation (ACMV) is used in the local industry.  Air-conditioning has over the years become a necessity across the entire building sector, and in particular, in commercial, office, institutional, hotel and hospital buildings.  With rising affluence levels, air-conditioning has also become more prevalent in the residential building sector. This presentation tracks the evolution of ventilation strategies in ACMV systems as well as the associated ventilation and IAQ guidelines and standards in Singapore since the 70s.  Whilst the early years in Singapore’s built environment evolution and development (70s through 90s) were primarily driven by energy considerations, ventilation and IAQ requirements were not ignored.  In fact, ventilation provisions were always integral to the building regulations even from those early years. Since the nineties, IAQ awareness rose considerably that also led to the launch of IAQ guidelines in 1996, followed by two related standards in 2009, one on ventilation and the other on IAQ, both of which are part of the design specifications for the built environment. Singapore’s own building rating system, called the Green Mark scheme launched in 2005, started with a primary focus on energy and has, since 2015, incorporated an enhanced IEQ and well-being criteria.   The fundamental philosophy of ensuring a good balance between energy and IEQ is key to the whole notion of designing and operating energy-efficient healthy buildings.