INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY FOR GREEN BUILDINGS

By ,NISCHAY.NB.E(CIVIL),M.Tech(BST),IGBC-AP.

Indoor Environmental Quality

IEQ• Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) refers to the

quality of a building's environment in relation to the health and wellbeing of those who occupy space within it.

• IEQ is determined by many factors, including lighting, air quality, and other conditions.

Critical Components• Indoor air quality – odors, indoor air pollution, fresh air supply,…

• Thermal comfort or indoor climate –Temperature, moisture, air velocity

• Visual or lighting quality –View, illuminance, luminance ratios, reflection,…

• Acoustical quality –Outside and indoor noise and vibrations

Goals of IEQ

• Minimize the risk of building‐related health problems• Maintain high quality indoor ‐

environments

Sick building syndrome (SBS)• Occupants experience acute

health and comfort effects that are linked to time spent in a building; no specific illness or cause can be identified

SBS Symptoms• Dry eyes • Dry throat• Headache• Dry skin• Mucus membrane irritation• Lethargy• Asthmatic symptoms

Strategies

• Control pollutants• Introduce daylight and views• Provide occupants with controls• Acoustic and thermal comfort

Indoor air quality• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating

and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)

Air in which there are no known contaminants at harmful concentrations and which a substantial majority (usually 80%) of the people exposed do not express dissatisfaction

-ASHRAE 62-1999

• Most of us spend up to 90% of their time indoors

• Many spend most of their working hours in an office environment

• Pollutants in an indoor environment can increase the risk of illness

• Levels of pollutants may be 200% to 500% higher indoors than outdoors, even in cities with a lot of air pollution

Indoor air Contaminants

• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)• Carbon Dioxide (CO2)• Particulates• Tobacco Smoke

How to reduce the contaminants??

• Low VOC emitting materials: Paints and coating Adhesive Composite wood.• CO2 monitoring: Install co2 sensors in return air

ducts of all regularly occupied spaces To maintain a differential co2 level of maximum 530ppm Breathing zone to plant

• Outdoor pollutants: Have an entry carpet of atleast 2 meters length at all main entrance of the buildings , It should be CRI rated

Tobacco smoke control• Intent: Minimize exposure of non-smoker to the adverse health impacts arising due to passive smoking in building• Demonstrate that smoking is prohibited in

the building

Tobacco smoke control • Have designated smoking areas• Provide air intakes 7.6m away from smoking

zones• Smoking room in Kolkata airport

Location of fresh air intakes:• It should be located away from contaminant

sources:• Building exhaust fan• Sanitary vents• Outside smoking room• Vehicular exhaust like parking ,garage,etc.

Visual or lighting quality

• Daylighting : It is to ensure connectivity between the interior and the exterior environment , by providing adequate daylighting.

Visual discomfort

• Visual discomfort may reveal itself in the following complaints:

• Too little daylight or artificial light; • Dazzling daylight or artificial light; • Inadequate visibility.

• Poor lighting may also contribute for example to: • Eye irritations; • Neck and shoulder problems; • Fatigue.

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