This document discusses the importance of proper ventilation design and indoor air quality. It outlines key challenges like the amount of time people spend indoors exposed to pollutants and lack of consistent regulations. International and national air quality standards are presented along with current UK approaches to ventilation design. The document advocates for health-based ventilation design that meets WHO air quality guidelines through ambient and indoor source control as well as guidelines for proper ventilation system design, operation, and maintenance. Methods for improving existing ventilation like cleaning, inspections, performance verification, and monitoring are also described.

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Health Based
Ventilation Design
Optimising Indoor Air Quality

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Agenda
The Challenge
01
Importance of Ventilation
02
Indoor Air Quality Standards
03
Ventilation Design
04
Improving Existing Ventilation
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• Time Spent Indoors
• Levels of Indoor Air
Pollution
• Affects on Occupants
• Lack of Regulation
• Deterioration in Indoor Air
Quality
• The Outlook
3
The Challenge

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Importance of Ventilation
INDOOR AIR
QUALITY
HEALTH AND
COMFORT
MOISTURE
CONTROL
ENERGY
EFFICIENCY
BUILDING
DURABILITY
COMPLIANCE
WITH BUILDING
REGULATIONS

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Ventilation Systems
Royal Academy of Engineering - ventilation matters! (raeng.org.uk)

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Indoor Air Quality Standards?
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Pollutant
Averaging
Time
WHO
AGQs
EU AQSs
UK
AQOs
NO2 µg/m3
Annual 10 40 40
24 Hour 25 50 -
1 Hour 200 200 200
PM10 µg/m3
Annual 15 40 40
24 Hour 45 50 50
PM2.5 µg/m3
Annual 5 25 20
24 Hour 15 25 -
• Public Health England IAQ Guidelines for selected VOCs
• Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs)

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Ventilation Design – UK Current Approach
• Building Regulations Approved Document F:
Volume 1 and Volume 2
• Chartered Institution of Building Services
Engineers (CIBSE) Guides: - CIBSE Guide B2:
Ventilation and ductwork
• Building Bulletin 101 Guidelines on ventilation,
thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools
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Health Based
Ventilation
Design
• Are ambient WHO AQ Guidelines met?
• Are all indoor sources controlled?
• Are indoor WHO AQ Guidelines met?
www.healthvent.eu
Carrer, P et al. European Collaborative Action – Urban Air, Indoor Environment and Human Exposure,
Report No 30, Framework for health-based ventilation guidelines in Europe, EUR 27640 EN,
Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2020, ISBN 978-92-7954143-8,
doi:10.2788/17476, JRC 88207

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Health Based Ventilation Design
Systems used for controlling thermal
conditions should be calculated and
designed separately from ventilation used
for reducing health risks associated with
indoor air pollution.

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Health Based Ventilation Design
1
0
Ambient air quality should always be considered in ventilation design.
Source control is the key element for controlling indoor air exposures
Indoor air quality should comply with WHO AQ guidelines
Health based ventilation rate met when WHO AQ guidelines are met
Ventilation systems used for controlling thermal conditions should be calculated
and designed separately from ventilation used for reducing health risks
associated with indoor air pollution
Guidelines for the proper design, operation and maintenance of ventilation
systems should always be followed

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Improving Existing Ventilation
Cleaning
Cleaning of ventilation systems
Condensation should be minimized.
Outdoor air intakes should prevent against rain and snow entrainment
Inspections
Regular inspections
Record keeping
Performance
Verification of ventilation system performance
Ventilation Rate
Actual needs and demands met
Air Cleaners and Filtration
Air cleaning and filtration of incoming polluted air
Monitoring
CO2 monitoring
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Resources
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CIBSE top tips in ventilation
CIBSE KS 14 Indoor Air Quality and Ventilation
CIBSE Guide B2 Ventilation and Ductwork
HSE Ventilation in the Workplace
Ventilation: Approved Document F
BB 101: Ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality
2018
Breathing City Future Urban Ventilation Network
RHEVA Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air
Conditioning Associations
National Engineering Policy Centre - Engineering Matters

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Thank you!
Alice McLean
alice.mclean@ramboll.co.uk