Indoor Air Quality

This paper describes an in-situ comparison study of four different HVAC systems.
The main tasks were to study the capital costs, the energy consumption, indoor
environment and operation and maintenance of the mechanical systems.
The three functions of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning are closely
interrelated. All seek to provide thermal comfort, acceptable indoor air quality and
reasonable installation, operation, and maintenance costs. Indoor air quality has a
major influence on the health, comfort and well being of building occupants.
Poor air quality has been linked to problems of Sick Building Syndrome and shown
to reduce productivity in offices and learning in schools. In Europe people spend
about 90% of their time in indoor environments and their exposure to many air
pollutants is largely dependent upon the exposure that occurs indoors.
Good air quality depends upon a wide range of parameters including the presence in
air of volatile organic chemicals, gases such as nitrogen dioxide, ozone and carbon
monoxide, biological particles including bacteria, fungi and pollen. The perception of
these components can be influenced by the temperature and humidity. Effects on
health depend upon the toxicity of the pollutant, its concentration and the exposure
period. The effects may therefore range from odour, to irratation as well as
carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic toxic effects.
Importance of ventilation
Its important to realise that ventilation is one of the most crucial processes in
determining the indoor air quality. While many of us tend to perceive ventilation as
either routine air movement within a closed room or the intermittent introduction of
outdoor air, it is actually a complex process.
Ventilation needs immense planning, and hence demands expert inputs. Lets get
more insight into ventilation. Its a combination of processes that results in the supply
/ removal of air from inside a closed structure.
The ventilation processes typically comprise:

Bringing in outdoor air

Conditioning, mixing the outdoor air with some amount of indoor air

Distributing this mixed air throughout the area

Exhausting some amount of the indoor air outside

The quality of indoor air may fall when one or more of these processes are faulty or
inadequate. For e.g., carbon dioxide (a gas produced during breathing), may
accumulate in a room if sufficient portion of outdoor air is not brought into and
distributed throughout the closed space. Carbon dioxide acts as a surrogate for
indoor pollutants, which may cause the room occupants to feel drowsy.

Comparable ventilation systems

Air conditioning is often confused with comfort cooling. Air conditioning heats or
cools fresh air as it comes into a building, the air is filtered to remove dirt and can
also have the humidity adjusted the treated air is distributed around the building and
finally adjusted to local temperature requirements in fan coil unit.
Comfort cooling generally is cheaper to install, systems typically consists of an
indoor unit and external unit connected by two or three pipes, with piping to a fan coil
unit either in the ceiling or mounted on a wall. These simply heat or chill the air
although modern VAV systems can heat one area and cool another at the same
time. Generally the systems circulate the air already contained within the building
and do not bring in fresh air, although just to confuse, some units will.
As we have already mentioned, temperature control and ventilation (as well as
lighting) have a dramatic effect on the well being (and productivity) of the occupiers
of a workspace. Very often when a building undergoes modification, or use is
intensified after the design of the system, the original system will need checking to
ensure that it is still fit for purpose.
Moreover, new techniques such as mixed mode systems are becoming popular,
where natural ventilation is reinforced by a cooling system for hot days, and also
where the mass of the building, is used to cool the air down during the day.
This study looks at the four different systems, taking information and research from a
variety of source materials, and independently tries to determine the benefits and
drawbacks of using each system.
We have only compared the properties of an active chilled beam system. The active
chilled beam can be described as a fan coil unit with no fan or filter, working as a
ceiling mounted induction unit, it provides ventilation cooling and sometimes heating
into a space. It is totally reliant upon other factors such as chillers, ground source
water, heat sinks etc. It is in these areas that the free cooling and energy efficiency of
the systems is realised.
Active chilled beams are more complex than passive chilled beams. In addition to a
finned cooling coil, they have an integral air supply designed to meet minimum
outdoor air requirements. In this way they differ from fan-coil units, which blow indoor
air over cooling coils located in the conditioned space and rely upon a separate
system to meet OA requirements. Due to forced convection, active chilled beams
achieve cooling densities about twice those of passive chilled beams.
Fan coil systems are either 2-pipe, cooling only, or 4-pipe, heating and cooling. For
this report we have selected as preference the 4 pipe system, with hot water heating
coil, chilled water cooling coil, and an outside air mixer, as it offers good levels of
comfort air conditioning at a competitive installed price. It is also simple to maintain
and allows a good level of flexibility in relation to any reconfiguration of the occupied
space.

VAV systems are primarily cooling systems. However, VAV boxes can be equipped
with reheat coils, especially if the required VAV box minimums are substantial. Fan
powered boxes incorporate the use of a fan as part of their operation. The fan
operates to pull air from the plenum space. In a typical VAV system there is no return
air duct, per se. Return air grilles are mounted in the ceiling grid, yet are not
connected to anything.
Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems, were introduced more than 20 years ago and
consist of a number of floor, wall or ceiling or mounted indoor units connected to a
common outdoor unit by refrigerant pipe work. Some areas may be served by
packaged, split and multi-split packaged comfort cooling equipment, in addition to a
centralized system.
Conventional systems transfer heat from the space to the refrigerant by circulating air
(in ducted systems) or water (in chillers) throughout the building. VRF systems are
larger in capacity, more complex versions of the ductless multi-split systems, with the
additional capacity of connecting ducted style fan coil units. They require many
evaporators and complex oil and refrigerant management and control systems.
Also, they need a separate ventilation system. The term variable refrigerant flow refers
to the ability of the system to control the amount of refrigerant flowing to each of the
evaporators. This enables the use of many evaporators of different capacities and
configurations, individualised comfort control, simultaneous heating and cooling in
different zones, and heat recovery from one zone to another.
Additional costs will be incurred for both the VRF and Fan Coils, as prior to installation
a seperate ventilation system will be required.
Whole life costs over 25 years for a 6000m2 new office

Chilled beams
Fan coil units
VRF
VAV

250

500

750

1000

1250

1500

1750

2000

2250

2500

2750

Net Present Value (000s)

Key
Capital cost

Major asset
replacement

Sub asset
replacement

Maintenance

Energy costs

Comparison

VAV Systems

Chilled Beams

Variable
Refrigerant Flow

Fan Coils

No refrigerant
No pipe inspections

X Refrigerant used
X Possible leaks
X Pipe inspections
Refrigerant is more
efficient than water

No refrigerant
No pipe
inspections

X Ductwork and pipe

work needed

X A qualified and
registered installer is
needed very costly

X Ductwork and pipe

work needed

Use of refrigerant
No refrigerant
No pipe inspections
No danger of leaks

Installation
X Ductwork needed

X Because of this there

is less risk of leaks
X Diffusers and grilles
needed

Does not need

diffusers

X Diffusers and grilles

needed

X Diffusers and grilles

needed

Significant free cooling

from sources such as
outdoor air or ground
water heat sinks.

X No "free" cooling.

X Adaptation required
for some free cooling
systems and groundsource heat pumps.

Cooling via pumped

chilled water means a
reduction in fan energy by
a factor of seven.

X Must choose unit with

capacity meeting or
exceeding each zone's
maximum.

Air systems can be

dramatically reduced if
chilled beams are used to
handle the cooling.

X The cooling capacity

available to an indoor
section is reduced at
lower temperatures.

Good for
applications with
intermittent medium to
high sensible cooling
loads and where close
humidity control is not
required.

Free cooling
Can provide some
cooling load in more
moderate climates.
Cooling
Building load
diversity allows cooling
system to be
downsized as much as
30 percent depending
on building.

X The cooling capacity

available to an indoor
section is reduced at lower
temperatures.
Commissioning
They can be set in
the factory.

Comfort control
significantly reduces time
and cost

Relatively easy to
commission due to
pre set control and
packaged units.

X Commissioning onsite include control of

the fan coil unit cooling
connections and flush,
vent and balance.

Easy retrofit to
existing buildings.

Small ventilation plant

and system.

Controls are fairly

simple.
Flexibility
X Larger ductwork
required.

Smaller ducts, saving

space in false ceilings.

X However, no fresh air.

Can break system
into smaller subsystems for phasing

Zoned control can

easily be provided on the
supply air to every level.

Can phase
installation to serve
portions of the building
as funding or program
requirements allow.

Individual zone
control of space
temperature, if suitable
controls fitted.

Combination of
Can move diffusers to comfort control and FPT
adapt to room
allows full flexibility
requirement

Maintenance and inspection

Units require little
maintenance as few
moving part
inspections to prolong
their life.

Chilled beams contain

no moving parts, filters or
fans.

X FGAS regulation
annual inspection of
system above 3kg

X May require in-room

cleaning as visible to the
eye.

X Above 30kg - 6
monthly

X They are difficult to

maintain, requiring
regular engineer visits.

X Above 300kg - 3
monthly

No filter changes
needed

No filter changes
needed

X Requires filter
changes often

X Requires filter
changes often

20-30 years

X 10-15 years

X 10-15 years

Efficient water
distribution means lower
energy consumption and
operating costs.

X Fans/motors
efficiency about 3040 per cent. At least
one per room rather
than one per zone.

The use of EC fan

motors can reduce
electrical input by
about 55% (against
older systems).

Life expectancy
20-30 years
Efficiency
Variable volume
means demand control
ventilation

X But still uses a lot

of energy
Using pressure
sensor, essential
plant can be turned
down to reduce
energy

Self regulating output

due to room occupancy
loads

Variable speed
compressors
enhance part-load
efficiency using
inverter control

Modern systems
feature multiple scroll
compressors for highly
efficient operation, in
relation to the chiller.

X No heat recovery

Can recover heat

without going back to
condenser

X No heat recovery

Heat Recovery
X No heat recovery

Heating
X No inherent heating
ability, water and
electric reheat

Heating can be supplied Three-pipe heats and

through 4 pipe unit
cools during the same
period.

Heating can be
supplied through 4 pipe
unit

available.
Ventilation
System has demand
control ventilation

Tempered ventilation
through ducting in the
beam itself

Greater ability to
X May require air flow
condition only occupied greater than comfort
spaces.
requirement

X Will require separate

ventilation system

X Limited fresh air can

also be introduced via
the fan-coil unit.

Can respond to
staged occupancies,
only conditioning rooms
as they become
occupied.

Air re-conditioned and

fresh air introduced from
a central air-handling
unit.

X A separate ventilation
system is normally
included.

Provides good air

distribution throughout
space

Indoor Air Quality

Can provide various
levels of temperature
and humidity control.

Produces extremely
stable environment

Provides only the

required minimum
quantity of outside air.
Delivers enough air to
meet respiratory
requirements, with a
consequent reduction in
capital cost, electricity
consumption and
maintenance cost.

X A separate outside air X Can create drafts.

fan and control system
is generally required for
larger buildings.

Can mix and match

various manufacturers on
any given project.

Must use the same

products throughout the
project.

Flexibility

Flkt Woods Group

Good level of
flexibility in relation to
any reconfiguration of
the occupied space.