A Selection Of Documented Benefits of Ventilation

[greenbuild]

A Selection Of Documented Benefits of Ventilation
Breezway Technical Bulletin
15 March 2013
Background
The benefits of ventilation are generally self-evident, everyone has enjoyed a cooling breeze from an open window, but it is harder to put facts and figures to what we know intuitively to be good. With a bit of searching though, data and evidence can be found that prove the benefits of improved ventilation.

Data and Evidence On The Benefits Of Increased Ventilation
Decreased Energy Consumption
 A study of 39 offices at Sydney University in 2002 identified annual energy savings on heating and cooling of 79%
David Rowe and Cong Truc Dinh (2001) An Experiment with Hybrid Ventilation: A More Sustainable Approach To Thermal Comfort. Architectural Science Review, Vol 44, Iss. 2, 2001.
 A 2001 study of 18 UK buildings identifying an average of 52% measured annual savings in heating and cooling energy.
Bunn R. and Cohen, R. (2001) Learning from PROBE, Building Services Journal, May 2001.
 In 2001 the CSIRO calculated that in a 12 hour a day building, mechanical cooling is not necessary 48% of the time
Quoted in “Emerging technologies in ventilation” by Dr Mark B Luther and Dr Zhengdong Chen in TEC12, Nov 2002

Occupant Comfort In Naturally Ventilated Buildings
 Research undertaken across thousands of users in an assortment of building types in different climatic zones around the world shows those users of naturally ventilated and hybrid buildings are more comfortable than or at least as comfortable as, users of an airconditioned buildings.
(De Dear, Nicols, Roaf et al)
 “In an airconditioned building with comfort levels controlled through the commonly used temperature set points, there will always be 10-15 per cent of occupants dissatisfied.
 The empirical research undertaken worldwide across a range of climates and buildings indicates a naturally ventilated facility will have around the same levels of user dissatisfaction.”
“Making the building do the work: Natural ventilation design” by John Brodie, published on thefifthestate.com.au
 “Occupants in naturally ventilated buildings were tolerant of a significantly wider range of temperatures explained by a combination of both behaviour adjustment and psychological adaptation.”
Gail S. Brager, Richard de Dear, 2000
 “Studies by Humphreys and Fergus Nicol… …suggested that the indoor temperature preferred by occupants around the world varied according to the current outdoor temperature. In other words, during the hotter summer months, an office worker would prefer a warmer indoor temperature than he or she would in the winter.”
“The comfort zone” by Nancy B. Solomon, AIA, Greensourcemag.com March+April 2011

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