CHAPTER 3

VENTILATION
 Content
1. Characteristic of IAQ
2. Natural Ventilation
a) Wind
b) Stack effect
c) Combination wind and stack effect
3. Mechanical Ventilation
a) Exhaust
b) Supply
c) Balanced
d) Plenum
4. Types of fan used for ventilation systems
 Introduction: Ventilation
• Ventilation is the process of changing
air in any space to provide high indoor
air quality. (i.e. to control temperature,
replenish oxygen, remove moisture,
odors, smoke, heat, dust, airborne
bacteria, and carbon dioxide).

• Allows for the exchange of air from the

outside and circulation of air within
building.

•A proportion of air within the enclosed

space should be continuously
withdrawn and replaced by fresh air to
maintaining acceptable air quality in
buildings.
 Why ventilation is important?
1. Ventilation/air supply must able to maintain air purity and improved human comfort
conditions

2. Preservation of oxygen content – this should be maintained at approximately 21% of air

volume.

3. Removal of carbon dioxide

4. Control of humidity- between 30-70% RH (Relative Humidity) is acceptable for human

comfort.

5. Prevention of heat concentration from machinery, lighting and people

6. Prevention of condensation

7. Dispersal of concentrations of bacteria

8. Dilution and disposal of contaminants such as smoke, dust, gases and body odors.

9. Provision of freshness – an optimum air velocity lies between 0.15 and 0.5 m/s.
 Why ventilation is important?
.
Perfect ventilation depends on:
1. Volume of air required 3. Speed of air movement 5. Purity

2. Temperature of air 4. Humidity

 Characteristics of Indoor Air
Quality (IAQ)
• ASHRAE (Standard 62.1,2007) has defined accepted IAQ as
“ air in which there are no known contaminants at harmful
concentrations as determined by cognizant authorities and with
which a substantial majority (80% or more) of the people exposed
do not express dissatisfaction”.
• Providing acceptable IAQ depends upon 4 major considerations:
– Limiting pollution at the source (choosing material & equipment
carefully)
– Isolating unavoidable sources of pollution
– Providing for an adequate supply and filtering fresh air (and recirculated
air)
– Maintaining a building and its equipment in a clean condition.

6
 IAQ Problems, Pollutant
Sources and Impacts
• Indoor air pollutant can be described both in
terms of the types of contaminants (gaseous,
organic, or particulate) and the types of effects
(odors, irritants, toxic substances) involved.
• Types of indoor air pollutant:
– Odors
– Irritants
– Toxic Particulate Substances
– Biological Contaminants
– Radon and Soil Gasses
7
 IAQ Problems, Pollutant
Sources and Impacts
1. Odors
√ The most immediate IAQ indicator/problems.
√ Unpleasant smells, with physiological consequences.
√ Visitors are more likely to detect odors than are the long term
inhabitants of a space.
√ Sources: body odors, grooming products, copy machines, food
products, cleaning fluids and outgassing from materials.
√ Odors problems worsen by the present of tobacco, and smokes
√ Simple measurement of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration is
used as a first indicator.
√ Filtering odors from indoor air is usually accomplished with
electronic or activated charcoal filters.
√ Odors problems can be reduced by increased outdoor air supply.
8
 IAQ Problems, Pollutant
Sources and Impacts
2. Irritants
√ Symptoms: itching, burning eyes, sneezing, coughing, dry nose ad throats,
sore throats and tightness of the chest.
√ Most irritants are present in the form of particles and gas dispersoids.
√ Sources from the building itself and the equipment and occupants within.
√ New and newly renovated building are particularly prone to problems from
outgassing of paints, adhesives, sealants, office furniture, carpeting and
vinyl wall coverings.
√ Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) ~chemical containing carbon
molecules that are volatile (off-gas or evaporate from material surfaces at
room temperatures) are found frequently in new buildings.
√ Types of VOC gas:-methane, ethane, methylene chloride, trichloroethane,
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrocarbons such as benzene, alcohols etc.
√ low humidity can exacerbate problems with irritants.
√ Problems can be reduced by increased outdoor air supply, using filters or
electronic air cleaners.
9
 IAQ Problems, Pollutant
Sources and Impacts
3. Toxic Particulate Substance
√ Asbestos is widely used in buildings until its toxicity was realized in the
1970s.
√ Tightly-bound form such as asbestos cement, vinyl asbestos floor tiles; and
loosely-bound form sprayed on asbestos insulation.
√ Asbestos release toxic over the life of the material.
√ Method of increased ventilation nor filtering is acceptable; it must be either
removed under stringent isolation controls or sealed and left in place.
√ Besides asbestos, some of the respirable particles that result from
incomplete combustion are toxic.
√ Incomplete combustion can occur from tobacco smoking, in woodstove, fire
places and gas ranges.
√ For incomplete combustion isolate the source insofar as possible, exhaust
air from the immediate vicinity, increase the outdoor air supply and utilize
particle filtering.
10
 IAQ Problems, Pollutant
Sources and Impacts
4. Biological Contaminants
 bacteria, fungi, viruses, algae, insect parts and dust within building.
 Moisture encourage both the retention and growth.
 Standing water (in HVAC system components) and moist interior
surfaces are likely trouble sites.
 Results: allergy reaction and infectious & noninfectious diseases.
 Remedies begin with good design and end with vigilant
maintenance.
 Exposure to ultraviolet radiation as control strategy and air filters as
an effective solutions.

11
 IAQ Problems, Pollutant
Sources and Impacts
5. Radon and Soil gases
√ Radon is a radioactive gas that decays rapidly, releasing
radiation at each stage.
√ Colorless, odorless and thus undetectable by human sense and
can cause lung cancer
√ Other soil gases include methane and some pesticides.
√ Radon penetrates through floor and wall cracks and opening
around plumbing pipes.
√ Penetration of below-ground spaces (wall and floors) should be
both minimized and well sealed; providing under slab ventilation
especially in area with high radon risk.

12
BFC3072: BUILDING SERVICES 13
 Air movement
Principles of air movement:

• Pressure difference between

inside and outside building allows
for the air to move from outside to
inside/inside to outside.

• Air flow rate through the building

affect by building resistance.

• Controlled natural ventilation and

infiltration are driven by pressure
difference across the building
envelope.
Air movement
The pressure difference is caused
by:
1. wind (or wind effect)
2. stack effect
3. combination of both
wind and stack effects.

15
 Ventilation
• Ventilation process divided into 2 major systems:-

– Natural Ventilation
• Wind effect
• Stack effect
• Combination of wind and stack effect

– Mechanical Ventilation
• Supply System
– Mechanical Supply System
– Natural + Mechanical Supply System
• Exhaust System
– Mechanical Exhaust System
– Natural + Mechanical Exhaust System
• Balance System
• Plenum System

16
 Natural Ventilation
• Process of supplying and removing air through an indoor space by
natural means using principal of air movement without mechanical
ventilation

• Three types:
1. Wind driven (wind effect) ventilation
2. Stack ventilation
3. Combination of wind and stack effect

• Most often used through

operate able windows for
small spaces.

• Complex building using

the stack effect to allows the
warm air to risen up and flow to the upper opening and forcing cold air
at the outside to be drawn into the building through openings in the
lower area.
 WIND EFFECT
When air flow is due to wind,
air enters through openings
in the windward walls, and
leaves through openings in
the leeward walls.

The pressure distribution

patterns due to wind in a
number of cases are
illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Air flow around a building

 Wind pressures are generally high/positive on the windward side
of a building and low/negative on the leeward side.

The occurrence and change of wind pressures on building

surfaces depends on:
• wind speed and wind direction relative to the building;
• the location and surrounding environment of the
building;
• shape of the building.
(a) Ventilation through window

(b) Ventilation through wall

(c) Ventilation through roof

- Opening on roof
STACK
EFFECT
In a completely sealed
enclosure, thermal differences
between the inside and outside
will result in a pressure
difference because warm air is
less dense than cold air.

Therefore when there is an

opening air will flow across the
roof terminals boundary to
equalise the pressure.
 STACK EFFECT
Benefits Limitations
• does not rely on wind • lower magnitude
• natural occurring force compared to wind
• stable air flow ventilation
• greater control in • relies on temperature
choosing areas of air differences
intake (inside/outside)
• sustainable method • Design restriction and
may incurs extra cost
• The quality of air may
be polluted.

22
 STACK EFFECT
Cold/winter season (see Figure 2a), the
following stack effect occurs: Figure 2 Stack effect
indoor temperature is higher than
outdoor temperature;
the warmer air in building then
rises up;
the upward air movement
produces negative indoor pressure
at the bottom;
positive indoor pressure is
created on the top;
warmer air flows out of the
building near the top; and
the air is replaces by colder
outside air that enters the building
near its base

Hot/summer season (see Figure 2b), the

reverse occurs when indoor temperature
is lower than outdoor temperature.
23
Combination of wind and stack effect

In most buildings, natural ventilation relies on a combined wind force

and stack effects.
 The Stack Effect Wind Pressure
Air movement in the attic may be
caused by the stack effect, wind
pressure or both.

Balanced ventilation also uses the

natural forces of wind pressure to
create areas of high and low
pressure areas around a house.

High-pressure areas form where

wind strikes the building and backs
up.
Low-pressure areas occur on the
downwind side.

Theoretically, air moves into the

building through openings in high-
pressure areas and exits at low-
pressure areas.
Examples for attic ventilation…

26
 Natural ventilation depends on 6 factors:
1. Building orientation and shape
– opening and air movement.
2. External elements
– house surrounding/tree.
3. Cross ventilation
– allow the air movement from one opening to
one opening…window, wall….
4. Opening location
5. Opening size
– high and width of window, double door…
6. Opening control
– types of opening : sliding/ram window
- full / half opening…
 Maximize Natural Ventilation

• Windows should be designed to admit natural ventilation.

The most important design issue is whether the windows provide single-
sided or cross-ventilation to interior spaces.

• The amount of air that flows through a window

(ventilation capacity) depends on the area and vertical
distribution of openings. These depend on the way the window
opens.

• Horizontal pivot windows offer the highest ventilation

capacity:
– For single-sided ventilation, place them as high as possible to exhaust
warm air at ceiling level.
– Air entering through the upper opening is directed toward ceiling, making
night-time cooling more effective.
Maximize Natural Ventilation
 Discussion
When natural
Your Choice to ventilation is not
maximize natural suitable for a
ventilation? give building? Why?
your reasons

30
 Discuss natural ventilation in Malay
traditional house.
Explanation on natural ventilation in Vernacular Architecture: The Malay House