- Author
- Persily, A. K. | Dols, W. S.
- Title
- Ventilation and Air Quality Investigation of the Madison Building Phase 1 Report.
- Coporate
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
- Sponsor
- Department of Energy, Washington, DC
- Report
- NISTIR 89-4219, December 1989, 37 p.
- Keywords
- air exchange | carbon dioxide | indoor air quality | mechanical ventilation | office buildings | tracer gas | ventilation | ventilation effectiveness
- Abstract
- The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, formerly the National Bureau of Standards) is conducting a long-term study of ventilation and air quality in the Madison Building of the Library of Congress. This investigation, which is being sponsored by the U. S. Department of Energy, began in late 1988 and will continue into 1990. NIST is conducting continuous measurements of whole building air exchange rates, as well as periodic measurements of local ventilation characteristics and indoor levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, respirable particulates, radon and radon progeny, and volatile organic compounds. During the first phase of the study, NIST has measured whole building air exchange rates, local air exchange characteristics, and indoor concentrations of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. This report presents the technqiues used to make these measurements and the results that have been obtained as of September 1989. These results indicate that the whole building air exchange rate is relatively constant over time and that the ventilation air is well distributed throughout the building. The measured air exchange rates are slightly above the minimum recommended levels contained in ASHRAE Standard 62-1989 and slightly below the mechanical ventilation system's design value for the outdoor air intke rate. The measured levels of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are low relative to the recommended values contained in this same ventilation standard.