Evaluation of Different Natural Ventilation Strategies by Monitoring the Indoor Air Quality Using CO2 Sensors

Sánchez-Fernández, Ana; Coll-Aliaga, Eloína; Lerma-Arce, Victoria; Lorenzo-Sáez, Edgar

doi:10.3390/ijerph20186757

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Different Natural Ventilation Strategies by Monitoring the Indoor Air Quality Using CO₂ Sensors

by

Ana Sánchez-Fernández

,

Eloína Coll-Aliaga

,

Victoria Lerma-Arce

^*

and

Edgar Lorenzo-Sáez

ITACA Research Institute, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camí de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(18), 6757; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20186757

Submission received: 6 July 2023 / Revised: 6 September 2023 / Accepted: 7 September 2023 / Published: 14 September 2023

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Science and Engineering)

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Abstract

Indoor air quality is a characteristic that depends on air pollutants inside a building and that can be affected by different ventilation strategies. There is strong evidence linking poor indoor air quality (IAQ) and harmful health effects, especially on vulnerable collectives, such as children in schools. Due to this concern, this work aims to provide guidance on the design of highly efficient ventilation strategies to improve the air quality of schools’ classrooms. For this, IAQ monitoring has been carried out in eight educational in real conditions centres using CO₂ concentration as an IAQ indicator. Variables such as the presence of students and their number, activity developed in the classroom and ventilation strategy used together with break time duration have been also recorded to analyse their influence on CO₂ concentration levels. Concluding results have allowed us to determine the maximum number of students allowed in a closed room to maintain CO₂ levels at normal concentrations and the time needed to reduce these CO₂ levels depending on the ventilation strategy adopted. Moreover, it has been discussed how surrounding school conditions (pollution or noise) and the building isolation are impacting the final IAQ in the classrooms studied.

Keywords: CO₂; ventilation strategies; monitoring; indoor air quality; pollution

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MDPI and ACS Style

Sánchez-Fernández, A.; Coll-Aliaga, E.; Lerma-Arce, V.; Lorenzo-Sáez, E. Evaluation of Different Natural Ventilation Strategies by Monitoring the Indoor Air Quality Using CO₂ Sensors. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 6757. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20186757

AMA Style

Sánchez-Fernández A, Coll-Aliaga E, Lerma-Arce V, Lorenzo-Sáez E. Evaluation of Different Natural Ventilation Strategies by Monitoring the Indoor Air Quality Using CO₂ Sensors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(18):6757. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20186757

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sánchez-Fernández, Ana, Eloína Coll-Aliaga, Victoria Lerma-Arce, and Edgar Lorenzo-Sáez. 2023. "Evaluation of Different Natural Ventilation Strategies by Monitoring the Indoor Air Quality Using CO₂ Sensors" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20, no. 18: 6757. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20186757

APA Style

Sánchez-Fernández, A., Coll-Aliaga, E., Lerma-Arce, V., & Lorenzo-Sáez, E. (2023). Evaluation of Different Natural Ventilation Strategies by Monitoring the Indoor Air Quality Using CO₂ Sensors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(18), 6757. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20186757

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Evaluation of Different Natural Ventilation Strategies by Monitoring the Indoor Air Quality Using CO₂ Sensors

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