Blog 10- Indoor Environmental Quality

 

This week in Building Systems we talked about Indoor Environmental Quality: Acoustics and Indoor Air. Acoustics are how sound travels and is heard. Sound is measured in decibels, and noise is considered as bad or unwanted sound.  

In the slides it showed a diagram showing how sound travels through space. 1. through passages (doors connected by hallways) 2. Through materials (through walls) 3. Transmission with some absorption (the walls help quiet or muffle the sound) 4. Windows (sound from outdoor through openings that are less insulated) and 5. Structure borne sound (sound that comes from the building itself).  

There are three main principles of Sound Control. NRC or noise reduction coefficient- are materials rated on their absorption capacity. STC or sound transmission class is the capability of a material to absorb sound, and TL which is transmission loss.  

RT or reverberation time is another word for echo, which is sound that is built up in a room overtime. This is something that can be controlled and is key in areas such as auditoriums or music rooms.  

Principles of Room Design include partitions and room volumes. Room volumes are usually desires to be low which can be achieved with low reverberation times. To achieve low reverberation times the room volume is usually kept low. However, larger spatial volumes often desire high reverberation times in order for the sound to carry well over a long distance.  

To achieve privacy acoustical partitions are built, which is good for open offices. Acoustical insulation in partitions provides even better sound insulation. In Medical Facilities these elements are important to have discussions to keep patient information private.  

Some materials that help with sound absorption are softer materials such as carpeting, acoustical ceiling tiles, and textiles (used in finishes and furniture). Another form of ceiling tiles is to use acoustical clouds or canopies, which not only helps with sound and privacy, but also acts as a decorative element.  

Indoor Air Quality or IAQ are highly important in order for the health and safety of the building's occupants. This can be affected by many things: the HVAC system, interior materials, interior furniture, fixtures, and equipment, moisture within the building, volatile organic compounds, and indoor air pollutants including mold, radon, and cigarette smoke. This has a few different names such as SBS (sick building syndrome), BRI (building related illness), and Legionnaire’s Disease. While these can obviously cause problems for the building itself, they can also make people extremely sick or cause mild reactions; irritation of eyes and throat, dizziness, fatigue, and asthma. Obviously, if possible, this source of the contaminants should be immediately and effectively removed. However, if this is not possible the effects can be reduced by improving ventilation and the use of air cleaners and/or air purifiers.  

On the aspect of sustainability, it is important to be aware of the life cycle of the products that you are picking. What materials were extracted, where was the product made, potential transportations costs, how long will this product last? What will happen to the product when it is no longer usable? Will it be sent to a landfill or can it be reintroduced back into the environment in a healthy way?  

LEED impacts acoustics and indoor air quality of a building. If a building is LEED certified it should have low-VOC materials, proper ventilation systems, and noise reduction measurements. All of these are to help protect the health, safety, and comfort of the occupants for the building and prevent damage to the surrounding environment.  

 

Blogging Assignment: 

When the Covid 19 pandemic hit this meant that many people spent a lot more time indoors. However, many buildings contain VOC’s which is terrible for our immune systems, resulting in people contracting problems concerning respiratory, cardiovascular, and allergic diseases. Because Covid 19 is a virus spread through air, people became more aware and conscious of indoor air quality. This resulted in intervention to help control pollutants and promote better ventilation and overall air quality. Not only did these initiatives help to prevent Covid 19 from further spreading, but also helped the overall health of the occupants by providing clean and healthy air that promotes respiratory health.  

 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9141392/ 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210670721002274