A methodology for post-occupancy evaluation of ventilation rates in schools

Abstract

The importance of maintaining adequate indoor air quality in schools is recognised as a contributing factor to pupils' learning performance. This paper describes a series of field measurements that investigating the ventilation rates in four recently built secondary schools in England. All schools were assessed for compliance with the recently adopted Building Bulletin 101, which defines the set of criteria in relation to the ventilation rates and indoor air quality in new school buildings. Using the obtained results a methodology has been suggested for post-occupancy evaluation of ventilation rates in schools. The suggested methodology draws particular attention to the dynamic nature of the interaction between the building and their occupants.

Practical application: The new Building Bulletin 101 is quoted in Approved Document F as a means of compliance with Building Regulations for school buildings in the UK. This paper, based on four case studies, highlights some of the problems facing architects, mechanical engineers and building control officers associated with post-occupancy evaluation of ventilation rates in new school buildings. The methodology suggested in this paper, which differs radically from the current practice, takes into account the changing nature of the indoor environment in schools including occupancy level and occupant behaviour.

References

Department of Education and Skills. 2005. Building schools for future programme. (Available at www.bsf.gov.uk).

DfES. Building Bulletin 101 Ventilation of School Buildings, Department for Education and Skills, May 2005.

ODPM Approved Document F - F1 Means of Ventilation Draft 2006 Edition, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2006.

DfES Building Bulletin 93 Acoustic design of schools, Department for Education and Skills, August 2003.

Kukadia V. , Ajiboye P. , White M. Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality in Schools - Information Paper IP 6/05 , Building Research Establishment, 2005 .

Pegg I. , Cripps A. , Kolokotroni M. A post-occupancy evaluation of a low energy school (City Academy) in the UK . International Journal of Ventilation 2005 ; 4(3)-215-25.

Roulet CA , Foradini F. Simple and cheap air change rate measurements using CO2 concentration decays . International Journal of Ventilation 2002 ; 1(1)-39-44.