Modern Building Services

MODERN BUILDING SERVICES NOVEMBER 2022 29 FEATURE INDOOR AIR QUALITY W ith Part F Building Regulations now in force, architects, specifiers and consultants of commercial buildings are now complied to meet new guidance on ventilation rates and minimising ingress of external pollutants. As mentioned, sensor technology is crucial to delivering on this and raising the standards of indoor air quality. Given that recent news has been dominated by other matters, people may be feeling that air quality is one of the lesser threats to livelihoods right now. The cost-of-living crisis, energy and fuel woes, the economy entering a downward spiral, interest rates and inflation rising, amongst other matters, have all been in sharp focus in recent months. However, air quality, and subsequently, ventilation, is still a key issue for the built environment. For those who have a stake in building management and design, it is one that should not be forgotten, even in the face of all the other challenges that have arisen lately. Winter is upon us, flu season has arrived, and although COVID-19 may not be headlining bulletins anymore, it can still be just as disruptive for people and businesses if caught and spread. Indeed, figures show that COVID-19 could be on the rise again, with 7,024 people in hospital with coronavirus in England as of 28 September 2022, up 37% from the week prior (Sky News). On top of this, casting our minds back to just a mere four months ago, one of the biggest shake-ups to the building regulations came into force on 15 June 2022 – the new Part F Approved Document that governs ventilation and air quality standards. When designing or specifying new buildings, it is crucial to have an appreciation of what changes have come into force and know how to incorporate these into new projects and have ventilation at front of mind. Monitoring is a must- have in new buildings Amongst the raft of alterations that came through in Approved Document F, indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring is arguably the greatest and most welcome, as it demonstrates that the needle is moving on the air quality conversation. To paraphrase from document 1 , under point 1.21, it states: “In new buildings, the following types of occupiable room, unless they are rooms of the size described in paragraph 1.22, should have a means of monitoring the indoor air quality. This may be achieved using CO2 monitors or other means of measuring indoor air quality.” These occupiable rooms could be offices, places where loud speech or aerobic exercise takes place, areas where members of the public are likely to gather, or rooms where there are low temperatures or low levels of humidity. Essentially, it is rooms where large volumes of CO2 could be expelled and inhaled. Certain sizes of a roommay not apply, such as if they are particularly small (under 50m in floor area) or large (over 320m in floor area). What this means is that theremust now be provision for monitoring in place for new buildings under the directive. That said, it is also best practice to retrofit air qualitymonitoring sensors where possible too, as this can only seek to improve the wellbeing and comfort of occupants. Themonitors chosen must alsomeet certain requirements too, such as beingmains powered and placed at breathing height. Benefits for all It might be instinctive to think that monitors are just another unwelcome cost to be added on that cannot be recouped, an additional layer of complication, or be seen as another component to install and maintain – this is not true in the slightest. There are many benefits that can be reaped, whether you are a developer, architect, specifier, consultant or contractor. ➜ David Millward , Group Product Manager at Elta Fans, explains that sensor technology is crucial to delivering Part F Building Regulations and raising the standards of indoor air quality. It makes sense: Why sensor technology is crucial to moving the air quality conversation