The Atamate Schools project is intended to meet the following objectives for schools:
Air quality is impacted by carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides and humidity. Good air quality management has many benefits:
- Wellbeing improves productivity.
- Fewer colds.
- Better cognitive performance.
- Minimising absenteeism and better retention.
- Maximising energy efficiency.
The Atamate building operating system includes air quality management among its functionalities.
As COVID-19 makes what we fervently hope is its final retreat and we dare to think about going back to work and staying there, it's as good a time as any to think about what we'll be going back to. In particular, the quality of the air we'll be breathing for eight hours out of every 24.
Air quality falls under the purview of facilities management which, depending on the size of the building, might be handled by a dedicated team or by one person with a dozen other responsibilities.
Indoor air quality is impacted by various factors:
- Relative humidity, which should ideally be at 40-60%.
- Carbon dioxide, mostly from people breathing.
- Nitrogen oxides may be produced by burning natural gas inside the building or from traffic outside.
- Volatile organic compounds, notably formaldehyde, which is released from paint or plastics.
There is no way to keep the pollutants out of a building - people have to breathe, after all - but we can tolerate low levels of pollutants and good ventilation keeps them at those low levels.
The regulatory parameters for indoor air quality are set out in Part F (ventilation) of the UK building regulations. However, there are good reasons to make air quality a management priority that goes beyond the minimum regulatory requirements which are discussed at length in the Chartered Institute for Building Engineers (CIBSE) TM40 document, which we have summarised in a previous article.
Here are five reasons why maintaining high air quality benefits an organisation:
When the air quality is good, everyone feels good. When the air quality is poor, everyone feels poorly.
We may not be able to analyse everything in the air by breathing it but we know when it's not right and we don't feel good about it. Eight hours is a lot of the day to not feel good, which should be a good enough reason for facilities management to prioritise air quality.
There is also a more practical reason: someone who is nursing a headache and trying not to doze off is not productive. Good air quality is a factor in making a workplace where work gets done instead of being a place that paid staff endure until they can escape from it.
2. Virus transmission
As we've recently learned the hard way, making the indoor environment comfortable for ourselves also makes it very comfortable for respiratory viruses. Workplaces often place a lot of people in a small space and even with good ventilation, some respiratory droplets breathed out by one person will be breathed in by others along with any viruses contains in them.
Most respiratory viruses aren't as serious as COVID-19, which is so dangerous that it's forced us to spend the best part of a year avoiding sharing spaces with each other. However, there are around 200 viruses that cause the common cold, which won't kill us but will certainly make us miserable and less productive.
Good ventilation reduces virus transmission by removing respiratory droplets from an indoor space before anyone breathes them in but there's more to controlling virus transmission than keeping the air flowing. Relative humidity of 40-60% is what we find most comfortable and is also the least conducive level for virus transmission. Heating without humidification often drives the relative humidity below 40% which makes it much easier for respiratory viruses to infect us and is the reason why we catch more colds in the winter than at any other time of year.
Our series on respiratory viruses in the indoor environment has more detail on why work is a good place to catch a cold and what to do about it.
3. Carbon dioxide causes cognitive impairment
Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is between 400 and 450 parts per million (ppm) but it often rises higher in an indoor space where many people in close proximity are exhaling it.
The Health and Safety Executive's EH40/2005 document set an exposure limit of 5,000ppm over an eight-hour working day and allows exposure to up to 15,000ppm for a 15min period but while exposure to such levels will cause no long-term harm, they are likely to affect anyone exposed to them. Even at 1,000 and 1,500ppm, carbon dioxide can cause measurable cognitive impairment which will impact productivity and leaving staff feeling drowsy and unhappy.
4. Absenteeism and retention
We've seen how poor air quality can facilitate virus transmission, leaving staff with the choice of taking time off to recover or 'presenteeism', in which they drag themselves into work but get very little done other than to infect other staff who will then be faced with the same choice.
Even in the absence of viruses, poor air quality may do more than leave staff feeling drowsy or out of sorts. Those feelings tend to exacerbate chronic ailments and underlying mental health problems, making the difference between a manageable condition and an illness that requires time off work.
Even if poor air quality doesn't make someone ill, they'll know they're not feeling their best at work and are likely to look for reasons to not be there. Poor air quality encourages absence and discourages productivity.
It is also likely to impact staff retention. Someone who is unhappy at work and has the option of moving on is likely to take it, and it's usually the staff who are hardest to replace who have the most options for work elsewhere.
5. Energy efficiency
While considering the quality of the air and how it affects the people who breathe it, it's also worth considering how the air quality is maintained. Ventilation may involve opening windows, mechanical ventilation or a combination of the two. At Atamate, our experience is that both those approaches are often associated with significant energy waste which inflates an organisation's overheads.
Opening a window doesn't consume energy but it's not unusual for someone to open a window without noticing that the heating or air-conditioning systems - and occasionally both - are still running and pumping up the bills. Good management of ventilation can not only avoid such inefficiencies but can contribute to passive cooling in the summer, limiting the need for air-conditioning.
Mechanical ventilation uses extractor fans so there's no way to avoid using some energy but there are ways to keep that to a minimum. A common inefficiency is over-ventilation: running the ventilation system when the air quality is already high or when there is no one in a room to benefit from the high air quality that energy is being used to maintain.
Air quality is important but there is no reason to spend more than is needed to maintain it.
The Atamate solution
The Atamate building operating system (atBOS) can enhance the management of air quality in any type of building. The network of ceiling sensors allows the air quality in every room to be accessed either in real-time or in the form of reports that show how air quality fluctuates during the working day as we have covered in our article comparing a fixed sensor network with wearable sensors.
The data can be used to identify times or areas in which air quality is poor, allowing it to be addressed by opening windows, switching on a ventilation system or whatever is appropriate for the building.
Extending atBOS to automate the services is the most energy-efficient way to deliver high-quality air. The approach will depend on the building and how it is ventilated but examples of possible improvements include:
- Zonal control of mechanical ventilation ensures high air quality in every room while only operating the ventilation system where it is needed.
- Detection of window opening automatically switches off any heating or air conditioning in that room.
- Calendar and occupancy control ensures high air quality in occupied rooms without wasting energy on empty rooms.
- Automated alerts inform facilities management is a mechanical ventilation system requires maintenance such as cleaning of grilles or replacement of a motor.
- Control of two-speed extractor fans saves energy by allowing them to run at a low speed and only use the more energy-hungry higher speeds when needed.
Ask us for more
If you'd like to know more about how atBOS can improve the air quality to a building or more about air quality in general, please fill in the form below and we'll be happy to get back to you.
Shirika la Atamat School linatoa mafunzo kwa wanafunzi wa shule za msingi na shule za msingi, na pia kwa wanafunzi wa shule za msingi, kwa sababu ya athari za hewa, kama vile oksidi ya kaboni, oksidi ya nitrojeni, na unyevu. Usimamizi mzuri wa ubora wa hewa una faida nyingi: - Ustawi huongeza uzalishaji. - Huzuni ni chache. - Utendaji bora wa utambuzi. - Kupunguza kutokuwepo na kuweka bora. - Kuongeza ufanisi wa nishati. Atamate jengo mfumo wa uendeshaji ni pamoja na usimamizi wa ubora wa hewa miongoni mwa utendaji wake. """Kwa kuwa COVID-19 inafanya kile tunachotumaini kwa bidii kuwa marudio yake ya mwisho na tunathubutu kufikiria kurudi kazini na kukaa huko, ni wakati mzuri kama mwingine wowote wa kufikiria kile tutakachorudi." Kwa mfano, ubora wa hewa tunayopumua kwa saa nane kila siku. Ubora wa hewa ni jukumu la usimamizi wa vifaa ambavyo, kulingana na ukubwa wa jengo, vinaweza kushughulikiwa na timu ya kujitolea au na mtu mmoja na majukumu mengine kadhaa. Ubora wa hewa ndani ya nyumba huathiriwa na mambo mbalimbali: - Unyevu wa jamaa, ambao unapaswa kuwa 40-60%. - Kaboni dioksidi, hasa kutoka kwa watu kupumua. - Oxides nitrojeni inaweza kuzalishwa na kuchoma gesi ya asili ndani ya jengo au kutoka trafiki nje. - Vituo vya kikaboni vya kuteleza, hasa formaldehyde, ambayo hutolewa kutoka rangi au plastiki. Hakuna njia ya kuweka uchafuzi nje ya jengo - watu lazima kupumua, baada ya yote - lakini tunaweza kuvumilia viwango vya chini vya uchafuzi na uingizaji hewa mzuri huwahifadhi katika viwango hivyo vya chini. Viwango vya ubora wa hewa ndani ya nyumba vimeelezwa katika sehemu ya F (ventilation) ya kanuni za ujenzi za Uingereza. Hata hivyo, kuna sababu nzuri za kufanya ubora wa hewa kipaumbele cha usimamizi ambao unazidi mahitaji ya chini ya udhibiti ambayo yanajadiliwa kwa urefu katika hati ya Chartered Institute for Building Engineers (CIBE) TM40 ambayo tumeelezea katika makala ya awali. Kuna sababu tano kwa nini kudumisha ubora wa hewa ni faida kwa shirika: Wakati ubora wa hewa ni nzuri, kila mtu anahisi vizuri. Hali ya hewa inapokuwa mbaya, kila mtu huhisi vibaya. """Hatuwezi kuchanganua kila kitu katika hewa kwa kuipumua, lakini tunajua wakati haifai na hatujisiki vizuri juu yake.""" "Saa nane ni muda mrefu wa siku ya kujisikia vibaya, ambayo inapaswa kuwa sababu nzuri ya kutosha kwa usimamizi wa vifaa ili kuanzisha ubora wa hewa. """ Kuna sababu nyingine ya kihalisi: mtu anayejisumbua na maumivu ya kichwa na kujaribu kutolala usingizi si mwenye matokeo. Ubora wa hewa ni muhimu katika kufanya mahali pa kazi ambapo kazi inafanywa badala ya kuwa mahali ambapo wafanyakazi waliolipwa wanateseka hadi waweze kutoroka. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Kama tulivyojifunza hivi karibuni kwa njia ngumu, kufanya mazingira ya ndani ya nyumba kuwa mazuri kwa sisi wenyewe pia hufanya iwe rahisi sana kwa virusi vya kupumua. """Wafanyakazi wengi huishi katika nafasi ndogo na hata kwa uingizaji hewa mzuri, matone ya hewa ya mtu mmoja yatapumua na wengine pamoja na virusi vyake." Virusi vingi vya kupumua sio hatari kama COVID-19, ambayo ni hatari sana hivi kwamba imetulazimisha kutumia sehemu bora ya mwaka kuepuka kushiriki nafasi na kila mmoja. Kuna virusi 200 hivi vinavyosababisha homa ya kawaida, ambavyo havitaua lakini vitatufanya tuwe na huzuni na tusifanye kazi vizuri. Uingizaji hewa mzuri hupunguza maambukizi ya virusi kwa kuondoa matone ya hewa kutoka kwa nafasi ya ndani kabla ya mtu yeyote kuivuta, lakini kuna zaidi ya kudhibiti maambukizi ya virusi kuliko kuweka hewa ikitiririka. Unyevu wa jamaa wa 40-60% ni kile tunachokipata kuwa cha starehe zaidi na pia ni kiwango cha chini cha kuwezesha maambukizi ya virusi. Kupika bila unyevu mara nyingi huendesha unyevu wa jamaa chini ya 40%, ambayo hufanya iwe rahisi kwa virusi vya kupumua kutupata na ndio sababu tunapata homa nyingi wakati wa baridi kuliko wakati mwingine wowote wa mwaka. Mfululizo wetu wa virusi vya kupumua katika mazingira ya ndani una maelezo zaidi juu ya kwa nini kazi ni mahali pazuri pa kukamata homa na nini cha kufanya kuhusu hilo. 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Kiwango cha kaboni dioksidi katika anga ni kati ya 400 na 450 sehemu kwa milioni (ppm), lakini mara nyingi huongezeka katika nafasi ya ndani ambapo watu wengi katika ukaribu wa karibu ni exhaling. Hati ya Usalama na Usalama ya Marekani (EH 405) imeweka kiwango cha kuambukizwa cha ppm 5,000 kwa siku ya kazi ya saa nane na inaruhusu kuambukizwa kwa ppm 15,000 kwa kipindi cha dakika 15, lakini wakati kuambukizwa kwa viwango hivyo hakutasababisha madhara ya muda mrefu, ni uwezekano wa kuathiri mtu yeyote aliyeambukizwa. Hata katika kiwango cha 1,000 na 1,500 ppm, kaboni dioksidi inaweza kusababisha kupungua kwa utambuzi, ambayo itaathiri uzalishaji na kuacha wafanyakazi kuhisi usingizi na huzuni. 4. Uwe na uhakika "Tumeona jinsi hali mbaya ya hewa inavyoweza kuwezesha maambukizi ya virusi, ikiwaachia wafanyakazi na chaguo la kuchukua muda wa kupona au ""presenteeism,"" ambapo wanajiingiza kazini lakini hawafanyi kazi kidogo zaidi ya kuambukiza wafanyakazi wengine ambao watakabiliwa na chaguo moja." Hata bila virusi, hali mbaya ya hewa inaweza kufanya mengi zaidi ya kuwafanya wafanyakazi wajihisi wenye usingizi au wenye huzuni. Hisia hizo huongeza matatizo ya akili na magonjwa ya muda mrefu, na hivyo kutofautisha ugonjwa unaoweza kudhibitiwa na ugonjwa unaohitaji kupumzika. Hata kama hali mbaya ya hewa haisababishi ugonjwa, watu wengi wanajua kwamba hawajui kazi yao na wanajaribu kutafuta sababu za kutokuwa kazini. Ubora mbaya wa hewa huchochea kutokuwepo na hupunguza uzalishaji. Pia inawezekana kuathiri uhifadhi wa wafanyakazi. Mtu ambaye hana furaha kazini na ana chaguo la kuendelea na kazi yake, ana uwezekano wa kuchukua chaguo hilo, na kwa kawaida ni wafanyakazi ambao ni vigumu zaidi kuchukua nafasi yao ambao wana chaguzi nyingi za kufanya kazi mahali pengine. 5. Uwe na mtazamo mzuri. Kuangalia ubora wa hewa na jinsi inavyoathiri watu wanaopumua, ni muhimu pia kuzingatia jinsi ubora wa hewa unavyodumishwa. Uingizaji hewa unaweza kuhusisha kufungua madirisha, uingizaji hewa wa mitambo au mchanganyiko wa mbili. Kwa mfano, uzoefu wetu ni kwamba mbinu zote mbili mara nyingi huhusishwa na taka kubwa ya nishati ambayo huongeza gharama za shirika. Kufungua dirisha hakutumii nishati, lakini si jambo lisilo la kawaida kwa mtu kufungua dirisha bila kugundua kwamba mfumo wa joto au mfumo wa hali ya hewa - na wakati mwingine wote wawili - bado unaendesha na kupomba bili. Usimamizi mzuri wa uingizaji hewa hauwezi tu kuepuka ukosefu huo wa ufanisi lakini unaweza kuchangia baridi ya kimwili katika majira ya joto, kupunguza haja ya hali ya hewa. Ventilator ya mitambo hutumia mashabiki wa extractor, kwa hivyo hakuna njia ya kuepuka kutumia nishati, lakini kuna njia za kuifanya iwe chini. Ufaulu wa kawaida ni uingizaji hewa kupita kiasi: kuendesha mfumo wa uingizaji hewa wakati ubora wa hewa tayari ni juu au wakati hakuna mtu katika chumba cha kufaidika na ubora wa hewa ya juu ambayo nishati inatumiwa kudumisha. Ubora wa hewa ni muhimu lakini hakuna sababu ya kutumia zaidi kuliko inahitajika kudumisha. Atamate Building Operating System (ATBOS) ni mfumo wa uendeshaji wa ujenzi wa Atamate ambao unasaidia katika kuboresha ubora wa hewa katika majengo ya aina yoyote. Mtandao wa sensorer za dari inaruhusu ubora wa hewa katika kila chumba kupatikana ama kwa wakati halisi au kwa fomu ya ripoti ambazo zinaonyesha jinsi ubora wa hewa unabadilika wakati wa siku ya kazi, kama tulivyoelezea katika makala yetu ya kulinganisha mtandao wa sensorer wa kudumu na sensorer za kuvaa. Takwimu zinaweza kutumika kutambua nyakati au maeneo ambayo ubora wa hewa ni duni, kuruhusu ni kushughulikiwa kwa kufungua madirisha, kubadili juu ya mfumo wa uingizaji hewa au chochote kinachofaa kwa ajili ya jengo. Kuongeza atBOS kwa automatisering huduma ni njia ya nishati ya ufanisi zaidi ya kutoa hewa ya ubora wa juu. Njia itategemea jengo na jinsi ni ventilated lakini mifano ya maboresho ya uwezekano ni pamoja na: - Zonal kudhibiti ya uingizaji hewa mechanical kuhakikisha ubora wa hewa ya juu katika kila chumba wakati tu uendeshaji wa mfumo wa uingizaji hewa ambapo ni zinahitajika. - Kugundua kufunguliwa kwa dirisha hufuta moja kwa moja joto au hali ya hewa katika chumba hicho. - Kalenda na udhibiti wa upatikanaji inahakikisha ubora wa hewa ya juu katika vyumba vilivyo na watu bila kupoteza nishati kwenye vyumba tupu. - Automatic alerts taarifa usimamizi wa vifaa ni mfumo wa uingizaji hewa mechanical inahitaji matengenezo kama vile kusafisha grilles au kubadilisha motor. - Udhibiti wa mashabiki wa uchimbaji wa kasi mbili huokoa nishati kwa kuruhusu wao kuendesha kwa kasi ya chini na kutumia tu kasi ya juu ya njaa ya nishati wakati inahitajika. Ikiwa unataka kujua zaidi juu ya jinsi atBOS inaweza kuboresha ubora wa hewa katika jengo au zaidi juu ya ubora wa hewa kwa ujumla, tafadhali kujaza fomu hapa chini na tutafurahi kukujibu.