<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:x="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:excel" xmlns:p="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:powerpoint" xmlns:a="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:access" xmlns:dt="uuid:C2F41010-65B3-11d1-A29F-00AA00C14882" xmlns:s="uuid:BDC6E3F0-6DA3-11d1-A2A3-00AA00C14882" xmlns:rs="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:rowset" xmlns:z="#RowsetSchema" xmlns:b="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:publisher" xmlns:ss="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet" xmlns:c="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:component:spreadsheet" xmlns:odc="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:odc" xmlns:oa="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:activation" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:q="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" xmlns:rtc="http://microsoft.com/officenet/conferencing" xmlns:D="DAV:" xmlns:Repl="http://schemas.microsoft.com/repl/" xmlns:mt="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/meetings/" xmlns:x2="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/excel/2003/xml" xmlns:ppda="http://www.passport.com/NameSpace.xsd" xmlns:ois="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/ois/" xmlns:dir="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/directory/" xmlns:ds="http://www.w3.org/2000/09/xmldsig#" xmlns:dsp="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/dsp" xmlns:udc="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:sub="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/2002/1/alerts/" xmlns:ec="http://www.w3.org/2001/04/xmlenc#" xmlns:sp="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/" xmlns:sps="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:udcs="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc/soap" xmlns:udcxf="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc/xmlfile" xmlns:udcp2p="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc/parttopart" xmlns:wf="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/workflow/" xmlns:dsss="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/digsig-setup" xmlns:dssi="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/digsig" xmlns:mdssi="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/package/2006/digital-signature" xmlns:mver="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns:mrels="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/package/2006/relationships" xmlns:spwp="http://microsoft.com/sharepoint/webpartpages" xmlns:ex12t="http://schemas.microsoft.com/exchange/services/2006/types" xmlns:ex12m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/exchange/services/2006/messages" xmlns:pptsl="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/SlideLibrary/" xmlns:spsl="http://microsoft.com/webservices/SharePointPortalServer/PublishedLinksService" xmlns:Z="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" xmlns:st="" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Sylfaen;
panose-1:1 10 5 2 5 3 6 3 3 3;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1436441896;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:399269132 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Dear Bldg-Sim community,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>A few more comments for your consideration:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>ASHRAE Standard 62.1 is the
principal reference used for acceptable indoor air quality. It hasn’t
been mentioned in this discussion, so I want to make sure you consult it.
It’s Appendix A says, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>“</span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Sylfaen","serif"'>CO</span><span
style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Sylfaen","serif"'>2 </span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Sylfaen","serif"'>is a bioeffluent
generated by people at a rate determined by their size, age, fitness, and
activity level. At the same time people are generating CO</span><span
style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Sylfaen","serif"'>2</span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Sylfaen","serif"'>, they are also
producing odorous bioeffluents. These odorous bioeffluents are generated proportionally
to the rate of CO</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Sylfaen","serif"'>2
</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Sylfaen","serif"'>production,
although diet and personal hygiene also play a role. Nevertheless, CO</span><span
style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Sylfaen","serif"'>2 </span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Sylfaen","serif"'>concentration is a
fairly dependable indicator of the concentration of the odorous bioeffluents
that the occupant component of the breathing zone ventilation rate attempts to
control. Hence, we can use CO</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:
"Sylfaen","serif"'>2 </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Sylfaen","serif"'>concentration
to dynamically adjust the occupant component of the ventilation rate to reduce
outdoor air intake rates when zones are not occupied at their design occupancy.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The key concept misunderstood
in most discussions about CO2 is that maintaining a specific level of CO2 in an
occupied space is done NOT because the CO2 is unhealthful, but because it’s
a convenient indicator of occupant comfort. Comfort in this case is
measured by “odorous bioeffluents”, otherwise known as “body
odor”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>While you <u>can</u> have
harmful health effects from high levels of CO2, those levels are (essentially)
never encountered in a building. The only “real” situation I
am aware of where CO2 concentrations exceed 2000ppm (which is less than 50% of OSHA’s
TLV) is in a submarine; not too much fresh air available there!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I’ve paid very close attention
to information about CO2 over the last 20 years or so because for many of those
years, I worked for a manufacturer of direct-fired heating
equipment. That type of heating is commonly used in industrial
occupancies due to its exceptional efficiency (92%) and a few other
factors. One perceived downside of that equipment was that all of the
combustion products, including CO2, are released into the occupied space, causing
CO2 levels to rise, on occasion, to 2000ppm.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I also sat for several years on
the ANSI Technical Advisory Group which wrote the current national standards
for that equipment. The member group of a couple dozen code officials,
testing agency and manufacturing representatives conducted an extensive review
of literature and found no evidence either in the literature or their
collective experience that CO2 was a concern under 5000ppm.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>In summary, my personal and
fairly informed opinion is that the CO2 level in buildings is not even close to
a health issue. Follow ASHRAE Standard 62.1 and all will be well. A
recent post on this list referenced an article at buildingscience.com by Joe
Lstiburek which (I think rightly) points out the huge energy implications of
introducing more air than indicated by Std 62.1; that’s a bigger issue, I
think.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>p.s., I could not find any
literature in my archives regarding a correlation between CO2 and drowsiness.
I don’t think there’s any literature indicating a strong
correlation, certainly not at normal building concentrations.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span
style='font-size:13.5pt;color:#1F497D'>The Building Performance Team<br>
</span></b><b><span style='color:#1F497D'>James V. Dirkes II, P.E., LEED AP<br>
</span></b><span style='color:#1F497D'>1631 Acacia Drive NW<br>
Grand Rapids, MI 49504<br>
616 450 8653<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> bldg-sim-bounces@lists.onebuilding.org
[mailto:bldg-sim-bounces@lists.onebuilding.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Bonafe, Wes<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, February 16, 2010 8:29 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> bldg-sim@lists.onebuilding.org<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Bldg-sim] Acceptable CO2 levels<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>All:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Thanks to Mr. Dirkes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Can anyone direct us to a
study that says high CO<sub>2</sub> in and of itself does not cause health
issues especially drowsiness? We have asked for such a study from those
providing filtration prior to considering such filtration on our projects.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I think CO<sub>2</sub> is definitely
related to energy use/modeling because you can reduce levels of outside air if
allowing higher CO<sub>2</sub> levels.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Thanks:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Wes<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> bldg-sim-bounces@lists.onebuilding.org
[mailto:bldg-sim-bounces@lists.onebuilding.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>James V
Dirkes II, PE<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, February 15, 2010 4:39 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> bldg-sim@lists.onebuilding.org<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Bldg-sim] Acceptable CO2 levels<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Dear Amit,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Keep in mind that
ASHRAE’s “acceptable” level of CO2 has almost nothing to do
with health. You could describe it as more of a “body odor”
or “pleasantness” index. When the ambient levels of CO2
exceed their recommendation (~1000 ppm), people start to feel that the indoor
air is less pleasant or “stuffy”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Health does not start to be
affected until CO2 exceeds 5000 ppm. (per US EPA and ACGIH)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:center'><b><span
style='font-size:13.5pt;color:#1F497D'>The Building Performance Team<br>
</span><span style='color:#1F497D'>James V. Dirkes II, P.E., LEED AP<br>
</span></b><span style='color:#1F497D'>1631 Acacia Drive NW<br>
Grand Rapids, MI 49504<br>
616 450 8653<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> bldg-sim-bounces@lists.onebuilding.org
[mailto:bldg-sim-bounces@lists.onebuilding.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>amit bhansali<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, February 15, 2010 4:24 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> bldg-sim@lists.onebuilding.org<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Bldg-sim] Acceptable CO2 levels<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'>Hi all,<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'>This question is not directly
related to the group but i wanted to throw it in as many of you might
know the answer.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'>What is the acceptable CO2 level
for a healthcare facility? Can i find the number in any ASHRAE standards?<br
clear=all>
<br>
-- <br>
Thanks<br>
<br>
Sincerely,<br>
Amit Bhansali, M.S. , EIT<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>