Technology

NEW RESEARCH QUANTIFIES VALUE OF INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY FROM IMPROVED INDOOR AIR

BY RESEARCHERS AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY


(Source: UTC Climate, Controls & Security)
(Source: UTC Climate, Controls & Security)
USPA NEWS - A new study released on November 18, finds that doubling the ventilation rate in typical office buildings can be reached at an estimated annual energy cost of between $14 and $40 per person, resulting in as much as a $6,500 equivalent in improved productivity per person per year.
A new study released on November 18, finds that doubling the ventilation rate in typical office buildings can be reached at an estimated annual energy cost of between $14 and $40 per person, resulting in as much as a $6,500 equivalent in improved productivity per person per year.


When energy-efficient technologies are utilized, the study found the energy costs to be even lower, with a minimized environmental impact of approximately 0.03 additional cars on the road per building.
The research, titled 'Economic, Environmental and Health Implications of Enhanced Ventilation in Office Buildings,' was conducted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's Center for Health and the Global Environment, SUNY Upstate Medical, Syracuse University and Carrier. The study was supported by United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) and its UTC Climate, Controls & Security business, a leading provider of heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, building controls and automation, and fire and security systems.
The report was published on November 18, in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health's special issue 'Indoor Environmental Quality: Exposures and Occupant Health,' and builds on the recently released 'Impact of Green Building on Cognitive Function' study by the same research team.

Researchers studied three indoor environments achieved by four different heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system strategies across seven U.S. cities as outlined below.
For each scenario, the team selected the Department of Energy Medium Office Prototype (a 53,000 square foot, three-story building with more than 260 occupants) as the standard; used state average utility prices for each city; and referenced salary data obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The full study can be found at www.TheCOGfxStudy.com. In addition, Allen and MacNaughton will present these findings at an educational session at the U.S. Green Building Council's annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo.

Source : UTC Climate, Controls & Security

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