The significancy of adjusting indoor CO2 level by applying direct air capture unit to an office building
Ruaysap, Kanitta (2022)
Diplomityö
Ruaysap, Kanitta
2022
School of Energy Systems, Ympäristötekniikka
Kaikki oikeudet pidätetään.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2022082255980
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2022082255980
Tiivistelmä
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have various consequences that affect the environment, human health, and society. While early studies used CO2 as a ventilation efficiency indicator, there is some doubt that CO2 itself is a pollutant that directly impacts human health and cognitive performance inside buildings. In the modern world, people spend most of their time (up to 80-90%) indoors, with office and school buildings gaining particular attention. Some studies have found a reduction in cognitive performance under CO2 levels that are commonly observed indoors due to elevated CO2 concentrations, claimed to be a hidden impact of climate change.
A direct air capture (DAC) unit coupled with an existing HVAC system in the building infrastructure can improve indoor air quality. This study investigates the indoor environments of two office buildings in different climates and finds no impact on human productivity due to levels after using a DAC unit, while there is some deterioration of cognitive function when higher levels of CO2 are present. This study shows that a DAC unit located after an air conditioning system can feasibly provide a good indoor environment for buildings in both dry-cold and humid-warm conditions, although maintaining adequate relative humidity levels in dry-cold climates and small residential towns is challenging. A DAC unit added to an HVAC system in a building is also a promising technology to reduce global warming and mitigate the effects of climate change.
A direct air capture (DAC) unit coupled with an existing HVAC system in the building infrastructure can improve indoor air quality. This study investigates the indoor environments of two office buildings in different climates and finds no impact on human productivity due to levels after using a DAC unit, while there is some deterioration of cognitive function when higher levels of CO2 are present. This study shows that a DAC unit located after an air conditioning system can feasibly provide a good indoor environment for buildings in both dry-cold and humid-warm conditions, although maintaining adequate relative humidity levels in dry-cold climates and small residential towns is challenging. A DAC unit added to an HVAC system in a building is also a promising technology to reduce global warming and mitigate the effects of climate change.