Development of a framework for indoor air quality assessments in energy conservation districts

• Published in: Sustainable cities and society 2020-01, Vol.52, p.101831, Article 101831
• Main Authors: Rickenbacker, Harold J., Collinge, William O., Hasik, Vaclav, Ciranni, Angelica, Smith, Isaac, Colao, Paige, Sharrard, Aurora L., Bilec, Melissa M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Commercial buildings; Communities; Energy conservation; Green buildings; Indoor air quality; Particulate matter; Survey
• ISSN: 2210-6707; 2210-6715
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2019.101831

•Development of a framework for monitoring and addressing indoor air pollution in the context of an energy conservation district (ECD).•Establishment of an indoor air quality (IAQ) survey for replicability across communities and studies.•The translation of technical science to the broader public and professional communities offer sound guidance regarding ongoing building operation and maintenance (O&M).•Basic environmental parameters provide some insight on criteria air pollutants.•Prioritizing IAQ management has the potential to drive indirect financial gains while fundamentally advancing corporate culture and performance. While several national and international organizations offer standards for pollution levels and techniques to measure ambient air, there are no consistent metrics or methods for assessing and monitoring indoor air quality (IAQ) for an entire community. In this paper, we develop a framework for monitoring and addressing indoor air pollution in the context of an energy conservation district in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, comprised of 518 buildings. This district-based IAQ framework has two major components. The first component is based on an IAQ sampling protocol developed from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency BASE study. IAQ assessments were performed in eight pilot buildings to evaluate concentrations of particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide, relative humidity, and temperature. The second component was a communications strategy designed to help building professionals understand IAQ science and translate results into actionable procedures. Both the sampling data and feedback from building stakeholders, informed the development of an IAQ survey, which was used to establish a performance baseline and guide the future operation and maintenance of buildings in the district. This research has far-reaching impacts as there is a need for a replicable framework and actionable program that monitors and assesses IAQ in a wide range of buildings.