COVID 19

BUILDING OPERATION :
VENTILATION & FRESH AIR

Siti Hamimah Ismail,

Principal Consultant ,
ERALab Sdn Bhd
 AGENDA
INTRODUCTION

C O V I D 1 9 - B U I L D I N G O P E R AT I O N

L I M I TAT I O N

Q& A

CLOSING

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 U N D E R S TA N D I N G T H E
INTRODUCTION BASIS

COVID-19 most commonly spreads during

close contact-When people with COVID-
19 cough, sneeze, sing, talk, or breathe
they produce respiratory droplets. These
COVID-19 spreads very easily from person
droplets can range in size from larger
to person
droplets (some of which are visible) to
smaller droplets. Small droplets can also
form particles when they dry very quickly
in the airstream

COVID-19 can sometimes be spread by

airborne transmission-These
COVID-19 spreads less commonly through
transmissions occurred within enclosed
contact with contaminated surfaces-is not
spaces that had inadequate ventilation,
thought to be a common way that COVID-
can be spread by exposure to virus in
19 spreads
small droplets and particles that can linger
in the air for minutes to hours

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R ES U LTS F RO M
L A S T Y EA R
PA N D EM I C

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2021- ECONOMIC
REBOUND
Reopening of business : Responsibility to CONTROL the
transmission fall to the building owner , facilities management
,employer and public

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 HOW TO
CONTROL IT ?

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CURRENT MITIGATION MEASURES

Required engineering
control & additional
measures
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ENGINEERING CONTROL= VENTILATION

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VENTILATION
C ONCEPT

Ventilation : means the process of

supplying air or removing air from a
space for the purpose of controlling air
contaminant levels, humidity, or
temperature within the
space(ICOP,2010) :
• Dilute the contaminant
• Remove contaminant
• One of multiple method to control
the IAQ issues in the buildings

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FRESH AIR

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TOOLS TO IMPROVE – VENTILATION

Increase the introduction of outdoor air:

Open outdoor air dampers beyond minimum settings to reduce or eliminate HVAC air
recirculation. In mild weather, this will not affect thermal comfort or humidity. However, this
may be difficult to do in cold, hot, or humid weather, and may require consultation with an
experienced HVAC professional.

Open windows and doors, when weather conditions allow, to increase outdoor air flow. Do not
open windows and doors if doing so poses a safety or health risk (e.g., risk of falling, triggering
asthma symptoms) to occupants in the building. Even a slightly open window can introduce
beneficial outdoor air.

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DILUTION VENTILATION

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 FAN
TOOLS TO IMPROVE – VENTILATION
• Used of Fan to increase the air flow in order to increase the effectiveness of
open windows
• Strategy is to use a window fan, placed safely and securely in a window, to
exhaust room air to the outdoors. This will help draw outdoor air into the room
via other open windows and doors without generating strong room air currents.

• Larger facilities larger facilities using other fan systems, such as gable fans and
roof ventilators

• To safely achieve this, fan placement is important and will vary based on room
configuration. Avoid placing fans in a way that could potentially cause
contaminated air to flow directly from one person to another

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TOOL
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TOOLS TO IMPROVE – VENTILATION
Ensure ventilation systems operate properly and provide acceptable indoor air quality for the current
occupancy level for each space.

Rebalance or adjust HVAC systems to increase total airflow to occupied spaces when possible.

Turn off any demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) controls that reduce air supply based on occupancy
or temperature during occupied hours. In homes and buildings where the HVAC fan operation can be
controlled at the thermostat, set the fan to the “on” position instead of “auto,” which will operate the
fan continuously, even when heating or air-conditioning is not required.

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TOOLS TO IMPROVE – VENTILATION
Improve central air filtration: Increased filtration efficiency is especially helpful when
enhanced outdoor air delivery options are limited.(ASHRAE recommend MERV 13 onwards)
Used of HEPA filter at high contaminated area ais advisable

Inspect and maintain exhaust ventilation systems in areas such as kitchens, cooking areas,
etc. Operate these systems any time these spaces are occupied. Consider operating them
even when the specific space is not occupied, to increase overall ventilation within the
occupied building.
In non-residential settings, consider running the HVAC system at maximum outside airflow
for 2 hours before and after the building is occupied.

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 LIMITATION
Filter efficiency ;Size of the particles
Location of the filter in the HVAC system or room air cleaner

Airflow rate through the filter

Location of the filter in the HVAC system or room air cleaner

Location of fresh air intake ; ambient air quality

Building type & Function

Occupant Activities

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 THANK YOU

S ITI H AMIMAH I SMAIL, +6 (019) 2761025 s.hamimah@eralab.com.my

P R I N C I PA L 0378426693
C O N S U LTA N T , I H
w w w. e ra l a b . c o m . m y
MANAGER