Standards for ventilation and air conditioning of premises: air exchange in premises for various purposes

When designing engineering systems of any building, it is very important to ensure that the standards for ventilation and air conditioning of premises are fully observed. The health and comfort of every person in the building depends on the fulfillment of these conditions.

But how to sort through a pile of documents, highlight the most important thing and determine whether all the necessary, regulatory requirements are met? The task is not easy, but we will help you and highlight the most important thing in the matter of ventilation and air conditioning standards for different rooms.

Basic criteria for quality air exchange

The comfort of people living/working or staying indoors depends on several main factors. These are temperature, quality, speed and humidity of the air. All of them can be adjusted using ventilation and air conditioning, thereby establishing comfortable parameters.

The requirements for them are enshrined in a number of different documents, these are SP, GOSTs, sanitary standards. They regulate air exchange according to optimal and acceptable criteria.

Optimal parameters are the recommended standards for the most favorable quality of air exchange for a person for all factors at once.

All houses must have a ventilation system designed.In some cases, it is enough to limit yourself to exhaust/supply, and some houses require (or at the request of the owners) the installation of numerous structures to maintain an optimal microclimate

Acceptable parameters are the minimum mandatory standards; they are allowed if the optimal ones for some reason cannot be organized, for example, related to technical capabilities or budgetary ones.

Sanitary standards also stipulate ventilation and air conditioning standards - air purity, noise limits and calculations of the amount of air for each person in the room. Accordingly, the ventilation and air conditioning systems installed in the premises must comply with the specified standards.

To supply air into the room they are used duct fans or various devices. This is how natural or mechanical inflow is carried out. The design may include systems for filtration, heating of incoming air, for example air heaters etc.

Requirements for ventilation equipment

Let's assume that all standards and parameters meet the required ones. But at the same time, a huge air conditioning unit hangs above your bed, and to clean the system you need to call a whole team with equipment that barely fits into the apartment.

Agree, in this situation you will think a hundred times whether clean air is so important or whether you can get by with vents.

The window is the most popular method of natural ventilation of rooms. However, not all rooms have them, and they are not relevant in all weather conditions. For the cold season, in some cases, a heated supply duct ventilation system is more suitable

Some residents of apartment buildings often complain about a massive ventilation system passing through the entire room and, of course, this is wrong and must be corrected if technically possible.

Therefore, there are also architectural, external, and operational requirements.

For example:

1. Thus, in some cases it is strictly forbidden to install air conditioning units on the façade.
2. Equipment should not take up too much space, everything should be linked to a minimum.
3. Low system inertia.
4. Installation and assembly are as simplified as possible.
5. Operation - devices must ensure ease of operation and the most infrequent maintenance with repair and replacement of equipment.
6. For fire safety, it is necessary to provide additional protection in the form of fireproof valves.
7. Additional protection is installed to protect against vibration and noise.
8. Mutual installation of 2 air conditioners so that in case of failure of 1, the second one can provide at least 50% of air exchange.
9. In addition, ventilation and air conditioning systems must correspond to the economic capabilities of both the equipment itself and the costs of their maintenance/operation.

The ventilation system can be natural, forced or mixed. If natural air exchange does not provide the proper standards, it is developed with mechanical motivation.

Supply system is a design or type of ventilation air exchange, due to which there is an influx of fresh air. Exhaust system - a structure through which exhaust air exits

Thanks to accurate calculations, you can already find out at the design stage what kind of scheme you need for a particular room.In addition, this is regulated by separate regulations.

The choice of ventilation and air conditioning scheme depends on:

• type and purpose of the building/premises;
• number of floors in the building;
• the possibility of releasing harmful substances;
• fire hazard.

The frequency of air exchange is established by SP and VSN, and it is also determined by calculations.

Most common for most types of buildings natural ventilation without the use of mechanical propulsion, satisfies all regulatory requirements.

However, if it fails, there is no way to install ventilation, or the coldest five-day period in the region gives frosts below −40 degrees, artificial methods are envisaged.

The ventilation system is usually designed before the construction of the building, taking into account its purpose. However, if the building has a universal use, such as rent for different offices, retail space, you have to adapt the system to a specific case

In fact, ventilation is necessary to ensure a comfortable microclimate. What can we say about buildings where people who need clean air live and work.

The following types of buildings are documented based on the quality of air exchange:

• residential and dormitories with premises for various purposes;
• administrative, research;
• educational, including school, preschool, residential boarding schools;
• medical direction;
• consumer services;
• retail;
• various cultural and entertainment venues - circus, cinema, theater, club.

Each has its own regulatory tables with a detailed indication of what air exchange should be ensured by high-quality ventilation.

But first, let's look at the regulations.

What documents regulate air exchange?

The main document that describes the parameters and requirements for air exchange is SP 60.13330.2012 Heating, ventilation and air conditioning, many items of which, by the way, are included in the list of mandatory requirements, according to PP No. 1521.

Microclimate parameters are established in current regulatory documents - sanitary standards and GOSTs. They help to avoid violations at the ventilation design stage and achieve justice in cases of violation of the rights to quality air exchange

It describes the basic requirements for ventilation and air conditioning of buildings, including standards, fire safety equipment and mandatory calculation schemes.

This same document refers to:

• SP 118.13330.2012 Public buildings and structures.
• SP 44.13330.2011 Administrative and domestic buildings.
• SP 56.13330.2011 Industrial buildings.
• SP 7.13130.2013 Heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Fire safety requirements.
• SP 158.13330.2014 Buildings and premises of medical organizations.
• GOST 12.1.005-88 General sanitary and hygienic requirements for the air in the working area.
• GOST R 52539-2006 Air purity in medical institutions.
• SanPiN 2.2.4.548-96 Hygienic requirements for the microclimate of industrial premises.
• SanPiN 2.1.2.2645-10 Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for living conditions in residential buildings and premises.

In all these documents you can find answers to almost any questions related to air exchange in a particular building and room.

There is a lot of information, and for ordinary people most of it is unnecessary, so we tried to highlight for you the most important points on some points.

Category No. 1 - residential buildings

At the design stage for residential buildings, as a rule, a natural type exhaust ventilation system is provided in apartments. It is installed in the form of channels in kitchens, in bathrooms (toilet rooms, as well as bathrooms).

However, if there is no cross ventilation, as in some large apartments, the hood can also be installed through the living rooms.

Mechanically driven systems help achieve the required air exchange parameters in cases where the natural ventilation system cannot cope

The influx is carried out through conventional ventilation through doorways with external exits and vents.

However, there are exceptions. For example, if cold five-day temperatures in a particular region can systematically reach −40 degrees, an engineer for a contractor building a 3-story building (or higher) often provides for a mechanical heated air supply.

But for residents of climate zone IV, air conditioners or other devices that help cool the air are required.

With air heating, air is supplied through its channels.

It is not uncommon for questions to be asked on the forum regarding the integration of ventilation ducts. In residential buildings, it is allowed to combine horizontal air ducts of a bathroom with a toilet or kitchen and vertical ducts of a bathroom, toilet and utility units.

Staircase openings are ventilated both naturally and with the help of ventilation ducts, if there are no windows with vents.

Air exchange standards in residential premises of buildings for the corresponding purpose are calculated according to SP 54.13330.2016 Residential multi-apartment buildings

As you can see, the calculated parameters for optimal air exchange are contained in SP 54.13330.2016.The operational responsibility for caring for residential buildings lies with the homeowners and management engineers in the apartment buildings.

Category No. 2 - administrative buildings

In buildings of this type, not located in climate zone 4, it is used supply and exhaust ventilation. Air conditioning at the expense of the budget is allowed with economic and technical justification.

Installed equipment in any building should be checked regularly, in accordance with established standards, and it must be cleaned, as well as other maintenance.

As for the supply, the channels are individual for conference rooms and catering areas. For other premises, a single system is most often designed.

Extraction is carried out naturally, except in the following rooms where mechanical stimulation is used:

• bathrooms;
• smoking rooms;
• rooms over 35 sq. m of area (due to an individual channel);
• film projection;
• fume hoods.

And also, natural exhaust is typical for any administrative building, with the exception of buildings with more than 3 floors, with a number of employees exceeding 300 people.

According to the inflow air exchange standards, the amount of normalized air depends on the purpose of the room. All standards are contained in SP 44.13330.2011 clause 7.2.

Category No. 3 - general education institutions

In establishments of this type, you will most likely encounter a supply and exhaust system.

When the number of students is up to 200 people, supply ventilation with natural impulse is used, more than 200 - always with a mechanical, but natural exhaust design with a single air exchange from the classrooms through corridors, bathrooms and windows.

One of the most common causes of fire in engineering structures, ignition and spread of flame through ventilation compartments due to a number of reasons. Therefore, schools and educational institutions have strict ventilation requirements.

If air heating is used in combination with ventilation, it is imperative to arrange automatic adjustment and control, and the temperature of the supplied air should not be higher than 40 degrees.

Separate ventilation systems should come from classrooms, the gym, the cafeteria, preparation rooms with exhaust units, the first-aid post and the bathroom.

Air exchange standards in various premises of educational institutions are prescribed in SP 118.13330.2012.

Category No. 4 - medical institutions

We include hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, and first-aid posts as medical institutions. A supply and exhaust system is also designed here, but with a mechanical drive and some features.

In particular, for example, in medical institutions there is a ban on the recirculation of air masses, which is natural given the requirements for fresh air and possible bacterial contamination.

In infectious compartments, it is necessary to arrange exhaust channels from each box and from each section with a natural impulse, and a supply channel with a mechanical supply and a natural corridor

Particularly strict requirements for the quality of air exchange and the need to arrange separate systems according to the rooms in which ventilation and air conditioning should be installed in the hospital.

That is to:

• generic;
• wards for newborns and nursing newborns;
• surgical, postoperative (air mobility no more than 0.15 m/s, relative humidity 55-60%);
• intensive care;
• intensive care boxes;
• rooms for burn patients;
• X-ray departments;
• laboratories;
• bathrooms;
• pharmacy points;
• By the way, supply air is supplied to these rooms with additional filter cleaning.

If there are no infectious patients in the wards or premises and a single regime is in effect, then ventilation systems can be combined.

It should be noted that from an engineering point of view, in hospitals the most difficult engineering separation of ventilation of different rooms is.

Standard values ​​for air exchange rates in medical organizations are enshrined in SP 158.13330.2014, as well as in the “Instructional and methodological guidelines for organizing air exchange in ward departments and operating units of hospitals” and “Instructional and methodological guidelines on hygienic issues in the design and operation of infectious diseases hospitals and departments” .

Category No. 5 - retail buildings

You may have noticed that many stores have musty air and mixed aromas. Of course, this should not happen or is allowed, but to a minimum.

Stores are equipped with air conditioning or mechanical ventilation.

Before designing ventilation, the possible number of guests + service personnel is calculated. Depending on the type of outlet, each visitor should have from 2.5 sq. m up to 3.5 sq. m area. And from here the air exchange rates are already calculated

For separate halls of household and food trade, ventilation and air conditioning systems are separated.

In the storerooms, natural exhaust is provided, also separate, but, in principle, it is possible to combine mechanical circuits with utility rooms, provided that fire-retarding valves are installed.

Among the features, we note that if trading floors are part of a residential or office center and are located on the ground floor, they are required to have independent ventilation and air conditioning systems from the general building.

As for air-thermal curtains, they must be installed in store vestibules with an area of ​​150 sq. m. m and markets with an area of ​​600 sq. m, if the temperature during the cold period drops below 15 degrees in a particular region.

Recirculate air possible, but not in rooms with chemical and synthetic agents, as well as flammable substances. However, the supplied outside air must be at least 20 cubic meters. m per hour for each visitor.

Violation of air exchange parameters

If you see windows that are foggy without much to show for it, smell a musty smell, or feel like oxygen is being cut off, it's entirely possible that your ventilation system is either poorly designed or needs urgent maintenance.

The performance check of ventilation equipment is carried out strictly according to standardized rules, and not using the common method in the form of a burning match

Residents of apartment buildings should immediately contact a service organization, most often a management company, with a statement that there is a suspicion of a malfunction of the ventilation equipment. Based on this application, a specialist must come to you for inspection.

If the Criminal Code has not responded to the complaint in any way or the matter concerns another building, it makes sense to try to complain to Rosprotrebnadzor, the Housing Inspectorate, or the Sanitary and Epidemiological Station for an inspection.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

How to deal with a heavy indoor atmosphere:

We looked at the mandatory and permissible microclimate parameters in some categories of buildings, as well as in which rooms there should be, and what kind of ventilation. As you can see, in most cases they are different. The only requirement is that wherever they are located, they must comply with current standards. Compliance with standards is a guarantee of the safety of people’s lives and health.

Of course, we have given you only general ideas; it is impossible to voice all the exact requirements for each item in one article. Moreover, they are often individual in the dimensions of the buildings, their geometry, the location of the halls, and so on. If you need to develop high-quality ventilation or air conditioning, you should contact experienced licensed companies, as well as to prove that your rights to a comfortable microclimate are in any case violated.

Have you encountered microclimate problems? Or maybe they designed an air exchange system? Share your experience and ask your questions in the comments.