An engineering professor at the University of Pennsylvania believes he has the remedy for sick buildings: a system allowing a constant flow of fresh outdoor air through a ventilation component that is separate from the temperature control ducts.
The conceptual design of Stanley Mumma does not circulate indoor air through the temperature control exhaust system in the manner of the typical variable air volume (VAV) system, which operates in 95 percent of schools and commercial buildings in the United States.
Instead, Mumma's system provides a steady stream of outdoor air that has been cooled to remove humidity. The engineered system brings the outdoor air into the building via dedicated ducts at a lower speed than in VAV systems, allowing a balance in the relative pressures between rooms and no infiltration of air from one space to another.
The radiant cooling system uses a building's overhead sprinkler plumbing to deliver cool water to aid in temperature control.
The Dedicated Outdoor Air System, which Mumma has installed on an experimental basis in a 3,200 square-foot building on the University of Pennsylvania campus in University Park, Pa., is discussed in the April 2003 issue of Mechanical Engineering magazine. Mechanical Engineering is a monthly publication of ASME International (American Society of Mechanical Engineers).
The Dedicated Outdoor Air System is relatively basic engineering and has demonstrated good results in the experimental program. The commercial marketplace, however, is noncommittal.
"It will be concrete savings that will win over the engineers who design building ventilation," concludes Mechanical Engineering.
For further information about Mechanical Engineering, or to access the article "Giving Vent," visit the ASME Website at www.asme.org.
ASME International is a 120,000-member organization focused on technical, educational and research issues. ASME conducts one of the world's largest technical publishing operations, holds numerous technical conferences worldwide, and offers hundreds of professional development courses each year. ASME sets internationally recognized industrial and manufacturing codes and standards that enhance public welfare and safety.
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