Considerations About the Required Volumetric Air Flow Rate Inside an Office Room with One Occupant – Case Study

In the construction process of modern buildings, the aim is to achieve maximum comfort within minimum energy consumption. One of the ways to achieve this requirement is the accurate determination of the volumetric flow rate of fresh air, necessary to ensure the required indoor air quality. This study begins with the experimental determination of carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration in an office room with one occupant performing three types of activities with different levels of physical intensities. Based on these measurements, a methodology for the precise determination of the volumetric air flow rate is presented. This method was compared with another one that takes into account body parameters and is considered in this study as the most accurate. The required outdoor air flow rate for the experimental room was also determined based on the present legislations of five different countries. Comparing all the studied methods and considering as refence the method based on body parameters, it was found that the accuracy of the values is influenced by the physical intensity of the activity and that most methods generally underestimate the amount of required fresh air.