XN000022-1992-02-26 — Page 40

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1992

REGARDING THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN IAQ EQUIPMENT, MR KWOK BELIEVED THAT THE TREND WAS TOWARDS AN INCREASING EMPHASIS ON REMOVAL OF GASEOUS CONTAMINANTS SUCH AS CARBON DIOXIDE, AMMONIA AND HYDROGEN SULPHIDE.

HE NOTED THAT THE TRADITIONAL METHOD TO IMPROVE IAQ WAS TO DILUTE AND REMOVE THE INDOOR AIR CONTAMINANTS BY THE INTRODUCTION OF OUTSIDE AIR. ITS EFFECTIVENESS DEPENDED ON THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF THE AIR OUTSIDE.

"NOWADAYS OUTSIDE AIR IS VERY MUCH POLLUTED. INTRODUCING OUTSIDE AIR DIRECTLY TO CONDITIONED SPACE MAY, IN EXTREME CASES, BRING IN MORE CONTAMINANTS.

"CONVENTIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR IMPROVEMENT OF IAQ, SUCH AS AIR-FILTERS, CANNOT REMOVE GASEOUS CONTAMINANTS AND SHOULD, THEREFORE, BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH MORE SOPHISTICATED GAS PHASE FILTRATION EQUIPMENT, HE SAID.

*

HE SAID OTHER CHANGES TO TAKE PLACE WOULD INCLUDE:

* BETTER AND MORE FLEXIBLE VENTILATION SYSTEM ΤΟ

COLLECT AND

REMOVE CONTAMINANTS CLOSE TO THE SOURCES FOR MAXIMUM

EFFECTIVENESS;

* BETTER AIR FILTRATION EQUIPMENT TO REMOVE FINE CONTAMINANTS

THAT CAN CAUSE RESPIRATORY DAMAGE;

* INCREASED USE OF AIR MEASUREMENT AND MONITORING EQUIPMENT SUCH AS AIR FLOW METERS AND CARBON DIOXIDE DETECTORS FOR BETTER IAQ CONTROL; AND

* INCREASED USE OF ADVANCED AND SOPHISTICATED

EQUIPMENT, SUCH

AS NEGATIVE-ION GENERATORS AND WATER-SCRUBBERS, ΤΟ IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF INDOOR AIR.

MR KWOK ALSO NOTED THAT THE IMPROVEMENT OF IAQ WAS CLOSELY RELATED TO ENERGY CONSERVATION - ANOTHER TOPIC WHICH HAD RECEIVED GREAT ATTENTION SINCE THE OIL CRISIS IN THE 70'S. FROM THEN, MANY COUNTRIES HAD IMPLEMENTED STRINGENT ENERGY CODES TO LIMIT THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF BUILDINGS.

ENERGY ENERGY SAVING

WHILE RECKONING THE WISDOM AND FORESIGHT IN ALL THESE SAVING MEASURES, HE WAS OF THE VIEW THAT MANY OF THE MEASURES IN BUILDINGS WERE IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT DUE CONSIDERATION BRING GIVEN TO IAQ ISSUES.

HE POINTED OUT THAT TO CONSERVE ENERGY CONSUMPTION BY THE AMOUNT OF OUTSIDE AIR WOULD CAUSE THE CONCENTRATION OF INDOOR AIR CONTAMINANTS TO BUILD UP AND AT WORST HAZARDOUS TO HUMAN HEALTH.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, NEARLY ALL APPROACHES TO I AQ IMPROVEMENT IN THE PAST WERE MADE AT THE EXPENSE OF MORE ENERGY

CONSUMPTION.

/A TYPICAL

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