Study of the Impact of Indoor Environmental Quality in Romanian Schools through an Extensive Experimental Campaign

Abstract

Decentralized ventilation systems in schools are becoming more important due to the focus on indoor air quality and energy economy. The research aims to explore how these technologies affect classroom air quality, thermal comfort, and noise. The study examined four decentralized ventilation systems in a real-world school using field measurements and data analysis. This included measuring the CO2, temperature, noise, and thermal comfort using the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) index. All systems greatly improved the air quality, keeping CO2 levels within suggested limits. They failed to control indoor humidity, often lowering it to below optimal levels. Noise surpassed the 35 dB(A) criteria at maximum operation but was acceptable at lower airflows. Noise and air drafts did not bother residents. The study found that decentralized ventilation systems improve air quality and are easy to adapt to, although they need humidity control and noise management at higher operational levels.

Keywords

• indoor air quality
• decentralized ventilation
• school environment