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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Indoor air quality study in Agency Building Two, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:10116890

The quality of the indoor environment and potential health conquences have become major concerns for occupants of office buildings. Increasing ventilation rates are often recommended as a potential solution for indoor air quality (IAQ) problems, whether real or perceived as real by occupants. To date, limited quantitative data have been collected to relate increased outdoor-air intake to commonly measured IAQ or comfort parameters. The purpose of this study, conducted by GEOMET Technologies, Inc. for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, was to quantitatively assess the effect of ventilation rate on indoor air quality and associated parameters in an occupied office building, and occupant perceptions of air quality and comfort in the building. The building studied, a 20-story office tower located at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, New York, has a total floor area of approximately 100,000 ft. The building is operated by the New York State Office of General Services (OGS). The air-distribution component of the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system for the building consists of two air-handling units that serve the perimeter of the building through induction supply-air units and two other units that serve the core area of the building through ceiling diffusers. The perimeter system has separate zones that serve the north and south sides of the building, and the core system is zoned to individually serve the upper and lower halves of the building.

Research Organization:
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Albany, NY (United States); GEOMET Energy Technologies, Inc., Germantown, MD (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Albany, NY (United States)
OSTI ID:
10116890
Report Number(s):
NYSERDA--92-9; ON: TI93004566
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English