Comparison of effectiveness and energy use of airborne pathogen mitigation measures to meet clean air targets in a prototypical office building

Faulkner, Cary A.; Salsbury, Timothy I.; Abboushi, Belal K.; Mouchref, Cerrina N.; Singer, Brett C.; Sohn, Michael D.; Arnold, Gabriel E.

doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2024.111466

Title: Comparison of effectiveness and energy use of airborne pathogen mitigation measures to meet clean air targets in a prototypical office building

Journal Article · 01 April 2024 · Building and Environment

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2024.111466 · OSTI ID:2426664

^[1];

^[1]; Mouchref, Cerrina N. ^[1]; Singer, Brett C. ^[2]; Sohn, Michael D. ^[2]; Arnold, Gabriel E. ^[1]

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Organizations such as ASHRAE and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have proposed guidelines for controlling infectious aerosols in buildings, which can be met through measures such as modified operation of the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system or incorporating air-cleaning technologies. However, more research is needed to understand the trade-offs between health, energy, and comfort aspects when designing measures for these guidelines. To address this gap, this paper presents an analysis using new models for air-cleaning technologies, including in-duct and in-room germicidal ultraviolet (GUV) systems and portable air cleaners (PACs). These models are incorporated into an existing prototypical office building model and six measures are designed to meet ASHRAE Standard 241 and CDC clean air targets: MERV 13 HVAC filtration, maximum outdoor air supplied to the building, PACs, and in-duct, upper-room, and whole-room GUV. The measures are simulated for an office building in a cool and humid climate compared against a baseline simulation using MERV 8 filtration. The results show that all measures, except for the maximum outdoor air case, can meet the ASHRAE 241 standard without significant impacts on energy or comfort. The HVAC system measures were not able to meet the CDC target with the default system sizing and lead to significant energy increases, while the in-room measures were able to meet the CDC target with small impacts on energy consumption. Finally, this paper consolidates the simulation findings and provides practical guidance for building operators to meet clean air targets while limiting energy and comfort impacts.

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Research Organization:: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Building Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231; AC05-76RL01830

OSTI ID:: 2426664

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA--193005

Journal Information:: Building and Environment, Journal Name: Building and Environment Vol. 257; ISSN 0360-1323

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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ASHRAE standard 241
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Title: Comparison of effectiveness and energy use of airborne pathogen mitigation measures to meet clean air targets in a prototypical office building

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