IAQ in Air-conditioned offices of Hong Kong

Brief:

As it is too expensive to sample all air pollutants of a general community, air sampling should be conducted based on a practical assessment strategy and monitoring plan. In Hong Kong, the Environmental Protection Department (HKEPD) developed a set of Guidance Notes to grade indoor air quality (IAQ) in workplaces as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’. IAQ is defined by measuring the levels of twelve indoor environmental parameters: carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), respirable suspended particulates (RSP), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), ozone (O₃), formaldehyde (HCHO), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), radon (Rn), airborne bacteria count (ABC), temperature (T), relative humidity (RH) and air velocity (V).

We did some measurements based on the Guidance Notes for indoor workplace environments in Hong Kong. The twelve stated parameters at the measured offices are reported and used to identify recent trends of IAQ in Hong Kong air-conditioned office buildings. We also proposed an epistemic approach in estimating the probable influences of an IAQ policy for Hong Kong offices, using the regional IAQ measurement databases of offices in 1996, 1998–2001 and 2004–2005. After the implementation of the IAQ policy in 1997–1999, measurement results of IAQ in offices were collected and were used to quantify the IAQ improvement for Hong Kong offices. It is noted that IAQ dissatisfaction due to air pollutants predominated by indoor emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might need additional attentions for an effective IAQ improvement programme.

Unsatisfactory rate of office IAQ (Source: BSERT 29:157-164 2008)

Further information:

A preliminary database of exposure concentrations of monitoring parameters ...

Wong LT, Mui KW, Hui PS, 2006. A statistical model for characterizing common air pollutants in air-conditioned offices, Atmospheric Environment 40(23) 4246-4257.

Hui PS, Wong LT, Mui KW, 2006. Feasibility study of an express assessment protocol for the indoor air quality of air-conditioned offices, Indoor and Built Environment 15(4) 373-378.

An estimate for fully implementing some IAQ policy ...

Mui KW, Wong LT, Hui PS, Law KY, 2008. Epistemic evaluation of policy influence on workplace indoor air quality of Hong Kong in 1996-2005, Building Services Engineering Research and Technology 29(2) 157-164.