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A New Tailored Approach to Calculate the Optimal Number of Outdoor Air Changes in School Building HVAC Systems in the Post-COVID-19 Era

Author

Listed:
  • Diana D’Agostino

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy)

  • Martina Di Mascolo

    (Polytechnic and Basic Sciences School, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy)

  • Federico Minelli

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy)

  • Francesco Minichiello

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy)

Abstract

Air conditioning systems can play a positive or negative role in the spread of COVID-19 infection. The importance of sufficient outdoor air changes in buildings was highlighted by the World Health Organization, therefore these should be guaranteed by mechanical ventilation systems or adequate air conditioning systems. The proposed case study concerns the optimal number of outdoor air changes to limit COVID-19 contagion for a school building in Central Italy. The Wells–Riley model is used to assess the risk of airborne infection, while energy consumption is calculated by a dynamic energy simulation software. The scope of the paper offers an innovative method to define the optimal ventilation strategy for the building’s HVAC system design to reduce the risk of infection with limited increases in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Results show that the desirable approach is the one in which the same low value of contagion risk is set in all rooms. This new approach results in significant energy savings, compared to the most common ones (setting the same high outdoor air rates for all rooms) to counteract the risk of infection. Finally, the zero-emission building target is verified by introducing a suitable photovoltaic system to offset pollutant emissions.

Suggested Citation

  • Diana D’Agostino & Martina Di Mascolo & Federico Minelli & Francesco Minichiello, 2024. "A New Tailored Approach to Calculate the Optimal Number of Outdoor Air Changes in School Building HVAC Systems in the Post-COVID-19 Era," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-36, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:11:p:2769-:d:1409256
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Minelli, Federico & Ciriello, Ilaria & Minichiello, Francesco & D'Agostino, Diana, 2024. "From Net Zero Energy Buildings to an energy sharing model - The role of NZEBs in Renewable Energy Communities," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    2. Liu, Peng & Justo Alonso, Maria & Mathisen, Hans Martin, 2023. "Global sensitivity analysis and optimal design of heat recovery ventilation for zero emission buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 329(C).
    3. Nina Szczepanik-Scislo, 2022. "Improving Household Safety via a Dynamic Air Terminal Device in Order to Decrease Carbon Monoxide Migration from a Gas Furnace," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-11, February.
    4. Thorvaldsen, Kasper Emil & Korpås, Magnus & Lindberg, Karen Byskov & Farahmand, Hossein, 2021. "A stochastic operational planning model for a zero emission building with emission compensation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 302(C).
    5. Aviv, Dorit & Chen, Kian Wee & Teitelbaum, Eric & Sheppard, Denon & Pantelic, Jovan & Rysanek, Adam & Meggers, Forrest, 2021. "A fresh (air) look at ventilation for COVID-19: Estimating the global energy savings potential of coupling natural ventilation with novel radiant cooling strategies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    6. Aidana Chalgynbayeva & Zoltán Gabnai & Péter Lengyel & Albiona Pestisha & Attila Bai, 2023. "Worldwide Research Trends in Agrivoltaic Systems—A Bibliometric Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-25, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Elmalky, Adham M. & Araji, Mohamad T., 2024. "Kinetics model with experimental validation for optimal microalgae generation in double-skin façades," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 311(C).

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