Speaker
Description
Workplaces with exceptional indoor environmental quality (IEQ) significantly influence employees' health, well-being, and safety, ultimately enhancing productivity. The investment in maintaining high IEQ is quickly recouped, with ongoing financial benefits. By fostering an environment that prioritizes employee satisfaction, businesses can achieve greater efficiency and a stronger return on investment.
This study evaluates key IEQ parameters—including CO₂ concentration, temperature, relative humidity, and PM10 levels—in indoor environments monitored by CAREL, a global leader in control solutions for air conditioning, refrigeration, heating, humidification, and adiabatic cooling systems. The analysis compares measured values against internationally recognized standards from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) to assess compliance and identify areas for improvement. It emphasizes the importance of continuous IEQ monitoring in maintaining healthy indoor environments and ensuring occupant well-being.
This study focuses on CAREL's headquarters in Padua, Italy, particularly the CAREL 5 building Knowledge Center, where IEQ parameters have been systematically monitored. For this study, the data is referred to starting from January 2025 to present recent and to-date values. The building encompasses various functional spaces, and this study specifically examines the IEQ parameters in three key areas: the kitchen (Cucina), cafeteria (Mensa), and open-plan office. For objective measurement, the Carel BOSS system is employed, which offers a local monitoring solution capable of providing customizable maps, user interfaces, and historical data for specific parameters. The system also manages alarms and configurations for optimal performance.
The analysis presents median values for IEQ parameters, along with the 5th and 95th percentiles for each parameter across different spaces. In the kitchen, the measured CO₂ concentration is 423 ppm (409 ppm–465 ppm), relative humidity is 46% (34%–52%), temperature is 21°C (20°C–22°C), and PM₁₀ levels are 11 µg/m³ (2 µg/m³–22 µg/m³). The cafeteria, which accommodates over 200 people, recorded a CO₂ concentration of 994 ppm (905 ppm–1102 ppm), a relative humidity of 48% (37%–54%), a temperature of 22°C (22°C–23°C), and PM₁₀ levels of 3 µg/m³ (1 µg/m³–7 µg/m³). The open-plan office, shared by more than 20 employees, showed a CO₂ concentration of 760 ppm (674 ppm–813 ppm), relative humidity of 51% (45%–52%), temperature of 22°C (22°C–23°C), and PM₁₀ levels of 9 µg/m³ (2 µg/m³–17 µg/m³).
All assessed areas comply with the WHO 2021 air quality guidelines, with PM₁₀ concentrations below the 45 µg/m³ threshold and CO₂ levels within the recommended range of 400–1,000 ppm. The highest CO₂ concentration of 994 ppm occurs briefly in the cafeteria during peak occupancy. Temperatures remain within WHO's recommended range of 20°C to 26°C, and relative humidity is consistently maintained between the 30% to 60% recommended by both WHO and ASHRAE.
Overall, the implementation of the IEQ monitoring system at CAREL has fostered a sustainable working environment that supports employee health and productivity.
