Indoor Environmental Quality

 Interior design does not just focus on the aesthetics of a space but also it's practicality and function. This includes indoor environmental qualities like acoustics and indoor air quality. Acoustics are important to consider in a space because it affects peoples' interactions with the room and others in it. Rooms can be too quiet or too loud making it either too easy or too hard to hear others. There is a balance of sound that should be in the room, just like a balance of lighting or color. Indoor air quality is also important because it affects the health of those in the space. Poor air quality can lead to health problems down the road. Because we spend so much time indoors we must create and design healthy environments.

Acoustics:

Sound travels in waves and as humans, we can hear a range from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Depending on a person's age, they may only be able to hear a smaller range. The higher the frequency, the higher the pitch of the sound. Because sound is a wave, these frequencies can be controlled with a variety of materials. Sound can be reflected, refracted, diffracted, and diffused. To maintain privacy, walls, floors, and ceilings are typically designed to absorb or reflect sound. STC (sound-transmission coefficient) is used to measure how much sound travels between spaces. NRC (noise-reduction coefficient) looks to the amount of noise in one space. 

Noise within a space is a big concern in commercial designs today. More and more designs are looking towards open office plans where there is little separation between desks. This poses a multitude of problems from privacy concerns to overall noise levels in the space and building. Just as there are a multitude of problems with open office plans, there is also a multitude of solutions. One of the biggest ways to help with noise control is through the use of an acoustical ceiling. The ceiling helps absorb noise as it bounces through the space. They come in a variety of different materials and forms. Below are a few different examples. 


Another way to help reduce noise in an office space and increase privacy is through the use of acoustical partitions. While cubicles have declined in popularity, they did help with privacy concerns. A new way of thinking has started with cubicles where they do not box people off as much but still provide varying levels of privacy and noise control. Below are a few examples. 


Indoor Air Quality:

Indoor air quality is also very important to consider in a space. Poor air quality can have many negative affects on people in the spaces such as nausea, dizziness, inability to focus, and eye and throat irritations. If these start to occur after only a short amount of time, think about the damage done over longer periods of time. The best way to treat poor air quality is during construction. Specifications can be made from the beginning for materials with low VOCs. VOCs are Volatile Organic Compounds. Indoor materials will off-gas odors, many of which can be harmful. If specifications can be made early on, these harmful chemicals and gasses can be avoided, thus increasing indoor air quality. Part of LEED's rating system specifies products with low- or no-VOC off-gassing. Products with Green Seal or Cradle to Cradle certifications are often great for good indoor air quality. 


Sometimes specifying certain products doesn't cut it for getting good air quality. In these cases, filters can be used to help clean the air through the HVAC systems. Filters help capture and remove harmful chemicals and particles in the air. Natural ventilation is also important and often desired. Outdoor air is typically much cleaner than indoor air. Windows and vents can be used to control air flows through a building, flushing out stale air and bringing in fresh outdoor air. Today, there are specifications for how much natural ventilation must be provided or accessible in a space. 


COVID-19:

Covid-19 has had a major affect on all aspects of our lives. It has brought even more awareness to health and indoor air quality. One of the main ways that Covid spreads is through airborne particles. According to the EPA these particles can float in the air for many hours, even after an infected person leaves. Because of these lingering particles, indoor air quality and natural ventilation are very important, especially in public buildings. The more outdoor air that can be circulated through the building, the cleaner and safer this air can be. While this is beneficial and can help not only with Covid but with VOCs and other harmful particles as well, it does pose an issue in some buildings. Circulating outdoor air can pose a problem in regard to heating and cooling methods, especially in older buildings that weren't designed for a lot of outdoor air circulation. It can increase costs of maintaining ideal temperature and humidity. Constant uncomfortable temperatures and humidity levels can lead to a weaker immune system thus making the body more susceptible to Covid. 

When helping prevent Covid-19 through indoor air quality, all factors of the space need to be considered. While outdoor air is very beneficial, having high rates of circulation in a building may not be the best solution. Consider a balance of outdoor air and air filters. Fresh air can be brought into the space in a way that is not harmful (in terms of temperature and humidity control) while the air that remains can be cleaned and cycled regularly. As with everything in life, balance is important, even with indoor air quality. 



Sources:

https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/indoor-air-and-coronavirus-covid-19

https://www.worldgbc.org/news-media/covid-19-brings-indoor-air-quality-monitoring-upfront

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/ventilation.html

Comments

  1. AbigailNovember 6, 2021 at 12:27 AM

    I really liked the examples you showed of spaces with acoustical treatments. I think it is really cool that such interesting and unique designs can have so much function. And that something that is necessary for the acoustics of the space can become a feature of the design.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Erica GonzalezNovember 7, 2021 at 7:23 AM

    Kelly, I think you had a great post summarizing what we learned about in this chapter. I enjoyed how you talked about the importance of acoustics and the type of solutions we can implement as designers to reduce the noise in these spaces. I also loved the examples you chose of the acoustical ceiling designs. Great job.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Professor VanderNoordaaNovember 15, 2021 at 2:20 PM

    Kelly,
    Excellent summary of Indoor Environmental Quality. I enjoyed how you summarized our chapter and went into detail on proper acoustical ceiling design and the use of partitions. I loved your illustrations of interesting and acoustically effective ceiling treatments. I thought your suggestion of balance when considering air circulation and air filters was wise. Other things to consider would be be the surfaces that Covid could be spread through and how to minimize this. I appreciated all of the articles that you shared. Determining best practices in creating environments where employees feel safe and comfortable during this time is vital. Total Points: 50/50

    ReplyDelete

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