Improving indoor air quality and thermal comfort by total heat exchanger for an office building in hot and humid climate

Indoor air quality and thermal comfort affects working performance and efficiency, particularly for those who work in the office for prolonged periods. Poor air quality even compromises human health of the staff in the office. For the air-conditioning system using a package-type or split-type air conditioner, introducing fresh air will improve the indoor air quality of the office and affect the perception of thermal comfort. However, it will increase the energy consumption of the air-conditioning system, especially in a hot and humid climate. Attempting to improve indoor air quality and thermal comfort with less power consumption, this study conducts the case study of a total heat exchanger retrofitted in an office building in the hot and humid climate of Taiwan. Field measurement of indoor temperature, humidity, CO2 concentration, and energy consumption, along with thermal sensation votes of staff in the office, have been compared comprehensively after installing the total heat exchanger. Results indicated that the CO2 concentration decreases and thermal comfort evaluation improves satisfactorily after installation of total heat exchanger, even though power consumption increased slightly. It reveals that it is feasible to improve indoor air quality and thermal comfort effectively with less power consumption in the office specifically for the air-conditioning system using a package-type or split-type air conditioner under hot and humid weather conditions.