An implementation choice of assessment parameters for indoor air quality (IAQ) in air-conditioned offices

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose a screening test for indoor air quality (IAQ) assessment by auditing only a few "dominant" contributors for preliminary measurements in air-conditioned offices. Design/methodology/approach: In Hong Kong, up to ten common indoor air pollutants have to be audited in determining the IAQ acceptance for typical air-conditioned offices. Indeed, parameters could not be uniformly contributed to the assessed "IAQ satisfaction". The study reviews the past ten-year assessment experiences in Hong Kong and investigates the "dominant" contributors of unsatisfactory IAQ for screening tests. Findings: When compared with the "full" assessment of all ten listed parameters, a screening test with assessment parameters reduced by half would correctly identify 96 per cent unsatisfactory and 95 per cent satisfactory cases. Research limitations/implications: The screening test was developed with the reported patterns of the ten common air pollutants from on-site measurements and survey studies in typical air-conditioned offices in Hong Kong. Therefore, the test application may require adaptation for use in other countries. Practical implications: The study shows the usefulness of a regional database in developing a screening strategy for IAQ and so it would be a useful reference for policymakers in evaluating a cost-justified IAQ assessment protocol. Originality/value: The paper proposes a simple screening test which can identify the probable unsatisfactory IAQ in offices by assessing only a few "dominant" contributors, with selection of representative assessment parameters based on experiences.