Indoor Air Quality and HVAC Systems

IAQ & HVAC Systems

David W. Bearg. Lewis Publishers, 1992. C/O CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, FL 33431; 407/994-0555. 220 pages, hardcover; $59.95.

David Bearg’s new book is a terrific overview of a very complicated subject. Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems for commercial buildings have become increasingly complex over the years. As a result, architects, facilities managers, and building owners have had to rely more and more on specialized engineers to design air-handling systems for their buildings. This book explains HVAC systems and their role in indoor air quality (IAQ) problems, in a way that even architects untrained in mechanical systems can understand. Anyone involved with designing or constructing buildings that use commercial HVAC systems should read this book to get a handle on conditions that can lead to “sick building syndrome.”

Bearg outlines three ways in which HVAC systems contribute to air quality problems in buildings: 1) by failure to provide enough ventilation to dilute indoor pollution to acceptable levels; 2) by distributing contaminants from one area of the building to other areas; and 3) by generating pollutants within the system itself and then distributing them. The book goes into each of these pollution mechanisms in detail, with vivid case studies from the author’s experiences trouble-shooting buildings.

In addition to outlining the way HVAC systems work and the potential trouble spots they contain, Bearg provides useful tips for locating and remedying existing problems. His examples illustrate how, merely by listening attentively to occupant complaints, many variables can be eliminated and sources identified. Experienced HVAC designers and installers may want to skip over the introductory chapters, while non-engineers may not want to read the more technical sections analyzing air movement pathways in detail. Nevertheless, for its thoroughness and up-to-date information, this book is highly recommended for anyone involved with HVAC systems and the buildings that they serve.

– NM