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Enquiries: NRC-IRC
Phone: 613-993-2607
Fax: 613-952-7673
Email: Irc.Client-Services@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
1200 Montreal Road
Ottawa,
Ontario,
K1A 0R6
Canada
Indoor Environment
NRC-IRC's Indoor Environment program develops technologies, tools, and recommendations for the design and operation of cost-effective, energy-efficient indoor environments that optimize the comfort, satisfaction and health of building occupants.
Acoustics
The Acoustics group carries out research to improve the sound resistance of wall and floor assemblies in residential construction and the acoustical performance of workplaces and other spaces.
[Projects]
Lighting
Lighting research activities were initiated at NRC-IRC in 1976, and initially focussed on energy-efficiency. Since then the group has grown and its range of activities has broadened. Current staff members have training in engineering, architecture, physics, electronics and psychology. A focus on energy-efficiency has been maintained, with an added emphasis on the effect of lighting on people. Current projects address office lighting quality, atrium performance, automatic and manual lighting controls, daylighting, skylight design, and spectral effects. We also participate in activities that address the indoor environments in Workplaces more generally. Research activity focuses on the following areas:
- Energy-Efficient & High-Quality Office Lighting
- Daylighting and Sustainable Design
- Lighting & Health
- Vision
- Workplaces
[Projects]
Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality
Acceptable indoor air quality and ventilation are essential components for providing a healthy, satisfactory, and productive indoor environment. Technologies and strategies for achieving acceptable environments also need to make efficient use of energy. The group uses expertise in engineering, chemistry, psychology, and environmental science to conduct laboratory, field, and modeling research in this area. This provides the basis for knowledge, guidelines, and tools to design and maintain energy-efficient environments that enhance the well-being of building occupants.
The group's research is focused in three key areas that are necessary for delivering and maintaining acceptable conditions in buildings: ventilation; indoor air quality; and occupant well-being. As these areas also have natural links to the air-tightness of building envelopes, air movement in buildings, thermal comfort, and energy-efficiency, the group also maintains expertise to address these topics. While the current projects are focused on commercial and residential buildings, other types of building (e.g. schools, hospitals) have, and will continue to be investigated.
Acceptable indoor air quality and ventilation are essential components for providing a healthy, satisfactory, and productive indoor environment. Technologies and strategies for achieving acceptable environments also need to make efficient use of energy. The group uses expertise in engineering, chemistry, psychology, and environmental science to conduct laboratory, field, and modeling research in this area. This provides the basis for knowledge, guidelines, and tools to design and maintain energy-efficient environments that enhance the well-being of building occupants.
The group's research is focused in three key areas that are necessary for delivering and maintaining acceptable conditions in buildings: ventilation; indoor air quality; and occupant well-being. As these areas also have natural links to the air-tightness of building envelopes, air movement in buildings, thermal comfort, and energy-efficiency, the group also maintains expertise to address these topics. While the current projects are focused on commercial and residential buildings, other types of building (e.g. schools, hospitals) have, and will continue to be investigated.
[Projects]
NRC-IRC Healthy Buildings initiative
Research Facilities
The Indoor Environment program employs excellent facilities, including a new flanking sound transmission test building, a research house for testing heating and ventilation systems, an indoor environment research laboratory, materials emission chambers, and a daylighting laboratory. These facilities enable realistic experiments and precise measurements, which yield reliable results for building design and operation.
Indoor Environment software
Search publications
Contact
Indoor Environment Program
Institute for Research in Construction
National Research Council of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6
Tel.: (613) 993-9580
Fax.: (613) 954-3733
E-mail: IE.EI@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
