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- Evaluation of IAQ technologies
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This project is a subtask of the NRC-IRC Indoor Air Research and Development Initiative which involves the development of detailed protocols for assessing the net impact of technologies/devices that claim to enhance IAQ.
Full Scale Chamber for Testing PAC performance
The scope of these technologies is very broad: potentially dealing with any Indoor Air contaminant found in residential or commercial environments, and ranging from portable room air cleaners, in-duct filtration systems, heat/energy recovery ventilators, passive panels systems for contaminant removal, and professional cleaning or building disinfection services. Reviews of existing "air quality technologies and solutions" and current standards and protocols for their assessment has been conducted where gap analysis were performed to identify areas where improved evaluation methods are needed and feasible.
Full Scale Chamber
To meet the needs of consumers and to support industry requirements for targeted technology development, three performance protocols related to portable air cleaners (PAC), heat recovery ventilators (HRV) and commercial air duct cleaning have been developed and validated. These protocol development efforts will be used to provide foundation for scientifically sound development of technology labeling systems.
Technical Advisory Committee Meetings (TAC) & IAQ Solutions Technologies Workshops
The above activities are carried out withthe assistance of a TAC and expert workshop sessions. The TAC has been formed to provide advice on the selection of these candidate technologies and their respective evaluation protocols, to support dissemination of findings to provice guidance to industry in their efforts to develop innovative and effective systems, to help consumers with the selection of the most appropriate technologies for IAQ improvement and to participate and organize technical expert Workshops. The TAC comprises participants representing Federal and Provincial Agencies, Industry Associations, NGOs, Municipal governments, and Standards Associations.
Technical expert Workshops related to scientific, engineering and technology aspects for selected technologies, were held to optimize protocol developments. Participants for these workshops include Federal and Provincial Agencies, industry, academicians, researchers and manufacturers.
Research Facilities
The facilities which will be among those available to assess protocols under controlled settings include the Indoor Air Research Facility, Full Scale Chamber, contaminant generation systems (fine/ultrafine particulates, VOCs, aldehydes), Indoor Environment Research Facility, field test systems for evaluation of IAQ including duct surfaces, HRV performance test system.
Research Outputs
Zuraimi MS, Nilsson GJ, Magee RJ, John Bradley. Method for testing portable air cleaners. pp 1-43. (NRCC-54013). National Research Council of Canada- Institute for Research in Construction.
Zuraimi M.S., Nilsson G., Magee R.J. ‘Removal of ultrafine particles in indoor air: Performance of various portable air cleaner technologies’ International Journal of HVAC & Research, 2011, Accepted.p>
Zuraimi MS. Is ventilation duct cleaning useful? A review of the scientific evidence. Indoor Air, 2010, 10, 6, 445-457.
Zuraimi MS, Nilsson G, Magee RJ. Removal of particles by portable air cleaners: Implications for residential infection transmission. ASHRAE IAQ2010: Airborne Infection Control – Ventilation, IAQ & Energy. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
List of TAC Members
Zuraimi M Sultan, National Research Council Canada
Ali Bahloul, Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en Sécurité du Travail
Prabjit Barn, BC Centre for Disease Control
Glenn Curtis, Heating, Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning Institute of Canada
Regina De La Campa, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Eomal Fernando, Canadian Standards Association (CSA) - International
Don Figley, Figley Consulting Associates Ltd
Don Fugler, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Gemma Kerr, InAIR Environmental Ltd
Robert Magee, National Research Council Canada
Gregory Nilsson, National Research Council Canada
Brian Stocks, Ontario Lung Association
Michel Tardif, Natural Resources Canada
Aaron Wilson, Health Canada
Connie Wong, Ontario Lung Association
For inquiries and additional information, please contact:
Zuraimi M. Sultan at (613) 991-0891 or Bob Magee at (613) 993-9631.
National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Building M-24 in Ottawa, ON
