Association of Ventilation Rates with Building Design in Various Built Environments: A Critical Review

Abstract

Building ventilation rate is a crucial factor in the indoor air quality (IAQ). Furthermore, building-related parameters (window geometry, building orientation, height, and shape) have a substantial impact on the ventilation rates. However, most building designs reported in the literature from various income group countries failed to fulfill the recommended ventilation standards. A systematic and critical review was conducted on the collated literature from the past 20 years using various databases, yielding 145 related articles. Building-related factors influencing the ventilation rates were thoroughly studied in different income groups. In addition, the existing ventilation rates in various building environments were examined. The data analysis of critical literature suggests that the ventilation rates in 80% of the building environments were found lower than the prescribed standards irrespective of the income group countries. Thus, the current study highlights the need for redesign of the existing or new buildings for meeting the adequate ventilation rates.