Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Winter 2011 - (Page 27)

reduces the VOC concentrations by 30 percent at the reference ventilation rates. This will generally improve occupants’ well-being and enjoyment of the space. 2. REPLACE The second mode of operation is to use the biofiltered air to replace outside air. Here, the building operator reduces the amount of outside air while the occupants do not experience any change in IAQ. Reducing the amount of outside air brought into the space could reduce the capital (due to smaller HVAC unit required) and/or building operating costs (due to need to condition smaller volumes of outside air). Both scenarios have inherent risks and benefits but need not be mutually exclusive. pass and the rate of air treatment by the biofilter. If the biofilter is sized for the indoor space as five occupants per square metre of biofilter, a 30 percent reduction in VOC concentrations could be expected. It is hoped that this insight and information will better enable designers of interior living walls to create healthier spaces for residents and workers alike. * Alan Darlington was awarded his Ph.D. (with Distinction) for investigating the interaction between plants and their physical environment. He has been researching the use of plant systems to improve the indoor environment since the early 1990s. Dr. Darlington has received a number of awards for academic and entrepreneurial accomplishments and is the inventor of a number of patents integral to the application of plant-based biofilters to the indoor space. With this expertise, he formed Air Quality Solutions Ltd. in 2001,now called Nedlaw Living Walls based inBreslau, Ontario. using plants.” Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 64:302-308. Godish T. and Guindon C. (1989). “An assessment of botanical air puriﬁcation as a formaldehyde mitigation measure under dynamic laboratory chamber conditions.” Environmental Pollution. 62(1):13-20. Girman, J.R., Phillips ,T., and Levin, H. (2009). “Critical Review: How well do house plants perform as indoor air cleaners?” Proceedings of Healthy Buildings 2009, Paper 667. http://www.buildingecology.com Guieysse B., Hort C., Platel V., Munoz R., Ondarts M. and Revah S. (2008). “Biological treatment of indoor air for VOC removal: Potential and challenges.” Journal of Advanced Biotechnology, 26:398-410. Wolverton B.C., McDonald R.C., and Watkins E.A. Jr.,.(1984). “Foliage plants for removing indoor air pollutants from energy efficient homes.” The Journal of Economic Botany, 38:224-228. Wood R.A, Burchett M.D., Alquezar R., Orwell R.L., Tarran J., and Torpy F. (2006). “The potted-plant microcosm substantially reduces indoor air voc pollution: I. Office field-study.” Water, Air & Soil Pollution, 175, 163-180. In summary, indoor air biofilters are adaptations of industrial pollution control processes. They degrade airborne chemicals through biological processes and can remove significant amounts of indoor contaminants such as VOCs which otherwise could accumulate to the point of influencing the well-being of occupants. As we learned from the recent study with the University of Guelph, the research clearly indicates that realworld biofilters are able to remove most VOCs in the air of an indoor space with a single pass. The impact of the biofilters on IAQ is a function of the amount of the contaminants removed per REFERENCES Darlington, A., Dat J., Dixon, M. (2001). “The biofiltration of indoor air: Air ﬂux and temperature inﬂuences the removal of toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene.” Environmental Science and Technology, 35:240-246. Dingle, P., Tapsell, P., Hu, S. (2000). “Reducing formaldehyde exposure in ofﬁce environments GRHC PROFESSIONAL CALENDAR COURSES Toronto, ON (Boot Camp) New York, NY (Boot Camp) Chicago, IL (Boot Camp) Washington, D.C. (Living Architecture Regional Symposium) 101 Mar. 24 Apr. 28 Jun. 1 Apr. 12 201 Mar. 25 Apr. 29 Jun. 2 Apr. 12 301 Mar. 26 Apr. 30 Jun. 3 Apr. 12 401 Mar. 27 May 1 Jun. 4 Apr. 12 GREEN ROOF PROFESSIONAL (GRP) ACCREDITATION EXAMS Toronto, ON New York, NY Apr. 27 Jun. 8 9TH ANNUAL CITIES ALIVE - CALL FOR PAPERS DUE APRIL 15, 2011 *GRP course and exam schedules may be subject to change. Please visit www.greenroofs.org for the most current information LIVING ARCHITECTURE MONITOR WINTER 2011 27 http://www.buildingecology.com http://www.greenroofs.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Winter 2011

Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Winter 2011
Contents
The Living Architecture & Health Connection
Picnic Perfect
Green Roof Sight-Seeing
A Sacred Space
On the Roof With… Judith H. Heerwagen
A Spiritual Oasis
Therapeutic Landscapes
Active Living Walls
Lifetime Achievement Award: A Legend Remembered
Civic Award: Kelly Luckett
Research Award: Jeremy Lundholm
Fieldnotes From Greenbuild 2010
Toward Net-Zero Water Use
Learn Online
New Corporate Members
Welcome New GRPs
Cents and Sustainability

Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Winter 2011