RE: CO2 Sensors for Densely Occupied Spaces
Are spaces designated as Non-regularly Occupied Spaces excluded from consideration as Densely Occupied Spaces?? Examples spaces: Focus and Collaboration areas intended for use by small groups for meetings lasting less than 1 hour.
Recall the definition of Non-regularly occupied spaces is as follows:
Non-regularly occupied spaces are spaces that occupants pass through, or spaces used in pursuit of focused activities for less than one hour per person per day (on average).
Dylan Connelly
Mechanical EngineerIntegral Group
LEEDuser Expert
472 thumbs up
September 8, 2015 - 11:25 am
Focus rooms maybe. But conference rooms are regularly occupied. I'd recommend a CIR.
Michelle Halle Stern
Senior Sustainability ConsultantGreenwood Consulting Group
120 thumbs up
September 9, 2015 - 11:26 am
Generally "regularly occupied" is determined by the activity in the space and not the time spent in the space. Please make a strong argument in your CIR for why focus rooms shouldn't follow the requirements of regularly occupied. Look at the space matrix for guidance. http://www.usgbc.org/resources/eq-space-type-matrix
Jon Clifford
LEED-AP BD+CGREENSQUARE
LEEDuser Expert
323 thumbs up
September 9, 2015 - 10:21 pm
James – I think that you are confusing the term “Non-Regularly Occupied Space” with the term “Nonoccupied Space.”
According to the IEQ Space Matrix, IEQc1 applies to both kinds of occupied spaces (regularly and non-regularly occupied), but excludes NONOCCUPIED spaces, which are “spaces designed for equipment and machinery or storage with no human occupancy except for maintenance and repairs, and equipment retrieval” (supply, warehouse, storage, inactive bookstacks, mechanical/electrical rooms, data floors, closets, etc.), “for areas with equipment retrieval, the space is only nonoccupied if the retrieval is occasional.”
Therefore, if a Focus/Collaboration space is “densely occupied” when in use, it should have CO2 sensors. In fact, such a space, which may be vacant much of the time, may be the textbook use of such sensors to send increased fresh air only when needed.
“Non-regularly Occupied Spaces” appear only to be excluded from IEQc6 Controllability and IEQc8 Daylight & Views Credits. Even then, this definition includes the proviso, “The one hour timeframe is continuous and should be based on the time a typical occupant uses the space. For spaces that are not used daily, the one hour timeframe should be based on the time a typical occupant spends in the space when it is in use.” Examples include lobbies, pantries, linen closets, active bookstacks, locker rooms, bathrooms, restrooms, fitting rooms, copy rooms, break rooms, waiting rooms, stairways, and corridors.