While your employees are inside your office, it is your responsibility to keep them safe. Office safety is crucial for productive results and business development. Until the employees feel secure and comfortable in the workplace, they won't be able to concentrate and work at their best capacity.
Office safety includes various elements such as ventilation, desk arrangements, sanitization, finishing, construction, etc. Here we will find out how you can ensure office safety using proper ventilation.
Ventilation ensures the circulation of fresh air. In the absence of proper ventilation, your employees will be breathing the recirculated air, which can be dangerous. Post COVID-19, the need for adequate ventilation has increased. It has been evident that COVID-19 spread widely in crowded, closed spaces where people share recirculated air. Continuous and proper flow of fresh air into the office space is necessary for office safety.
Types Of Ventilation Designs
You can either rely on natural ventilation or optimize the ventilation system using hybrid ventilation. In natural ventilation, you simply provide space for the fresh air to enter the office space while in a hybrid, you use multiple designs to direct the flow of air.
Natural Ventilation Designs
Crossflow
Two open spaces on either side that allow uninterrupted crossflow of fresh air.
Wind tower
Along with allowing the air to enter, ventilators also allow the unnecessary air to exit. In the wind tower, the positive pressure side enables the fresh air to enter while the negative allows the excessive air to exit. Based on its function, it is also called windcatcher and wind extractor.
Stack design
a) Simple Flue
In this design, a vertical stack from every room opens on the roof, allowing the airflow based on the density gradient.
b) Solar Atrium
In this design, the air movement depends on the radiant loading, which heats the stack and allows air movement using density differentials.
Hybrid Ventilation Designs
Top-down Design
Top-down design integrates stack design, wind tower, and exhausts. The employees’ comfort is taken into account using an adjustable temperature.
Fan assisted Stack
This design modification of stack design uses fans when radiant loading is insufficient.
Buried pipes
It is advisable only when you have plentiful and accessible underground space, and natural ventilation is limited.
You have to select which ventilation design suits your office’s needs and which design can be effectively integrated into your office space structure. While the main aim is office safety, many hidden concerns are born when talking about changing the ventilation design. Energy consumption will change with the ventilation design, the office space will change, and it could be expensive.
You have to ensure free movement of fresh air in your office space to create a safe environment where employees feel secure and concentrate on their tasks instead of fear of COVID-19. You have to prevent your employees from other dangers; thus, it is advisable to include mosquito meshes in your ventilation design.
Steps To Select A Ventilation Design For Office Safety
Step 1 - Airflow Pattern
The airflow pattern is the foundation of ventilation design. You will have to decide which pattern is suitable for your office building. The construction of office buildings and the location of your facility will affect the airflow pattern.
Step 2 - Driving Forces
The next question is, What are the current driving forces? You will ensure office safety by modifying the current driving forces; The preferred method to prevent infections is wind-driven ventilation.
Step 3 - Location And Size
Once the technique is clarified, you will have to locate a suitable point and decide an adequate size for the openings. Your whole design will go in vain if you place the opening wrongly.
In three simple steps, you can ensure office safety using ventilation. Remember, LEED standard ventilation design is the best for preventing your employees from COVID-19. You not only have to select a suitable ventilation design but also have to maintain it. Ventilation demands maintenance and costs a lot, but it is all worth it, keeping in mind your employees’ security. After all, office safety is the key to office success.
