CO2 concentration build-up calculator
August 2018
DOCUMENT PROPERTIES
Organisation Education & Skills Funding Agency
CO2 concentration build-up calculator
Name of For use in conjunction with BB101 and the ESFA output specification
Document to estimate the CO2 build-up in a space for use at the early design
stage.
CO2 concentration build-up calculator for a simple space such as a
Contents
classroom.
CommentsDOCUMENT
and VERSION CONTROL
Amendments (details to Author/ Approved
Version Date
be included where Reviewer by
relevant)
Version for ESFA Richard Crawford
1.0 8/9/2018
publication of BB101 2018 Daniels Wright
Notes on use of calculator
This excel spreadsheet calculator can be used to calculate the CO2 concentration build-up over the day in
varied at 15 minute intervals. The calculator solves the first order differential equation for build up of CO2 i
sizing of ventilation systems.
Acknowledgements
This spreadsheet tool was developed by Dr Owen Connick of Breathing Buildings.
lculator
FA output specification
e at the early design
mple space such as a
Date
approved
8/9/2018
ncentration build-up over the day in a classroom or similar space. The occupancy can be
ential equation for build up of CO2 in a space for a fixed ventilation rate. This is useful in the
g Buildings.
1400 Air Quality Calculation 35
1200 30
CO2 (ppm)
1000 25
average CO2
(ppm) during
800 20 occ day
CO2 (ppm)
Occupancy
occupancy
600 15
400 10
200 5
0 0
00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00
8: 8: 9: 9: 10: 10: 11: 11: 12: 12: 13: 13: 14: 14: 15: 15: 16: 16: 17: 17: 18: 18: 19: 19: 20: 20: 21:
CO2 Calculations
Data below calculated from 'State-of-the-Art Review of CO2 Demand Controlled Ventilation Technology and Application N
Occupant Age Activity Level Met Level
11 Filing, seated 1.2
Input Data
External CO2 Concentration 390 ppm
Fresh air ventilation rate per unit 80 l/s
Number of units 2
infiltration 0.25 ACH
Room Details
Room Area 60 m2
Room Height 3 m
Calculation for contaminant build up
Occupancy
8:00:00 0
8:15:00 0
8:30:00 0
8:45:00 0
9:00:00 32
9:15:00 2
9:30:00 32
9:45:00 32
10:00:00 32
10:15:00 32
10:30:00 2
10:45:00 2
11:00:00 32
11:15:00 32
11:30:00 32
11:45:00 32
12:00:00 2
12:15:00 2
12:30:00 2
12:45:00 2
13:00:00 32
13:15:00 32
13:30:00 32
13:45:00 32
14:00:00 2
14:15:00 32
14:30:00 32
14:45:00 32
15:00:00 32
15:15:00 8
15:30:00 8
15:45:00 8
16:00:00 0
16:15:00 0
16:30:00 0
16:45:00 0
17:00:00 0
17:15:00 0
17:30:00 0
17:45:00 0
18:00:00 0
18:15:00 0
18:30:00 0
18:45:00 0
19:00:00 0
19:15:00 0
19:30:00 0
19:45:00 0
20:00:00 0
20:15:00 0
20:30:00 0
20:45:00 0
21:00:00 0
Controlled Ventilation Technology and Application NISTIR 6729'
CO2 Generation (kg/s/p)
0.0000061
Output
average CO2 during occ day 990 ppm
Assumed Total Ventilation Flow Rate 160 l/s
This tool solves the first order differential equation for build up of CO2 in a room
ventilated at a specific rate. The daily average CO2 is taken to be during the period when
the room is occupied. If the room has an occupancy of zero it is considered unoccupied
and is therefore excluded from the average.
time CO2 (ppm) occupancy
8:00:00 390 0
8:15:00 390 0
8:30:00 390 0
8:45:00 390 0
9:00:00 390 32
9:15:00 938 2
9:30:00 656 32
9:45:00 1050 32
10:00:00 1217 32
10:15:00 1287 32
10:30:00 1317 2
10:45:00 815 2
11:00:00 604 32
11:15:00 1028 32
11:30:00 1208 32
11:45:00 1283 32
12:00:00 1315 2
12:15:00 815 2
12:30:00 604 2
12:45:00 514 2
13:00:00 477 32
13:15:00 975 32
13:30:00 1185 32
13:45:00 1274 32
14:00:00 1311 2
14:15:00 813 32
14:30:00 1117 32
14:45:00 1245 32
15:00:00 1299 32
15:15:00 1322 8
15:30:00 920 8
15:45:00 751 8
16:00:00 679 0
16:15:00 512 0
16:30:00 442 0
16:45:00 412 0
17:00:00 399 0
17:15:00 394 0
17:30:00 392 0
17:45:00 391 0
18:00:00 390 0
18:15:00 390 0
18:30:00 390 0
18:45:00 390 0
19:00:00 390 0
19:15:00 390 0
19:30:00 390 0
19:45:00 390 0
20:00:00 390 0
20:15:00 390 0
20:30:00 390 0
20:45:00 390 0
21:00:00 390 0
d up of CO2 in a room
to be during the period when
o it is considered unoccupied
average CO2 (ppm) during occ day
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