Indoor Air Quality Evaluation in a High-Intensity Physical Athletic Facility: CO2 Generation and Required Fresh Air Rates Calculation Methodology.

Abstract

[EN] Assessing Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in athletic facilities has become essential to ensure a healthy environment for occupants, a necessity that has significantly increased over the last few decades in response to the active lifestyle of current society. In this study, we analyzed six ventilation scenarios involving open/closed doors, the use of ceiling fans, and an air filtration (AF) unit in a cross-training facility in San Antonio, Texas, USA. The monitoring campaign lasted six days, during which data on carbon dioxide (CO2) and particulate matter (PM) were recorded every 5 minutes during high-intensity physical training sessions. Scenarios with closed doors were used to determine the infiltration rate of the building, as well as the CO2 generation and the required fresh air flow rates during the workouts, which were found to be higher than those associated with sedentary activities. Additionally, the deposition rate of PM potentially harmful to humans was determined, namely PM2.5, PM5, and PM10. Scenarios with open doors registered lower CO2 and PM concentrations compared to scenarios with closed doors.