RELACIÓNENTRE LA CALIDAD DEL AIRE INTERIOR Y EXTERIOR DEUN EDIFICIO DE OFICINAS EN EL CENTRO DE MEDELLIN

Abstract

The buildings located in the Andean tropics are exposed to fairly homogeneous climates, without marked seasons and in many cases with meteorological conditions that allow them to ventilate naturally without requiring energy costs derived from mechanical cooling or heating. The environmental impact of these buildings may be low, but in some of our urban centers the pollutants in the air are increasingly abundant and consequently, the diseases associated with low air quality become arguments against the convenience of natural ventilation. The objective of this research is to understand the relationship between indoor and outdoor air quality in an office building with a double skin facade designed to ventilate naturally and is also located in the center of the city of Medellín. The air quality conditions inside and outside the building were evaluated based on the Colombian regulations and records of PM2.5 and PM10 particulate material were made for 50 continuous days to contrast them with the official records of the air quality stations of the nearby buildings. These results provide criteria about the performance of a double skin facade when faced with the entry of particulate material, identifying the distribution during the day, offering guidelines for the operation and automation of the windows as well as validate the importance of night ventilation in these types of buildings.