The Well-Being of Children in Nurseries Does Not Have to Be Expensive: The Real Costs of Maintaining Low Carbon Dioxide Concentrations in Nurseries

Katarzyna Ratajczak and Małgorzata Basińska
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Katarzyna Ratajczak: Institute of Environmental Engineering and Building Installations, Poznan University of Technology, Pl.M.Sklodowskiej-Curie 5, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
Małgorzata Basińska: Institute of Environmental Engineering and Building Installations, Poznan University of Technology, Pl.M.Sklodowskiej-Curie 5, 60-965 Poznan, Poland

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-19

Abstract: There are different standards and regulations outlining the requirements regarding building air quality as well as in nurseries. These requirements specify air stream supplies and carbon dioxide concentration levels, both of which ensure proper indoor air quality. Mechanical ventilation should be used to maintain acceptable carbon dioxide levels. This article analyses the use of ventilation equipped with decentralized units, which helps secure the well-being of children. This paper proposes and evaluates economically affordable ventilation units. An algorithm for selecting the size of the devices is described by the supplied air stream depending on the number of children present at the nursery. A method of transferring the investment costs related to the assembly of the given units to the parents is proposed. Air quality in terms of CO 2 concentrations was based on the following levels: 750 ppm, 1000 ppm, 1500 ppm. This assessment also includes the investment costs resulting from device usage and the costs of electricity consumed by the fans. These results showed the additional costs that assure the air quality improvement do not have to be high (45 PLN/month, ~10 EUR/month) per child attending the nursery. A 3% tuition increase returns the investment costs on mechanical ventilation within four years.

Keywords: indoor air quality; IAQ; nursery; economic costs; ecological costs; decentralized ventilation; façade ventilation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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