A STUDY OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN UNIVERSITY LABORATORY BUILDINGS

This paper is a study of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) of laboratory in university buildings at faculty of civil and environmental engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM). This study assessed the existing indoor air quality in two selected laboratory buildings, which equipped with natural ventilation. The important IAQ parameters considered in this study are temperature, relative humidity, air movement, and airborne particles. However, airborne particles were categorized based on its size characterization concentration of particles greater than or equal to 0.3 mu m and particles greater than or equal to 5.0 mu m. The measurements were carried out during the peak hours within these laboratories using Met One GT-521 particle counter and Anemometer. Ultimately, area, time of measurement conducted, the number of activities, ventilation, air movement, and materials, were found as the major contributors to the IAQ performance in these laboratories.