Whether at home or at work, proper ventilation and heating helps to improve indoor air, prevent mould growth and maintain a healthy indoor climate.

Indoor air is consumed or polluted by people who are present. They breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Cooking, heating or smoking also worsens the indoor climate. In addition, moisture in the masonry, washing and bathing can promote mould growth and lead to health problems. 

Ventilation via the windows

Stoßlüftung, "shock ventilation"

Shock ventilation means opening the windows completely for several minutes to replace the stale air with fresh air. The thermostats should be turned down during shock ventilation. That way, the air in the room can be exchanged in a short time. Shock ventilation is the best method of ventilation from an energy consumption point of view.

Guidelines for shock ventilation duration per hour

• Summer: 5 to 10 minutes
• Spring / Autumn: 5 minutes
• Winter: 3 minutes

 

Ventilation schemes

Offices and meeting rooms

1. Shock ventilation before starting work
2. Ventilation every hour or so

Seminar rooms

1. Shock ventilation before starting work
2. Ventilation every hour or so
3. If shock ventilation is not possible while the seminar room is in use, tilt ventilation approximately every hour.

 

Avoid tilt ventilation

Tilt ventilation is less efficient than shock ventilation and merely supports shock ventilation. Extended tilt ventilation during the heating period causes the room boundary surfaces around the windows to cool down and more energy is consumed. Therefore, tilt ventilation is not advisable from an energy consumption point of view and should be avoided as far as possible.

 

Sources

https://www.dguv.de/ifa/praxishilfen/innenraumarbeitsplaetze/raumluftqualitaet/wie-wird-richtig-gelueftet/index.jsp
Klima in Industriehallen 215-540.pdf
Klima im Büro 215-520.pdf
https://www.bmuv.de/themen/gesundheit-chemikalien/gesundheit/innenraumluft/richtiges-lueften-und-heizen
https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/umwelttipps-fuer-den-alltag/heizen-bauen/heizen-raumtemperatur#unsere-tipps