| Primary value | 8.5 L/s/person ((≈ 18 cfm)) |
| Applies to | Office buildings · Conference rooms · General assembly spaces |
| Exceptions | Conference rooms / dense occupancy → 10 L/s/person |
| Hospitals / patient rooms → 10-12 L/s/person | |
| Restaurant dining areas → 9-10 L/s/person | |
| Minimum requirement per NBC 2016 → 3.8 L/s/person for offices, conference rooms, and assembly halls. | |
| Hospitals (Patient Rooms) per NBC 2016 → 12.5 L/s/person | |
| Smoking Lounges per NBC 2016 → 30 L/s/person | |
| Measured as | Outdoor (fresh) air supplied per person at design occupancy. Excludes recirculated air. |
| Source | NBC 2016 — NBC 2016 Part 8, Section 3, Table 5 (for minimums); ISHRAE/ASHRAE Standard 62.1 (for performance-based design) 📚 Cross-referenced |
Fresh air dilutes indoor pollutants like CO₂, VOCs from furnishings, and bio-effluents. Inadequate ventilation, especially in densely occupied Indian offices, can lead to 'sick building syndrome', causing drowsiness, headaches, and reduced cognitive function, which directly impacts employee productivity and well-being.
Modern Grade A office buildings in India often use Demand Controlled Ventilation (DCV). CO₂ sensors monitor occupancy in real-time, adjusting fresh air intake to maintain CO₂ levels below 1000 ppm, thus optimizing both indoor air quality and energy consumption.