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Sustainable Design Strategies
for the Modernization of the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station
by Joseph J. Ferraro, AIA and William D. Brooks, AIA
8. Indoor Environmental Quality
A primary objective of any sustainable design is to provide a high quality indoor environment, to ensure occupant health, well being, and productivity. At Amundsen-Scott, the need for a high quality indoor environment is accentuated. The winter-over population must spend the sunless, seven month Austral winter entirely indoors. Outside temperatures range from an average of minus 49.4 degrees C. to minus 82.8 degrees C. To maintain a healthy living environment, and to enhance occupant productivity, the indoor environment at Amundsen-Scott has been carefully designed to incorporate the following strategies:
- Smoking is restricted to a single, small smoking room with an independent ventilation system to effectively eliminate environmental tobacco smoke.
- CO2 monitoring is integrated into the ventilation system to ensure CO2 levels do not exceed code prescribed maximums.
- Increased ventilation effectiveness is provided by low-velocity air distribution, and careful placement of supply and exhaust outlets to minimize draft sensation.
- Low or no-emitting materials and interior finishes are utilized to stay under volatile organic compound emission limits. Examples of finishes include a loose-laid, interlocking modular athletic flooring system and free-laid carpet tile.
- Indoor pollutant source control is accommodated by providing walk-off mats at and coat rooms adjacent to entries with separate ventilation systems to store fuel-soiled work attire.
- Extensive use of individual temperature and lighting control is provided, with the most controllability occurring in private spaces such as berthing suites.
- Use of radiation heating equipment where possible to provide even, comfortable heating.
- Use of hydronic heating in general, resulting in more gentle temperature changes, and reducing the need for ventilation airflow.
- High performance windows allow daylighting and views in public and berthing spaces are extensively used during the short Austral summer. Translucent blinds protect against glare, and vapor tight, removable window panels prevent heat loss and icing during the winter and also mitigate light emission to astronomy experiments.
- Appropriate use of color and variation of finishes helps to prevent interior sameness and monotony.
- Proper acoustic design maintains speech and/or sound privacy for most occupied spaces.
Proceed to next section: 9. Conclusion
Table of Contents
1. Abstract
2. Sustainable Design
3. Construction History at Amundsen-Scott Station
4. Sustainable Design Goals
5. Minimizing Impacts to the South Pole Research Environment
6. Ensuring a Station Useful Life of 25 Years or More
7. Energy Efficiency
8. Indoor Environmental Quality
9. Conclusion
10. References
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