ISO 16000-8-2007 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 16000-8:2007 — Indoor air — Part 8: Determination of local mean ages of air in buildings for characterizing ventilation conditions. This International Standard specifies procedures using a single tracer gas (concentration decay and homogeneous constant emission methods) to determine the local mean age of air as an indicator of ventilation conditions in buildings.

Abstract

ISO 16000-8:2007 describes the use of a single tracer gas for determining the local mean age of air to characterise ventilation conditions. The procedures include concentration-decay and homogeneous constant-emission methods. The methods are intended for indoor air quality studies — for checking compliance with ventilation requirements, estimating ventilation adequacy in problem buildings, and characterising strength and distribution of indoor emission sources. The standard does not specify detailed analytical laboratory methods for tracer-gas analysis.

General information

• Status: Published (International Standard; last reviewed and confirmed in 2021; under review for future revision stage indicated on the ISO record).
• Publication date: 2007-06 (corrected version issued 2007-10).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 13.040.20 (Ambient atmospheres / Indoor air).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2007).
• Number of pages: 41 (ISO bibliographic record).

Scope

Provides measurement procedures using a single tracer gas to determine the local mean age of air (and, by inversion, local effective air-change rates) as an indicator of ventilation conditions in indoor spaces. Methods (concentration decay and homogeneous constant emission — active or passive) are applicable in principle to all indoor spaces and ventilation types, and are intended to leave prevailing ventilation conditions undisturbed. The standard is aimed at IAQ investigations and evaluation of ventilation adequacy; it does not cover analytical details for tracer-gas laboratory methods.

Key topics and requirements

• Tracer‑gas measurement principles for ventilation characterisation (single tracer gas techniques).
• Concentration‑decay method to mark existing air and observe decay to determine local mean age.
• Homogeneous constant emission method (active or passive) for determining local mean age under steady emission.
• Guidance on measurement planning: identification of ventilated system, zoning, selection of measurement points and methods.
• Selection of suitable tracer gases and outline requirements for tracer‑gas equipment and concentration standards (analytical method details are intentionally excluded).
• Interpretation: deriving local effective air‑change rates and using results to assess ventilation adequacy and source distribution.

Typical use and users

Used by indoor air quality consultants, ventilation and building services engineers, occupational hygienists, building scientists and researchers, facility managers, and regulators. Typical applications include IAQ investigations, verification of ventilation system performance, troubleshooting of localized indoor pollutant accumulation, and research into air distribution and source strength within buildings.

Related standards

Part of the ISO 16000 series on indoor air. Related parts (selection) include ISO 16000-1 (sampling strategy), ISO 16000-2. -7 and -9 (methods for formaldehyde, VOCs and emission test methods), and other parts covering sampling strategies and specific analytes; later revisions of other parts in the series (for example ISO 16000-9:2024) indicate the series is actively maintained. Users should consult other ISO 16000 parts for sampling strategy, VOC and formaldehyde procedures and emission test chamber methods when planning measurements.

Keywords

Indoor air, ventilation, tracer gas, concentration decay, homogeneous emission, local mean age of air, air‑change rate, IAQ, measurement planning, tracer gas equipment.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 16000-8:2007 is an ISO International Standard that specifies tracer‑gas procedures (single tracer) for determining the local mean age of air in buildings to characterise ventilation conditions.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers two practical tracer‑gas methods — concentration decay and homogeneous constant emission — measurement planning, selection of tracer gases and equipment, determination of local mean age of air and interpretation for ventilation characterisation. It does not provide laboratory analytical method details for tracer‑gas analysis.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: IAQ consultants, ventilation engineers, occupational hygienists, building scientists, researchers and facility managers use it to evaluate ventilation performance, investigate IAQ problems and characterise airflow and source distribution in buildings.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The standard was published in June 2007 (corrected October 2007). ISO's bibliographic record shows the publication remains published and was last reviewed and confirmed in 2021; the record also indicates future revision activity (stage notes). Users should check the national/ISO store for the latest status before procurement.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is one part of the ISO 16000 series on indoor air (multiple parts cover sampling strategy, formaldehyde, VOCs, emission test methods, mould sampling and related topics). Consult other ISO 16000 parts for complementary methods and sampling guidance.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Indoor air, tracer gas, mean age of air, ventilation, concentration decay, homogeneous emission, air change rate, IAQ.