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Carbon Dioxide Emission from the Human Body vs. Activity

Carbon Dioxide emission from persons vs. activity.

The Carbon Dioxide - CO2 - concentration in a room with people can be used to indicate ventilation system efficiency. It is even possible to modulate ventilation system capacities to the number of people and their activities by measuring the carbon dioxide concentration in the room air.

Carbon dioxide emission from persons and their activity:

Carbon Dioxide Emission from the Human Body vs. Activity
ActivityRespiration per Person
(m3/h)
Carbon Dioxide Emission per Person
(m3/h)
Sleep 0.3 0.013
Resting or low activity work 0.5 0.02
Normal work 2 - 3 0.08 - 0.13
Hard work 7 - 8 0.33 - 0.38
  • 1 m3/h = 0.5886 ft3/min (cfm)

Example - Carbon Dioxide Emission from Persons in a Cinema

In a cinema with 100 persons with low to normal activity the emission of carbon dioxide is in the range 0.02 to 0.08 m3/h per person and the the total emission will be in the range 2 to 8 m3/h.

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