CO₂ emission rates from sedentary subjects under controlled laboratory conditions

We determined carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission rates from sedentary subjects performing light work on tablets or smartphones in controlled chamber exposures. Five groups, each consisting of four people (four groups with two females and two males and one with three males and one female), stayed in a 22.5 m³ stainless steel chamber under different environmental conditions for 3 h in the morning and then 2,5 h in the afternoon after having a light lunch. Three groups consisted of young adults (college students), one of seniors, and one of teenagers. The chamber was ventilated with outdoor air at 3.2 h⁻¹ (per person rate was 5 L/s). The CO₂ emission rates per person were calculated using a single-zone mass-balance equation and the measured CO₂ concentration once steady state had been reached. Per person emission rates varied between 14.1 and 16.8 L/h in the morning and 15.9–17.8 L/h in the afternoon; higher levels in the afternoon were probably caused by the increased metabolism from diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT). Emission rates were higher with increased temperature when the participants felt warm, but did not change with increased relative humidity or ozone concentration. They differed to some extent from those estimated using ISO 8996 and ASTM DS 6245, but were similar to published measured CO₂ emission rates. The present results require confirmation with more people and measurements of CO₂ emission rates using the calorimetric method.