How to handle HVAC in a "massage room" at health spa

[doopedeng]

Firstly, yes I do mean a real massage (ahem) in a real health spa. .

We have a health spa project where we have multiple massage rooms, hotel rooms, pool, therapeutic pools, aerobics, exercise, etc. The massage rooms pose a bit of a grey area for me as I haven't personally ever been in a massage room, but I picture many different scents and aromas being generated in these rooms. The original idea for the design was to use VAV system for all core areas of the complex where the massage rooms would have VAV box with typical supply air and typical return to the main air handler, however, I'm concerned that the aromas will be mixed and sent to all other parts of the building served. Anyone have any advice about how to treat these massage rooms. Should I not return the air and exhaust only? Are aromas an issue at all?

Thanks,
Dooped

 

[MintJulep]

I think exhaust only is the way to go.

 

[Drazen]

have you set internal design conditions for those spaces? they are certainly not standard ones, given level of clothing and body wetness.

moreover, air velocity requirements are different as well. air distribution pattern that would work fine for the office could cause health problems to users, law suits eventually as well.

you have to reach adequate internal design conditions using proper ashrae documents.

 

[317069]

You've asked a question and answered it at the same time, you haven't been in real massage room before, here is the key.
spend some money. go have a massage, I am sure you will find the best solution when you are in their lovely soft hands, believe me.

 

[MintJulep]

Yes. Extensive field research is absolutely necessary.

 

[SAK9]

Individual FCU is preferred for each massage room for reasons already stated above.Provide treated ventilation air and exhaust as well.Treat them same as hotel suites and you can do pretty much 'anything' in these rooms.

 

[chicopee]

Ask the massage owner about the aroma concern and then go over your proposal with this owner.

 

[GMcD]

Given that many of the spaces will have different temperature, humidity, and air quality differences, the best approach would be a dedicated outdoor air system with ducted exhaust and heat/energy recovery depending on your climate zone and locations. You could use fan-coils in each room/zone for local temperature and humidity control and balance the exhaust system to maintain room air pressure differentials (odour and humidity control). The Architect will have to do some serious room by room wall and vapour barrier detailing in case there are warm humid spaces next to cooler de-humidified spaces. Vapour pressure is an interesting thing to study. HazMat folks love when someone ignores the laws of physics with respect to water vapour migration inside buildings. I had to become part of an intervention for a Client when a hot yoga operation decided to take a tenant space in a shopping mall with the concrete floor slab above an un-heated parkade, and next to an office space, with an all glass façade facing into the mall within 50 feet of a main mall entry from the outdoors, in a cold climate. 100F at 50% RH conditions in a hot yoga room with floor and window-wall surface temperatures of 68F can create an interesting issue....

 

[DRWeig]

Based on many years of field study of such rooms:

Low-class establishments simply have a single rooftop unit with a thermostat in the corridor. No exhaust in the rooms.

High-class establishments have the individual fancoils for each room, with exhaust and tempered makeup air for each room, as several folks above have recommended.

It depends on how much the owner is willing to spend.

Best to you,

Goober Dave

Haven't see the forum policies? Do so now: Forum Policies

 

[doopedeng]

I would normally agree with using the FCU's in each room, however in this case the massage rooms are so small that the exhaust rate is practically equal to the airflow for room conditioning. Therefore, since the exhaust must operate continuously during operating hours, so then does the tempered make-up air, so I was thinking I would provide tempered air from a dedicated outdoor air unit to all spaces served at around 65F and 50%RH, then reheat coils in the make-up air duct for each massage room to satisfy the thermostat in each room. We avoid the expense of the FCU's but maintain the room conditioning. Any reasons for avoiding this approach?

Thanks all for the input!

Dooped

 

[SAK9]

A single pass air system should be the last option as it is the least energy effecient.If you have a number of small massage rooms,you could go back to your original VAV concept.If all masssage rooms are on the same AHU,oil aroma spread should not be an issue.Put all other support areas like corridor,reception etc on another AHU.You could incorporate a higher than normal ventilation rate when the rooms are in use with a central injection and exhaust fans at the AHU.

 

[walz]

Your system will be decided based on your design requirements.

I have done many spa's, massage rooms for different kind of buildings. Yes it depends also upon the owner how much he can spend. That in other way tells what u want.

Having an FCU means in your design requirement, you have to control temperature only.
In some high end spa's, where owner asked for precise humidity control too. The system gets different largely.

If that's the case, you need to keep 60-65% of relative humidity levels all the time and therefore you have to decide based on your weather conditions that you need a humidifier or a de-humidifier.

In some cases, the design room temperature is also above 80F.
All I want to say is that ... you should be knowing your design requirements.
Temp - ???
RH Control Yes/No??