THE

HOTEL ENGINEER
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF HOTEL ENGINEERING

PP 319986/101 Volume 21 Number 3 October 2016

 ODOUR CONTROL
FOR BACK OF HOUSE AREAS IN HOTELS
Back of house areas may be a common source of offensive odours and odour complaints for your
hotel. These areas may include garbage/refuge rooms, loading docks, commercial kitchens, designated
outdoor smoking areas or sewer vents.
T
his article seeks to discuss possible
odour control considerations for
these back of house areas.
THE SCIENCE OF ODOURS
Generally, an odour is perceived when
chemicals in gaseous form stimulate the
receptors in your nose. These odours can
be organic or inorganic based. Examples of
different, hazardous or unpleasant odours
include diesel exhaust, decaying plant
matter, sewer gases and mould or yeast
spoors due to dampness. Given that the
human nose has hundreds of receptors
that are uniquely coded by DNA to
each individual, reactions to odours can
be quite subjective and dependent on
individual sensitivities. An odour that may
be pleasant to one – may be unpleasant
to another. Similarly the strength of odour
perceived from one person to another
varies widely, making it difficult at times
to achieve an objective assessment.
According to the EPA (the statutory
authority responsible for administering
the Environmental Protection Act), “an
offensive odour is one that affects the
general life, health and wellbeing of an
individual as a result of the intensity,
character, frequency and duration
of the odour.” Odorous gases most
commonly become an issue because of
their nuisance value and – generating
complaints by surrounding neighbours.
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JONATHAN BUNGE (M.ENG CHEMICAL), SHANNON ROGER (B.ED)
AND DR ALLAN HECKENBERG (PhD) I AIREPURE AUSTRALIA 2016
The EPA usually investigates odour • Remove the source of the odour.
complaints for industrial and large • Dilute and ventilate the air (clean
commercial premises, whilst local while ventilating if ventilating to sensitive
councils investigate odour complaints location) and replace with clean fresh air.
for domestic and smaller commercial
• Treat by providing an air cleaner which
premises (such as restaurants).
circulates air through itself to remove
chemicals inside a closed space.
COMMON BACK OF HOUSE
AREA ODOURS GARBAGE/REFUGE ROOMS
Hotel back of house areas such as garbage/ Several approaches exist to reduce odour
refuge rooms, loading docks, commercial in garbage rooms (using the above-
kitchens, designated outdoor smoking mentioned principals):
areas or sewer vents, bio-treatment units
• Make sure bins containing odour can
and septic systems may be a common
remain closed as much as possible.
source of odour complaints.
• Install a self-contained recirculating
ODOUR CONTROL ioniser, whereby electrostatically
charged ions are released into the
METHODS FOR GASEOUS area where it reacts with and destroy
CONTAMINANTS odour molecules and airborne infection
Basically to clean air from gaseous present in ambient air.
contaminants there are three (3) • Install a self-contained recirculating
main mechanisms: ozone generator, which typically injects
Table 1: Common emission types and odorous gases
Area Emission Type Odorous Gases
Garbage/refuge room Organic waste, landfill rubbish Decomposing organics, sulphides, VOC’s
Loading docks Diesel exhaust Nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides,
hydrocarbons, aldehydes, organic acids
Kitchen Cooking exhaust, grease trap waste VOC’s, amines
Designated outdoor Cigarette smoke Nitrosamines, amines, benzene,
smoking areas aldehydes, hydrocarbons
Sewer vents, bio- Anaerobic microbial processes VOC’s, Volatile sulphur compounds
treatment units, septic (VSC’s), Hydrogen sulphide,
systems Nitrogenous compounds, aldehydes
 ozone into controlled space where it
reacts with and oxidises odour particles
in a chemical reaction which results
in the production of carbon dioxide,
water vapour and oxygen. Note: ozone
generators must be controlled so there
is sufficient residence time, and that no
excessive ozone is present in occupied
rooms for safety reasons.
• Install a self-contained recirculating
gas-phase chemical media unit (such as
a side access unit or corrosive air unit).
Gas phase chemical media is used to
target and adsorb contaminant gases.
• Increase room “Air Changes” by
exhausting certain calculated volumes
of air.The contaminated air should be
cleaned, or diluted during extraction so
the odour is not transferred to other
areas.This can be achieved with gas-phase
chemical media or with ozone generators.
Self-contained recirculating ioniser
Self-contained recirculating ozone generator
Self-contained recirculating media unit with gas-phase
chemical media
LOADING DOCKS
The main way to reduce odour coming
inside from loading docks:
• Change the location/system design
with air intakes located away from the
loading docks. If this is not possible,
the air will need to be treated using a
variety of odour and chemical based
adsorption media. If carbon monoxide
or dioxide levels are excessive, this will
need to be dealt with via ventilation
rather than treatment. Note: No CO2/CO
treatment method that assures safety will
be cost effective.
• Clean the supply air, so that fumes are
treated at this supply stage and not
transferred inside.This can be done with
gas-phase chemical media filtration or with
ozone generators. Note: ozone generators
must be controlled so there is sufficient
residence time, and that no excessive ozone
is exhausted for safety reasons.
• Increase local air-changes and use
positive pressurisation or air curtains
at building entry points to ensure fumes
are not transferred inside.
Chemical adsorption filtration media
KITCHENS
Kitchens are initially a source of generally
pleasant odours, however, when
exhausted into communal or residential
areas, they may be found offensive due
to odour, smoke, heat or other reasons.
In general the approaches to this are:
• Design to code to assure kitchen
exhaust is of the right volumes
and temperature.
• Allow adequate and suitable make up
air into the kitchen to avoid stalling
the kitchen exhaust system or creating
“fugitive” odours from the kitchen.
• Locate air exhaust points away from
sensitive areas and fresh air intakes
and with good expectation of dilution
by prevailing winds.
• Treat odours, smoke and particulates
with a staged and standards compliant
approach. This may include UL rated
high efficiency hood filters, adequate
duct cleaning processes, treatment
methods such as filters, odour absorbing
activated carbon media or filters,
ESPs and roof-top dilution fan
exhaust systems.
Roof-top dilution fan exhaust system
OUTDOOR SMOKING AREAS
Exterior and less frequently, interior
smoking rooms form a significant legal
and OH&S challenge, however, the
technical solution for the odour issues
is well understood and established.
This includes:
• Enhanced room or area air changes and
ventilation to remove smoke and odour.
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 Typical drum scrubber
• Targeted extraction from “high-risk” areas, such as gaming and materials.
tables in casinos. The build up of odours in
• Treatment and recycle systems involving electronic air cleaning these systems is inevitable,
systems like ESPs, air ionisation systems or particle filters and and only hazardous
odour absorbing media. in unusual, enclosed
circumstances (e.g. Carbon
• In general, these systems will require custom design and large
Monoxide or Hydrogen
scale air volume movements, involving significant room for plant
Sulphide). In locations where
and equipment, so retro-fits are generally problematic.
hazardous levels have been
• It should be noted that any of these system will not avoid the identified, adequate sensing
inevitable health effects of primary smoke inhalation, and only and alarm systems, such as
reduce, but not eliminate, secondary inhalation effects. carbon monoxide detectors,
Large scale self-washing ESP system configuration need to be allowed for in the
design of systems.

In general, the ways that

most of the “non-hazardous”
odours are dealt with is by
capture, treatment and then
exhaust of the air:

• Controlled and targeted exhaust systems or hoods are used

to collect fumes from the source, with adequate supplies of
fresh air to replace, and the contaminated air removed.
SEWER VENTS, BIO-TREATMENT UNITS
• Treatment systems such as drum scrubbers, containing
AND SEPTIC SYSTEMS carbon, odour treatment media or bio filtration systems are
Many “green-buildings” are taking opportunities to enhance all routinely used solutions with a variety of cost effectiveness
their status with various local recycling systems for waste water profiles depending on the volume, nature and concentration
of the odours.
• Exhaust of the odours to areas that will allow effective
Dometic drawer miniBar DM50C dispersion of the remaining odours from the treatment systems.
Guidance is given to the location and nature of these exhaust

NEW
points in various AS/NZS standards including 1668.2.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Odours are seldom hazardous, but should be taken seriously
STANDARDS as they can often be an indicator of more significant problems
located within the Hotel. This may include black mould from
IN CONVENIENCE leaks or excessive carbon monoxide or VOC’s from diesel
operation in inadequately ventilated areas.

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REFERENCES
EPA Victoria: http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/your-environment/odour
AS/NZS 1668.1:The use of ventilation and air conditioning in buildings.
Part 1: Fire and smoke control in buildings: SAI Global 2015

P: 07 5507 6073 AS/NZS 1668.2:The use of ventilation and air conditioning in buildings.
E: lodging@dometic.com.au Part 2: Mechanical ventilation in buildings: SAI Global 2012

Hvitved-Jacobsen T.,Vollertsen J.,Yongsiri C., Nielsen A.H., Abdul-Talib S: Sewer

www.dometic.com.au microbial processes, emissions and impacts, Aalborg University – Department
of Environmental Engineering DENMARK, April 2002

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