Kaunas City Research Articles

Architectural Modernisation in Panevėžys During the 1930s: Exploring the Works of Civil Engineer Antanas Gargasas

Summary In contemporary studies of Lithuanian interwar architecture, so far the greatest attention is paid to the analysis of the architectural development and modernization processes that took place in the city of Kaunas, the temporary capital of the country at the time. The work of architectural specialists who worked there is also analysed more. However, at the same time, little is known about the development of architecture created in the smaller cities of Lithuania at that time and its modernization. Thus, this article aims to more thoroughly reveal and analyse the processes of modernization of Panevėžys city architecture that took place in the 1930s, choosing the designs of Antanas Gargasas, who worked there as a municipal engineer in 1931–1940, as the research object. This is done in the article by analysing and presenting the majority of his designed public buildings and the most significant and typical residential buildings. The article, which was written based on archival material, the press of the research period and the contemporary studies of the interwar architecture, contains an assumption that the buildings designed by Antanas Gargasas had a significant influence on the processes of modernization of the Panevėžys architecture at that time and the spread of new stylistic trends in it. The article is supplemented by the drawings and photos of the buildings designed by the engineer.

The trends of arterial hypertension and ischemic heart disease in Lithuanian population (1983-2023)

Abstract Background During the past two decades, in Lithuania, the morbidity and mortality from circulatory system diseases such as ischemic heart disease (IHD) have been increasing. The increasing incidence of IHD can be linked to the IHD prevention program implemented in Lithuania, which was launched in 2005. This study aimed to determine and evaluate the prevalence of IHD, their risk factors, and trends among middle-aged (45-64 years) urban males and females in Lithuania over the last 40 years. Methods During our study, the changes in the prevalence of arterial hypertension (AH) and IHD, among Kaunas city inhabitants aged 45-64 years in six population-based cohorts (1982-1983 (n = 1660), 1986-1987 (n = 1152), 1992-1993 (n = 824), 2001-2002 (n = 978), 2006-2008 (n = 4604) and 2023 (n = 554)) were analyzed. AH was defined when the arterial blood pressure was ≥140/90 mmHg or a person had taken antihypertensive drugs during 2 weeks. IHD was defined when a person had a previous myocardial infarction (MI) and/or ischemic changes on electrocardiogram (ECG) were assessed by Minnesota codes. The prevalence of AH and IHD changes were evaluated using regression analysis. Results During 1983-2023, the prevalence of AH among males aged 45-64 significantly increased from 58.7% (1982-1983) to 72.7% (2023) (p = 0.04), but among females aged 45-64 the prevalence of AH tended to decrease from 63.0% (1982-1983) to 50.9% (2023) (p = 0.18). The prevalence of IHD among males aged 45-64 was without significant changes and was from 14.4% (1982-1983) to 13.6% (2023) (p = 0.7), but among females aged 45-64 the prevalence of IHD significantly decreased from 21.7% (1982-1983) to 16.6% (2023) (p = 0.04). Conclusions From 1983 to 2023, among Lithuanian middle-aged urban males, the prevalence of AH significantly increased, but the prevalence of IHD was stable, meanwhile, among Lithuanian middle-aged urban females the prevalence of AH tended to decrease, but the prevalence of IHD significantly decreased. Key messages • From 1983 to 2023, among Lithuanian middle-aged urban males, the prevalence of AH significantly increased, meanwhile among females - tended to decrease. • Over 40 years, the prevalence of IHD among Lithuanian males was without significant changes, but among females - significant decreased.

Penal practices of partisans in the Kaunas Region (1944–1952). Part II

Part 1 of this Article analyses campaigns of the partisans in Kaunas county and Kaunas city that took place in 1944-1945. Kaunas county geographically was a midpoint of Lithuania, it bordered the counties of Šakiai, Raseiniai, Kėdainiai, Ukmergė, Trakai (from April 1946 – Kaišiadorys), Alytus and Marijampolė. In 1944 the county consisted of 16 rural districts: Aukštoji Panemunė (164 km2), Babtai (224 km2), Čekiškė (252 km2), Garliava (152 km2), Jonava (418 km2), Kruonis (230 km2), Lapės (115 km2), Pakuonis (122 km2), Pažaislis (71 km2), Raudondvaris (103 km2), Rumšiškės (128 km2), Seredžius (83 km2), Vandžiogala (269 km2), Veliuona (134 km2), Vilkija (152 km2), Zapyškis (117 km2). The territory of this part of the county – 2734 km2. The city of Kaunas is not included, the territory of which – 130 km2. Thus, the entire territory of the county, including the city of Kaunas, occupied 2864 km2. In June 1945, Kaunas county had 24 thousand households and 107 thousand population. In the summer 1945, 86 064 inhabitants lived in Kaunas city. On June the 23rd 1944, the Soviet Army started the Strategic Offensive Operation “Bagration”. During this operation, the German group “Centro” was destroyed. At the beginning of July, Soviet forces – units of the 1st Baltic and 3rd Belorussian Front– invaded the territory of Lithuania. In Kaunas county, the divisions of the 3-rd Belorussian Front were fighting, who reached this county by the end of July. By middle-August, the entire territory of Kaunas county was occupied. The organized partisan warfare against the Soviets in Kaunas county started in November 1944. Already in December it spread throughout the entire county, and Kerinas, who was the head of Kaunas NKVD division, called this phenomenon an uprising against the Soviet authorities. Partisan platoons used to contain up to 100 people, these platoons used to join other groups of partisans. Such platoons used to occupy the centres of rural districts and fight NKVD battalions. In 1944, during campaigns of the partisans, 45 people were killed. NKVD-people, having been intimidated by partisan struggle, organized chekist-military operations, during which they managed to destroy large platoons of partisans, therefore, from the year 1945 on, the partisans changed their tactics and started to use another way of fighting – partisan platoons were divided into groups consisting of 5-10 people and then Soviet repressive bodies encountered difficulties in detecting and destroying platoons of partisans. Mostly, the partisans attacked collaborators with the Soviet authorities, and especially – their military squads. The most famous assault of the partisans in 1945 in Kaunas county, was an attack on Seredžius rural district, during which a military platoon of the collaborators was annihilated totally. In total, during the campaigns of the year 1945, the partisans killed 173 people.

Uncertainty Estimation in the Modeling of a Flood Wave Caused by a Dam Failure in a Hydropower System with Pumped Hydro Energy Storage

Future global sustainability depends heavily on the development of renewable energy. The object of this study is a system of two plants (Kaunas hydropower plant (HP) and Kruonis pumped-storage hydropower plant) and upper and lower reservoirs. A possible dam failure accident in such an important system can endanger the population of Kaunas City. The methodology for estimating dam-failure-induced flood wave uncertainty included scenarios of the upper reservoir embankment failure hydrographs, modeling flood wave spreading (MIKE 21 hydrodynamic model), and estimating wave heights. The GRS methodology was selected to assess the uncertainty of flood wave modeling results and the sensitivity of hydrodynamic model parameters. The findings revealed that the discharge values of the Nemunas inflow and outflow through the HP outlets are the most important parameters determining the greatest height of the flood wave. Therefore, by correctly managing the amount of water in the upper reservoir, it would be possible to prevent the lower reservoir dam from breaking.

Dittrichia graveolens (Asteraceae), rapidly spreading along European highways, recorded in Lithuania

For a long time, railways were the main pathway for the accidental introduction of alien plant species, but now highways and other roads are becoming increasingly important in this process. Considering that Dittrichia graveolens is spreading rapidly along highways in Central Europe and neighbouring Poland, a targeted search was conducted in Lithuania in 2023. Dittrichia graveolens was recorded at two sites along the Kalvarija–Kaunas highway (Kazlų Rūda district, in the environs of Pentupiai, and Kaunas city, in the environs of Jonučiai). At both sites, the species occupied relatively compact stands consisting of several hundred individuals, suggesting that the stands were formed from locally matured seeds. The mean number of flowers per capitulum in Lithuania in 2023 was 20.5 ± 4.9, and the realised fecundity was 89.7% of the potential fecundity. It is presumed that the seeds of Dittrichia graveolens were accidentally introduced into Lithuania by trucks, probably attached to tyres. Currently, this species is classified as a casual alien, but its naturalisation is expected. The study revealed that the first record of Dittrichia graveolens in Poland was not in 2013, as previously reported, but more than 20 years earlier, in 1990, near Kraków, at the slag deposit site of the Nowa Huta Steelworks.

Dittrichia graveolens (Asteraceae), rapidly spreading along European highways, recorded in Lithuania

For a long time, railways were the main pathway for the accidental introduction of alien plant species, but now highways and other roads are becoming increasingly important in this process. Considering that Dittrichia graveolens is spreading rapidly along highways in Central Europe and neighbouring Poland, a targeted search was conducted in Lithuania in 2023. Dittrichia graveolens was recorded at two sites along the Kalvarija–Kaunas highway (Kazlų Rūda district, in the environs of Pentupiai, and Kaunas city, in the environs of Jonučiai). At both sites, the species occupied relatively compact stands consisting of several hundred individuals, suggesting that the stands were formed from locally matured seeds. The mean number of flowers per capitulum in Lithuania in 2023 was 20.5 ± 4.9, and the realised fecundity was 89.7% of the potential fecundity. It is presumed that the seeds of Dittrichia graveolens were accidentally introduced into Lithuania by trucks, probably attached to tyres. Currently, this species is classified as a casual alien, but its naturalisation is expected. The study revealed that the first record of Dittrichia graveolens in Poland was not in 2013, as previously reported, but more than 20 years earlier, in 1990, near Kraków, at the slag deposit site of the Nowa Huta Steelworks.

The Heritage of Tsarist Russia’s Military Forts as an Object of Postcolonial Revision: Case of the Kaunas School of Art Building 1922–1923

The aim of the article is to rethink which objects in contemporary Lithuania are worth being European cultural heritage and which are not — as many of them are now being used by the neighboured aggressive country as examples (politicised arguments) for today’s Russia’s imperial historical narratives. Results of the research demonstrate that the discussion on mitigations of Tsarist Russia’s military forts heritage is a new topic, as the recent decades in Lithuania have shown that the heritage of military forts’ architecture in the post-soviet decades is being protected even more than in Soviet Russia’s occupation period. So, this trend in Lithuanian cultural Heritage research emerges as an object worth deeper postcolonial revision. Significant is building the future from the past. Within this frame of thinking, the article invites us to remember the national history and select well-known cases from the country’s past as most valuable for national and cultural identity. The example of the famous 100-year-old Art School building in Kaunas city (which in the interwar period 1918–1940 was the temporary capital of the Republic of Lithuania) was chosen as the article’s main case study. After 100 years, there are no longer any doubts or debates as to how much the area of the 9th battery in Kaunas Oaks Hill (Ąžuolų kalnas) has “suffered” due to the fact that the complex of buildings of the Lithuanian national Art School was built in a Tsarist Russia military fortress plot. This is evidenced by the other mentioned cases — today outstanding national cultural heritage objects were built a century ago replacing Tsarist Russia’s military architecture, meanwhile, according to the laws in force today — these buildings should be protected. Conclusions. Russia’s war against Ukraine, it’s the right time to reassess countries’ critical heritage: in which situations it is worth, how much it is worth, and in which it is no longer worth protecting the architectural heritage of military power formed by Tsarist Russia, especially when it is ruined and too difficult to adapt it to the needs of modern people.

Kaunas city register of 1561–1564 as a source of information about the management and sale of forest commodities

In historical sources describing 16th century Lithuania, extensive forests are mentioned as a distinctive feature of the region. Forest played a significant role in the development of silviculture and professional groups that exploited forest commodities. Above all, forests were a source of timber for local inhabitants, including builders and craftsmen, but they also offered shelter and provided local communities with food. Forest products such as timber, planks, charcoal, and wood tar were traded on the domestic market and exported to Western Europe. Rapid economic growth and a high demand for Lithuanian forest products enabled domestic and foreign merchants to exploit primeval forests surrounding the city of Kaunas

Estimation of air pollution removal capacity by urban vegetation from very high-resolution satellite images in Lithuania

In cities, particulate matter (PM10), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ground-level ozone (O3) are some of the most significant air pollutants that have negative effects on human health, vegetation, and biodiversity. The city of Kaunas (Lithuania) represents the geographical region of north-eastern Europe and the Humid continental climate zone. By using a satellite-based approach with Worldview-3 (WV-3) satellite imagery at the very-high spatial and spectral resolution, we have detected and classified the most common tree species (a total of 284,305 trees) in Kaunas with an overall accuracy of about 88% e.g., Acer spp. (10%), Aesculus hippocastanum (11%), Pinus spp. (9%), Quercus spp. (24%), and Tilia spp. (5%) in both private (e.g., residential gardens) and public areas over a large study area (56 km2). The green cover of Kaunas city represents 64% of the total study area. In 2022, the 284,305 trees detected in Kaunas city center and surrounding areas have removed approximately 2084 tons of NO2, 217 tons of PM10, and 22,938 tons of CO2 while dominant trees formed more O3 than they absorbed (1204 tons released) mainly due to the high ozone formation potential of Quercus spp.

Risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in relation to cold spells in four seasons

BackgroundCold winter weather increases the risk of stroke, but the evidence is scarce on whether the risk increases during season-specific cold weather in the other seasons. The objective of our study was to test the hypothesis of an association between personal cold spells and different types of stroke in the season-specific context, and to formally assess effect modification by age and sex.MethodsWe conducted a case-crossover study of all 5396 confirmed 25–64 years old cases with stroke in the city of Kaunas, Lithuania, 2000–2015. We assigned to each case a one-week hazard period and 15 reference periods of the same calendar days of other study years. A personal cold day was defined for each case with a mean temperature below the fifth percentile of the frequency distribution of daily mean temperatures of the hazard and reference periods. Conditional logistic regression was applied to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) representing associations between time- and place-specific cold weather and stroke.ResultsThere were positive associations between cold weather and stroke in Kaunas, with each additional cold day during the week before the stroke increases the risk by 3% (OR 1.03; 95% CI 1.00–1.07). The association was present for ischemic stroke (OR 1.05; 95% CI 1.01–1.09) but not hemorrhagic stroke (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.91–1.06). In the summer, the risk of stroke increased by 8% (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.00–1.16) per each additional cold day during the hazard period. Age and sex did not modify the effect.ConclusionsOur findings show that personal cold spells increase the risk of stroke, and this pertains to ischemic stroke specifically. Most importantly, cold weather in the summer season may be a previously unrecognized determinant of stroke.

A Nineteenth-Century Industrial Area in Kaunas’s Naujamiestis: Analysis of the Development and the Concept of Regeneration

In the nineteenth century, the current suburb of Kaunas formerly known as the Carmelite district (Kaunakiemis village before that) became an industrial district of the city of Kaunas. The district started developing at the foot of Žaliakalnis from homesteads along the Girstupis stream, followed by a church and a monastery near the Nemunas River, and soon became home to a railway station and industrial complexes. In attempts to give the district a more representative appearance and further consolidate the function of transportation, a bus station was built during the period of the First Republic of Lithuania. Unfortunately, the prevailing social situation in the district did not allow these aims to be fully achieved. The construction activity of the second half of the twentieth century, coupled with the closing of industrial facilities and the shrinking of the builtup area, further threatened the existence of the district. When the Karmelitai (Carmelites) district was annexed to the historical part of Kaunas known as Naujamiestis (New Town) in 2012, a decision had to be made about which phases of historical development were to be preserved and on what basis the area was to be further developed.

Association between Outdoor Air Pollution and Fatal Acute Myocardial Infarction in Lithuania between 2006 and 2015: A Time Series Design.

Air pollution has a significant effect on human health and there is a broad body of evidence showing that exposure to air pollution is associated with an increased risk of adverse health effects. The main objective of this study was to assess the association of traffic-related air pollutants with fatal AMI during the ten-year period. The study was conducted in Kaunas city, where the WHO MONICA register included a total of 2273 adult cases of fatal AMI cases during the 10-year study period. We focused on the period between 2006 and 2015. The associations between exposure to traffic-related air pollution and the risk of fatal AMI were evaluated by using a multivariate Poisson regression model, RR presented per an increase in IQR. It was found that the risk of fatal AMI was significantly higher in all subjects (RR 1.06; 95% CI 1.00-1.12) and women (RR 1.12; 95% CI 1.02-1.22) when the concentration of PM10 in the ambient air was increased 5-11 days before the onset of AMI, adjusting for NO2 concentration. The effect was stronger during spring in all subjects (RR 1.12; 95% CI 1.03-1.22), in men (RR 1.13; 95% CI 1.01-1.26), in younger-aged (RR 1.15; 95% CI 1.03-1.28), and in winter in women (RR 1.24; 95% CI 1.03-1.50). Our findings show that ambient air pollution increases the risk of fatal AMI, and this pertains to PM10 specifically.

Application of Physical and Numerical Modeling for Determination of Waterway Safety under the Bridge in Kaunas City, Lithuania

The main problem presented in this paper is the safety inlet navigation of the waterway below the bridge in the city of Kaunas in Lithuania. The analyzed reach is located in the Nemunas river downstream of the Kaunas dam. It is a part of the waterway E–41 leading to the Klaipeda harbor on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. The work was initiated by the Lithuanian company UAB “Inžinerinis projektavimas” with funds from the project called European Union Trans-European Transport Network (EU TEN-T). The main requirement imposed along this reach is to keep sufficient depth even in the range of the lowest flows. The depth is sufficient if it is not lower than 1.15 m for minimum flows such as Q95% and Q95% with ice. The hydraulic conditions for maximum flow Q50%, Q5%, and Q1% are also taken into account for control because the threat of hydraulic jump generation was also noticed. The research is based on georeferenced data from public and non-public sources. The hydrologic data were received from the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service. The physical model was created in the Water Laboratory of the Department of Hydraulic and Sanitary Engineering at Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poland. The preprocessing of spatial data in ArcGIS 10.8.2 and rules of hydraulic similarity were implemented in the process of physical model preparation. Three experiments were conducted in the laboratory with scaled values of Q95%, Q5%, and Q1%. The measurements of the water surface and evaluations of the average velocity were used to validate the 2D numerical model prepared in HEC-RAS 6.3.1. The basic layers of the HEC-RAS model were preprocessed in ArcGIS 10.8.2 by ESRI company. The numerical model was implemented to test different values of unknown roughness of the channel bottom. The simulations were conducted for the real values of Q95% and Q95% with ice and Q50%. The results of the simulations were depth and Froude number maps. These maps were classified into zones of no risk, middle risk, and high risk. ArcGIS in the post-processing phase was applied to identify the locations of the hazards. The magnitude of risk was expressed in terms of minimum depth achieved, maximum Froude number, as well as the length of the reaches with high risk related to these two factors. The threat of hydraulic jump formation below the bridge was also noticed. Conducted results confirmed that the combination of hydrodynamic simulations and geoprocessing in the pre- and post-processing stages could be a powerful tool in hydraulic engineering analyses. Additionally, it is worth noting that numerical modeling enables a wider analysis of potential conditions than could be possible with a physical model only.

Modernist Heritage versus Contested Legacy: The Case of “Radio City”

The industrial legacy of the Soviet period in Lithuania has become an object of social tension. Even though the industrial heritage of the Soviet period is not directly related to the crimes of the occupying authorities, the conversion of industrial objects in the historical parts of cities or of buildings with symbolic significance is contentious among members of the public. For this reason, the conversion of industrial areas in Lithuania has become not only an economic challenge, but also a problem of adaptating to society’s needs, changing society’s attitude toward this type of heritage, and organically integrating that heritage into the city structure. The “Radio City” conversion project is being developed in the context of this social tension but has become an example of adaptation in harmony with the architectural heritage that occupies a dominant position on the block, which is located in one of the historically formed residential districts of Kaunas city.

Defining the Attributes for Modernist Urban Heritage: The Case of ‘Kaunas 1919–1939: Architecture of Optimism’

The cultural heritage of modern architecture is a widely acknowledged phenomenon; however, unique urban landscapes that have witnessed a fundamental transformation in urban life in the 20th century are still underrepresented on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In this paper the built urban heritage of Kaunas city (1919–1939) is investigated as an example of a modern urban heritage site with a problematic focus on defining the attributes of urban heritage, especially when intangible heritage values are added to the tangible built heritage. In this paper the attributes of modern urban heritage are discussed on the example of “Modernist Kaunas (1919–1939): Architecture of Optimism”, the nomination dossier for the UNESCO World Heritage List. Three groups of attributes are described using historical research and later discussed by applying the method of comparative analysis. The conclusion proposes that Modernist Kaunas can fill the gap by representing Eastern European modern urbanity and enhance the understanding of the modern global city by reflecting the metropolitan aspirations in modern Europe.

Fragments of everyday life of Kaunas citizens in the second half of the 16th century (based on the book of the Kaunas city council 1580–1583)

Straipsnyje panaudoti charakteringesni XVI a. antrosios pusės Kauno miesto vaito knygos įrašai, kuriuose atsispindi konkretūs 1581–1583 m. įvykiai mieste. Kadangi mieste buvo lengviau pasislėpti pabėgusiems nelaisviems bajorų valdiniams (vergams), miesto vaitas juos išduodavo tik tuo atveju, jei savininkas pateikdavo neginčijamų įrodymų apie nuosavybę; dažnai miestiečiai išpirkdavo iš bajorų vergus, išpirktasis turėdavo atitarnauti naujam „savininkui“. Miestiečiai nuolat skolinosi vienas iš kito, užstatinėjo savo namus, negalintys grąžinti skolų buvo sodinami į kalėjimą, kol grąžins skolą, jeigu neturėjo laiduotojų. Amatininkai gamino plytas ir čerpes (net vilniečiams), valtis (vytines) ne tik mieste, bet ir tolimose vietovėse, dailidės statė namus ne tik mieste, bet ir bajorų dvaruose. Daug įrašų apie arklių pirkimą, įrašant jų ypatingas žymes, kad pavogus ir atpažinus būtų galima lengviau įrodyti nuosavybės teises, taip pat ir apie nukentėjusius eilinių peštynių metu, apie sąžiningus ir nesąžiningus vytinių vairininkus, laivybos sezoniškumą.

BRAND POSITIONING STRATEGY IN THE COMPETITIVE ASPECT

A new brand for an organization is inseparable from organizational identity. The aim of the research is to investigate the positioning strategy in terms of competitiveness and visitors of Kaunas District Public Library (KDPL). Research methodology: analysis of scientific literature and statistical data, staff survey, SWOT analysis. Main findings: the flow of visitors of KDPL in the period of 2018–2020 has decreased by a quarter, the user portrait consists of 5 user groups (employed, studying, pre-school children, unemployed persons and others), the number of library users by gender did not change, 70% consists of women, attendance of four user groups decreased or remained virtually unchanged, when the amount of employed users increased by about 16 percent. SWOT analysis has shown the absence of a brand positioning strategy. Qualitative study of the library competitors users’ needs and expectations can be analysed further. The local position of KDPL’s has shown the potential to grow up in Kaunas city. The originality of the paper covers individualized research on a brand positioning strategy of public sector organization, while the available research has been carried out on private branding. The current research will be useful for KDPL and other public organisations.

Predictors of (Un)Sustainable and Multimodal Commuting in Kaunas

The study analyses the external (distance from home to work and a public transport stop), socio-economic (age, gender, education, income, living with minors, access to a car), and socio-psychological (attitudes, subjective social norms, perceived behavioural control) predictors of the commuting behaviour of persons working in the city of Kaunas. During the study, an online survey was conducted, which was filled out by 228 respondents (of whom 169 (74.1%) women, 59 (25.9%) men; the respondents’ average age 39.52 years). A multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed, the results of which revealed that commuting behaviour was predicted by environmental attitudes towards non-motorised transport and walking, perceived behavioural control towards public transport, instrumental attitudes towards the car and public transport, and access to a car. The study provides useful information about the type of measures promoting sustainable commuting that can be effective in the city of Kaunas.

Assessment of the microbial contamination of stairwell door handles in blocks of flats

The stairwell door handles in blocks of flats are the objects that every resident and guests touch at least several times a day. For this reason, many microorganisms collect on them, which can cause infections of varying severity. Therefore, it is very important to observe proper hand hygiene and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces on the stairwells of blocks of flats. Research samples were taken in the months of October-November in 2021 and December-January in 2022, in the morning (between 7:00 and 8:00) and in the evening (between 19:00 and 20:00), from the stairwells of the blocks of flats in the city of Kaunas. One-hundred samples were taken in the autumn season (50 in the morning and 50 in the evening) and 100 samples in the winter season (50 in the morning and 50 in the evening). The research sample consisted of 200 samples; four analytes were analysed in each sample: Enteroccocus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. The stairwell door handles of multi-apartment buildings were contaminated with Enterococcus spp. the most and with S. aureus bacteria the least. Slightly higher microbial contamination of multi-apartment stairwells was observed in the evening. Microbial contamination of multi-apartment stairwell door handles was observed to be higher in the autumn season than in the winter season.

The Effect of European Climate Change on Indoor Thermal Comfort and Overheating in a Public Building Designed with a Passive Approach

Dynamic building energy performance modeling is becoming increasingly important in the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry because of the sector’s significant environmental impact. For such analysis, a climate file representing a typical meteorological year (TMY) is needed, including hourly values for the most important weather-related parameters. However, TMY shows little resemblance to the future of the particular location where a building has been used for decades. Therefore, using predicted future climates during building design is unfortunately rarely practiced, potentially undermining the strategies that should be the fundamental basis of the design. To explore this question, our study compared the heating and cooling energy consumption, indoor thermal comfort, and summer overheating potential of a selected building for three distinctive European climates, in Hungary, Portugal, and Lithuania. All of them were changed according to the IPCC RCP4.5 scenario, and were examined for the present, the 2050, and the 2100 scenarios. We also tested adaptive clothing to evaluate the indoor comfort parameters. The results show a 10% increase in heating and cooling energy use for the same construction and location between 2020 and 2100. The continental climate of Budapest is the most threatened by summer overheating, with an increase of 69% for the ODH26 indicator. A more balanced warming for Lisbon was found (23%), and moderate changes for the city of Kaunas (a 153% increase from a very low baseline).