Poor Indoor Environmental Quality Research Articles

A Field Survey on Indoor Climate in Land Transport Cabins of Buses and Trains

Assessing indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is fundamental to ensuring health, well-being, and safety. A particular type of indoor compartment, land transport cabins (LTCs), specifically those of trains and buses, was surveyed. The global rise in commute and in-cabin exposure time gives relevance to the current study. This study discusses indoor climate (IC) in LTCs to emphasize the risk to the well-being and comfort of exposed occupants linked to poor IEQ, using objective assessment and a communication method following recommendations of the CEN-EN16798-1 standard. The measurement campaign was carried out on 36 trips of real-time travel on 15 buses and 21 trains, mainly in the EU region. Although the measured operative temperature, relative humidity, CO2, and VOC levels followed EN16798-1 requirements in most cabins, compliance gaps were found in the indoor climate of these LTCs as per ventilation requirements. Also, the PMV-PPD index evaluated in two indoor velocity ranges of 0.1 and 0.3 m/s showed that 39% and 56% of the cabins, respectively, were thermally inadequate. Also, ventilation parameters showed that indoor air quality (IAQ) was defective in 83% of the studied LTCs. Therefore, gaps exist concerning the IC of the studied LTCs, suggesting potential risks to well-being and comfort and the need for improved compliance with the IEQ and ventilation criteria of EN16798-1.

Indoor environmental quality in schools: NOTECH solution vs. standard solution.

In many Danish schools, the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is challenged and studies document a poor IEQ in a majority of existing schools. Municipalities cannot afford comprehensive renovations and expensive mechanical ventilation solutions, hence public schools often suffer from poor indoor environment conditions. This study tests a new façade based, demand-controlled ventilation solution called NOTECH in the renovation of school. The study tests NOTECH vs. existing mechanical ventilation solution, comparing performance of both solutions at Skovbrynet Skole in Denmark. The project investigates the effect of the NOTECH solution in a primary school classroom, comparing it to a similar classroom with conventional, mechanical ventilation. Methodically, indoor environmental quality and energy performance is monitored in the two identical classrooms during one school year 2018 - 2019. The results show that both systems keep the conditions within acceptable limits and CO2 levels below 1000 ppm, which is the requirement according to the Danish Building Regulations. In terms of costs, the NOTECH system has a lower overall cost than the mechanical ventilation system, with total estimated costs for installation, heating, electricity and maintenance amounting to approximately 35% of the mechanical system's costs. Finally, the results show that the NOTECH solution has a smaller embedded CO2 footprint for building materials, reducing the estimated carbon load by 95% compared to the mechanical ventilation solution. While the performance of the both systems complies to the Danish Building Regulations, the indoor environmental quality between systems differs significantly. Results showing a higher air-temperature and lower relative air-humidity in the classroom with mechanical ventilation during winter and lower CO 2 levels in the mechanically ventilated classroom during winter and summer. Costs for implementation, energy consumption for heating and CO 2 footprint for building materials are significantly lower for the NOTECH solution, compared to the mechanical solution.

Energy consumption and environmental parameters in Madrid social housing. Performance in the face of extreme weather events

Housing energy rehabilitation is currently a priority in Europe. In vulnerable neighbourhoods, improving energy efficiency and comfort conditions has an important impact on people living conditions. Rehabilitation strategies are usually designed according to standard scenarios, without taking into account variations related to the users or the type of building. Monitoring this type of housing offers valuable information to be able to select the best strategies based on a diagnosis of their real performance.In this paper we present one year data on energy consumption, hygrothermal comfort and CO2 monitored for 22 dwellings in Madrid, located in six different vulnerable locations. In addition to normal periods, the monitoring campaign includes periods of extreme heat and cold, and two exceptional situations, the “Filomena" snowfall and the COVID pandemic period.The results report poor indoor environmental quality in these dwellings, both in the main rooms and in the bedrooms. Also poor building quality is observed. The recorded energy consumption is lower than that given as a reference in the standards or models, at the cost of a worse indoor environment. The analisys supports the importance of retrofit strategies that take into account the composition of the household, such as single-person households or those with children, the higher vulnerability of dwellings with higher demand, the subjective perception and the role of users, and the need to incorporate improvements in indoor air renewal.

HABITABILITY CONDITIONS IN SELF-CONSTRUCTED RURAL HOUSES WITHIN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

In the Multidimensional Poverty Index, housing conditions carry a weight of 25%. In Ecuador in 2022, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses, the rate of multidimensional poverty in rural areas was 70%, while the rate of extreme multidimensional poverty stood at 41%, accompanied by a Gini Index of 0.433. Paradoxically, the processes of globalization related to construction and modern material resources adapted from ancestral knowledge have led to worse habitability conditions in communities settled in the rural Paramus of the High Andes. This study aims to evaluate rural housing under extreme conditions of climate, topography, accessibility, and basic services, in order to establish strategies that are context-appropriate and promote house improvements through collaborative workshops. The conditions of 40 houses in two indigenous communities were assessed through direct observation and thermography. Site characteristics, spatial distribution, materiality and pathologies, along with perceived thermal comfort, were recorded on an adapted datasheet. The assessment was conducted by a researcher and the homeowner, with the objective of generating a participatory diagnosis. Data was analyzed using a multicriteria matrix proposed within a comprehensive framework for assessing building performance in the context of sociocultural and technical dimensions. The main results reveal that inhabitants uphold traditional aspects like collaborative construction processes, a relationship with the landscape, and efficient space utilization. However, the loss of ancestral construction knowledge and the influence of migration to cities have led to technical building errors; consequently, the majority of the dwellings exhibit structural vulnerability and poor indoor environmental quality.

Indoor monitoring and long-term survey to identify the risks of Energy Poverty: the case of social housing in Northern Italy

Low-income families often live in poorly heated houses belonging to social housing programs. Tenants’ wellbeing and health in social housing is typically threatened by problems associated with energy inefficiency and poor Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). These conditions are among the symptoms of a social issue known as Energy Poverty (EP), which occurs when residents face difficulty in paying energy bills. In 2020 about 2.1 million households (8% of the total) were suffering from energy poverty in Italy. The risk of EP is mainly favored by three factors: the low income of the family, the high final price of energy and the poor technical construction characteristics of the building which can lead to poor IEQ. Four indicators have been proposed by the European Commission and some others developed in the scientific literature, but often neither the thresholds to assess the status of EP nor the methodology to collect data have been defined. This study aims to assess some of the recommended European indicators on a case study. The risks of EP have been investigated in social housing located in Northern Italy by means of an integrated methodology based on a site inspection, a survey, and the continuous monitoring of the indoor environmental parameters during the winter season. The proposed method allowed detecting the presence of EP in 5 dwellings out of 8.

Indoor environmental quality in schools: NOTECH solution vs. standard solution

Background: In many Danish schools, the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is challenging and studies document a poor IEQ in a majority of existing schools. Municipalities cannot afford comprehensive renovations and expensive mechanical ventilation solutions, hence public schools often suffer from poor indoor environment conditions. This study tests a new façade based, demand-controlled ventilation solution called NOTECH in the renovation of school. The study tests NOTECH vs. existing mechanical ventilation solution, comparing performance of both solutions at Skovbrynet Skole in Denmark. Methods: The project implements and investigates the effect of the NOTECH solution in a primary school classroom, comparing it to a similar classroom with conventional, mechanical ventilation. Methodically, indoor environmental quality and energy performance is monitored in the two identical classrooms during one school year 2018 - 2019. Results: The results show that both systems keep the conditions within acceptable limits and CO2 levels below 1000 ppm, which is the requirement according to the Danish Building Regulations. In terms of costs, the NOTECH system has a lower overall cost than the mechanical ventilation system, with total estimated costs for installation, heating, electricity and maintenance amounting to approximately 35% of the mechanical system’s costs. Finally, the results show that the NOTECH solution has a smaller embedded CO2 footprint for building materials, reducing the estimated carbon load by 95% compared to the mechanical ventilation solution. Conclusions: The performance of the two systems roughly is the same in relation to the indoor environmental quality, temperature, CO2 levels and relative air-humidity. Costs for implementation, energy consumption for heating and CO2 footprint for building materials however, are significantly lower for the NOTECH solution, compared to the mechanical solution.

Indoor environmental quality in schools: NOTECH solution vs. standard solution

Background: In many Danish schools, the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is challenging and studies document a poor IEQ in a majority of existing schools. Municipalities cannot afford comprehensive renovations and expensive mechanical ventilation solutions, hence public schools often suffer from poor indoor environment conditions. This study tests a new façade based, demand-controlled ventilation solution called NOTECH in the renovation of school. The study tests NOTECH vs. existing mechanical ventilation solution, comparing performance of both solutions at Skovbrynet Skole in Denmark. Methods: The project implements and investigates the effect of the NOTECH solution in a primary school classroom, comparing it to a similar classroom with conventional, mechanical ventilation. Methodically, indoor environmental quality and energy performance is monitored in the two identical classrooms during one school year 2018 - 2019. Results: The results show that both systems keep the conditions within acceptable limits and CO2 levels below 1000 ppm, which is the requirement according to the Danish Building Regulations. In terms of costs, the NOTECH system has a lower overall cost than the mechanical ventilation system, with total estimated costs for installation, heating, electricity and maintenance amounting to approximately 35% of the mechanical system’s costs. Finally, the results show that the NOTECH solution has a smaller embedded CO2 footprint for building materials, reducing the estimated carbon load by 95% compared to the mechanical ventilation solution. Conclusions: The performance of the two systems roughly is the same in relation to the indoor environmental quality, temperature, CO2 levels, humidity and noise level. Costs for implementation, energy consumption for heating and CO2 footprint for building materials however, are significantly lower for the NOTECH solution, compared to the mechanical solution.

Assessment of Thermal Comfort in Hospital Rooms and Health Status of Patients

The paper carefully assessed the thermal comfort in hospital rooms and health status of patients. Thermal comfort in hospital environments is mandatory, as the nature of patients' sickness directly correlates with their thermal sensation, metabolic rate, and regulatory response. A good environment contributes a lot toward patient recovery and wellbeing. Hospital buildings are required to secure a variety of indoor environments according to the diverse requirements of patients and staff. Among these requirements, thermal comfort is an important design criterion for indoor environmental quality that affects patients' healing processes and the wellbeing of medical staff. The patients’ thermal comfort is given priority due to their medical conditions and impaired immune systems. A high indoor environmental quality (IEQ) can improve the recovery process and create a pleasant working environment for the health personnel. While a poor IEQ causes nosocomial diseases that are harmful to the patients as well as the hospital staff. The paper reviewed the concept of thermal comfort, health status of patient, hospital rooms, and the effect of thermal comfort on patient’s health. It was on this basis that the study concluded that; ventilation systems play a key role in maintaining acceptable, thermally-comfortable conditions for patients and medical staff. It was also concluded that thermal comfort can foster the healing process of patients in hospitals and that it is highly case-dependent and varies substantially based on the health condition of the patient as well as the type and level of staff activities to bail the unfortunate condition. One of the recommendations made was that in order to foster the healing process of patients in hospitals there is dire need to promote thermal comfort in the hospital building at all cost

Indoor environmental factors affecting the productivity of workers in office buildings

Poor indoor environmental quality (IEQ) has been found to contribute significantly to productivity losses, with the extent of the contribution differing according to the type of office work in which workers are engaged. However, few studies focus specifically on the occupants of university office buildings where the work being undertaken involves a significant amount of academic research that is expected to require high levels of concentration, insight, creativity, and consistency than is needed in many other types of work. To develop a preliminary understanding of the IEQ factors affecting the productivity of people working in university office buildings, a pilot questionnaire was administered to postgraduate students to validate the IEQ factors that have been found to impact on productivity. To date, twelve postgraduate students from three different office buildings in The University of Auckland completed the questionnaire. The results showed that noise, temperature, air quality, and lighting were the factors most reported on with respect to effects on work productivity. The adopted IEQ factors in this questionnaire instrument is reliable. The findings from this study will help advance understanding of the IEQ factors affecting the productivity of workers in university office buildings, and provide insights for architects, building owners, office managers, and office users to help prevent or mitigate negative impacts on productivity by managing the IEQ conditions in workplaces. Future research will involve the analysis of data from staff as well as students to identify any possible differences that might exist between the two groups of workers engaged in academic research.

Monitoring and Assessment of Indoor Environmental Conditions in Educational Building Using Building Information Modelling Methodology.

Managing indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is a challenge in educational buildings in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Adequate indoor air quality is essential to ensure that indoor spaces are safe for students and teachers. In fact, poor IEQ can affect academic performance and student comfort. This study proposes a framework for integrating occupants' feedback into the building information modelling (BIM) methodology to assess indoor environmental conditions (thermal, acoustic and lighting) and the individual airborne virus transmission risk during teaching activities. The information contained in the parametric 3D BIM model and the algorithmic environment of Dynamo were used to develop the framework. The IEQ evaluation is based on sensor monitoring and a daily schedule, so the results show real problems of occupants' dissatisfaction. The output of the framework shows in which range the indoor environmental variables were (optimal, acceptable and unacceptable) and the probability of infection during each lecture class (whether or not 1% is exceeded). A case study was proposed to illustrate its application and validate it. The outcomes provide key information to support the decision-making process for managing IEQ and controlling individual airborne virus transmission risks. Long-term application could provide data that support the management of ventilation strategies and protocol redesign.

Assessing Indoor Environmental Quality in a Crowded Low-Quality Built Environment: A Case Study

Home heating, cooling and ventilation are a major concern for those living in low-quality built environments, particularly those with high occupancy rates (crowded houses). In New Zealand, both owner-occupiers and tenants can experience problems associated with poor Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), such as poor thermal comfort and dampness, when Heating Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems are not installed, improperly installed or too expensive to run. Occupants of poorer households are the most affected by high installation or running costs of HVAC systems, and are also more likely to live in households with a higher level of crowding. Poor IEQ in housing is associated with adverse health outcomes, particularly respiratory illness. This paper outlines the IEQ problems experienced by households living in an area of New Zealand with higher levels deprivation and shows how an HVAC system could be employed to remedy poor IEQ. This report presents a case study of a house with poor IEQ that was selected from a survey conducted across 24 homes in the Manukau, Auckland region of New Zealand. The IEQ results are presented for this house, which performs poorly in terms of relative humidity, temperature and thermal comfort. This house is then analysed using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach in ANSYS CFX 2021R1 based on the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Airconditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standard 55-2017 and a model of temperature and air flow is created in the software, which can identify ways to improve these parameters in the house. These results are compared with the New Zealand Healthy Homes Standards 2019. The simulation showed the system was capable of lifting the indoor temperature to above 21 ℃, eliminating cold spots and improving thermal comfort, and reduced relative humidity to below 50%.

Integrated assessment of the extreme climatic conditions, thermal performance, vulnerability, and well-being in low-income housing in the subtropical climate of Australia

Social housing stock worldwide can be characterised by poor indoor environmental quality and building thermal performance, which along with the increasing urban overheating put the low-income population at higher health risk. The dwellings’ thermal performance and the indoor environmental quality are often overlooked in the context of social housing compared to the general building stock in Australia. In the present study, the synergies between urban microclimate, indoor air temperature, housing characteristics and quality of life of residents have been investigated by employing subjective and objective assessment of indoor environmental quality in 106 low-income dwellings during the winter and summer of 2018–2019 in New South Wales. It further examines the impact of urban overheating and levels of income on indoor thermal conditions. The subjective method involved assessing the links between the type of housing in which low-income people live, energy bills, self-reported thermal sensation, health and well-being, and occupants’ behaviours. The results show that many dwellings operated outside the health and safety temperature limits for substantial periods. Indoor air temperatures reached 39.8 °C and the minimum temperature was about 5 °C. While the upper acceptability limit for indoor air temperature was 25.6 °C for 80 % satisfaction, periods of up to about 997 and 114 continuous hours above 26 °C and 32 °C were found in overheated buildings, respectively. Indoor overheating hours above 32 °C were recorded up to 238 % higher in Sydney’s western areas compared to eastern and inner suburbs. Similarly, residents in westerns suburbs and regions experience more outdoor overheating hours than those living near the eastern suburbs. This study highlights the interrelationships between ambient temperature, housing design, income, thermal comfort, energy use, and health and well-being in the context of social housing. The evidence of winter underheating and summer overheating suggests that improvements in building quality and urban heat mitigation are required to minimise the impacts of poor-performing housing and local climate.

The Nest: post evaluation study on intentional learning space in public housing Malaysia

PurposeAligned with the United Nations 2030 agenda of leaving no one behind, a project called The Nest was initiated to create an in-house intentional learning space at two public housings in Klang Valley. In a small unit of public housing, most children in these houses sit on the floor in the living room to do their schoolwork or study with the TV switched on. Poor indoor environmental quality and lack of personal space are among the main reasons that lead to children not being able to study at home comfortably.Design/methodology/approachThe research employed a quasi-experimental approach as the research field setting was not randomly assigned. Observation on the change in the quality of space and post-evaluation interviews with beneficiaries were conducted.FindingsThe findings show that besides the tangible space that the Nest project has created, it also has created in-tangible space. It has shown that even small spatial changes to existing spaces could improve children's active learning and the participation of parents in their children's learning.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focuses on the home learning experience and parental involvement in their children's learning, so perhaps future research can be done to measure the impact of home learning space on academic achievement.Practical implicationsThe research outcomes show that a good quality of learning space influences the children's learning experience at home and the parents' involvement. It will also contribute to the development of the building regulation for high-rise affordable housing in Malaysia. Particularly in improving the optimum requirement to achieve better comfort quality for the learning space at the residential unit.Social implicationsThe Nest project will contribute to raising the awareness among all residents of public housing on the importance of in-house learning space and encourage them to build their own learning spaces through the Do-It-Yourself Guidelines.Originality/valueThe research outcomes show that both parental involvement and the quality of learning space influence the children's learning experience at home. It will contribute to the development of the building regulation for high-rise affordable housing in Malaysia. Particularly in improving the optimum requirement to achieve better comfort quality for the learning space at the residential unit.

Evaluation of a Polyester Filter and UV Light (PFUV) Dehumidifier to Improve Indoor Environmental Quality: Preliminary Results

Older residential dwellings in New Zealand frequently suffer from poor indoor environmental quality (IEQ) due to an ageing housing stock. Recent New Zealand surveys indicated around 50% of children live in houses that do not meet acceptable standards for thermal comfort. Children in these houses frequently experience respiratory conditions caused by dampness and mould during winter. New regulatory standards requiring a fixed heating source in the main living room of rental houses can increase rents and may result in the heating source not being utilized. This study evaluates an alternative low-cost portable air filter/sterilizer (PFUV) dehumidifier device for improving IEQ within the building envelope using Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) and a polyester filter (dual-10 30/30). This paper compares the effectiveness of the PFUV dehumidifier device and a conventional heat pump in terms of measured particulate matters as well as fungal profiles using Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) plates. The PFUV dehumidifier successfully reduced the relative humidity to within a healthy range of (44–49%) compared to not running the device (54–60%), thereby reducing the suitability of the environment for mould growth. Additionally, the PFUV device achieved a reduction in average particulate matter (PM2.5) to within the range of 0.16 to 0.53 µg/m³ compared to the range of 1.06 to 2.42 µg/m³ before using the device.

Relationship between environmental indoor conditions of a classroom and the performance of undergraduate students

PurposeThis research aims at studying the influence of a classroom’s inner environmental conditions on undergraduate students’ performance using an experimental methodology.Design/methodology/approachThe Uchida-Kraepelin test (U-K test) was applied to measure the performance of a group of 47 students in a selected classroom that was arranged according to the following experimental conditions: air-conditioning on, and doors and windows closed (D1); doors and windows open, and air-conditioning off (D2); air-conditioning off, and doors and windows closed (D3). After completing the tests, questionnaires were distributed to evaluate the students’ assessment of each set of environmental conditions.FindingsOn-site measurements of humidity and carbon dioxide levels stress the importance of ensuring good natural ventilation through open doors and windows, independently of whether the air-conditioning system is operated or not. Also, the authors find that the students’ self-assessment regarding the inner environmental conditions for each studied set was entirely accurate, with set D3 being assessed as the worst. The U-K test scores for each environmental set did not show statistically significant differences, which means that, in the studied conditions, the student’s performance in the tests was not affected by the inner environmental conditions.Practical implicationsThere is a direct relationship between the building’s indoor conditions and an occupant’s health. Factors such as poor maintenance, bad indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and building age will worsen the building’s condition and negatively impact the occupant’s health. Educational buildings with poor IEQ can reduce the concentration and performance of occupants.Social implicationsSchool is an important place to help students grow in their various capabilities. They spend approximately 30% of their daily lives in schools for their educational activities. Since most of their activities are performed indoors, indoor environmental attributes, such as light, heat, air and sound, should be maintained as required. In general, schools are not thermally comfortable. The extreme thermal environment of classrooms affects students’ concentration. Thermal discomfort may also cause irritation. In addition to reduced concentration, such an environment could also cause tiredness, sluggishness and health problem.Originality/valueDespite the importance of the issue, scientific investigations of the correlations between students’ performance and the quality of scholar buildings’ inner environmental conditions are still relatively recent. In this context, this research further explores the effect of a classroom’s different environmental inner conditions on the performance of undergraduate students at a university in São Paulo/Brazil.

Strengthening Taiwan’s Green Building Certification System from Aspects of Productivity and Energy Costs to Provide a Healthier Workplace

This study estimates the relationship between poor indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and the increasing labor costs in green buildings in Taiwan. Specifically, poor performance of IEQ including HVAC, lighting, and indoor air quality, influences the health and well-being of occupants and leads to worse productivity, ultimately causing increased personnel cost. In Taiwan’s green building certification (GBC) system, the energy-savings category is mandatory while the IEQ category is only optional. It means that certified building cases may not reach the expected level in IEQ. Thus, this study reviews the thermal environment, indoor air quality (IAQ), and illumination performances of IEQ-certified and non-IEQ-certified buildings in 20 green buildings. Building energy and IEQ simulations were conducted to analyze the relationships between indoor comfort, energy cost, and personnel cost in green buildings. The results show that IEQ-certified green buildings averagely perform better than non-IEQ-certified ones in the aspects of IEQ and building costs. Besides, 3 of 13 non-IEQ-certified green buildings undertake extremely high additional expenditure for the poor IEQ. The results correspond to some previous findings that green-certified buildings do not necessarily guarantee good building performance. This study further inspects the pros and cons of Taiwan’s GBC system and proposes recommendations against its insufficient IEQ evaluation category. As the trade-off of energy-saving benefits with health and well-being in green buildings has always been a concern, this study aims to stimulate more quantitative research and promote a more comprehensive green building certification system in Taiwan.

Cost-Effective Customizable Indoor Environmental Quality Monitoring System

Poor indoor environmental quality (IEQ) has become a global concern for World Health Organization (WHO), and its impact on health and well-being has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. To monitor and sanitize indoor air, this study develops a cost-effective and customizable IEQ monitoring system to detect unhealthy and low-comfort air levels. This system uses ThingSpeak (MATLAB), microcontrollers (Arduino Uno), and various low-cost sensors to measure indoor air quality (IAQ) and IEQ in terms of gas, particulate matter, temperature, sound level, and ultraviolet (UV) light. The presented system is validated with respect to temperature, relative humidity, and particulate matter by benchmarking against the Camfil air image sensor manufactured by Camfil AB, Stockholm, Sweden. The average error of temperature, relative humidity, and PM2.5 are 0.55%, 5.13%, and 3.45%, respectively.

The thermal comfort sweet-spot: A case study in a residential house in Waikato, New Zealand

A longitudinal study has revealed that 50% of New Zealand children sleep in rooms that fall below the expected standard for thermal comfort during the winter months. Causes include older insulation and glazing standards for residential homes, poor materials, inadequate ventilation, and residents being unable to afford heating. These combined factors result in poor indoor environmental quality (IEQ). This paper aims to analyse experimentally and computationally the thermal comfort in a bedroom occupied by two children (aged eight and three) from 19:00 to 7:00. The experiment was carried out during June 2021. The measured data were particulate matter (PM2.5), relative humidity (RH%), and air temperature (°C), captured with an air image sensor. In order to find appropriate thermal comfort parameters, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models with four heat pump temperature settings (19°C, 20°C, 21°C and 22°C) were investigated to assess the predicted mean vote (PMV), predicted percentage dissatisfied (PPD) and the local air quality index (LAQI) for the expired air. Measurements and CFD results show that setting the heat pump temperature to 22°C is aligned with the 1.7 Metabolic (MET) - EN ISO 7730, 2005 and ASHRAE 55 recommendation for thermal sensation and the indoor PM2.5 of 1.058 μg/m3, which meets ASHRAE 62.1, 2019 and the New Zealand Standard NZS4246:2016.

Daylight Illumination and Building Architecture - Effect at Workplace

Occupational health and architecture on the modern office-based work environment is a major public health concern of this era. Information and communication technology have created a world where a high-quality working environment is vital for the office workers. Majority of the nation provide quantity rather than quality of work conditions. According to the researcher’s poor indoor environmental quality, such as illumination, has a detrimental influence on human health and performance. The purpose of this study is to discuss about the effect of day light illumination on worker productivity. This paper has analyzed previous researches and have directed for future research. This study also shows that an adverse day light condition has a negative impact on workers' health and resulting adverse effect on productivity and efficiency. They are also at risk of contracting occupational ailments. Proper day light illumination is advisable which is a necessity for both employee and employer.

Time-Resolved Characterization of Indoor Air Quality due to Human Activity and Likely Outdoor Sources during Early Evening Secondary School Wrestling Matches

Despite positive health outcomes associated with physical activity as well as individual and team sports, poor indoor air and environmental quality can adversely affect human health, performance, and comfort. We conducted a 14-month field case study incorporating two winter sports regular seasons (12/2017–2/2019) including analyses of particulate matter (PMx) in air and in dust, carbon dioxide (CO2), temperature, and relative humidity (RH%) during secondary or high school wrestling activities in southern New Jersey, USA. After planning and piloting methods during the first winter sports regular season (12/2017–2/2018), during the second winter sports regular season (1–2/2019), we conducted a purposeful simultaneous real-time sampling midgymnasium adjacent to the wrestling mats. Gymnasium occupancy ranged 100–500 people. Data collected included inhalable PM10 resuspended from floor mats, fine respirable PM2.5, and indoor CO2, temperature, and RH%. Short-term real-time elevated PM10 levels were directly compared with simultaneously documented wrestling match bouts, e.g., student-athlete takedowns and pins. PM10 and PM2.5 levels were compared with other known documented activities indoors (e.g., snack bar) and sources outdoors (e.g., adjacent parking lot and major freeway). To understand CO2, temperature, and RH% data, we characterized the HS gym mechanical ventilation system—no doors or windows outdoors—and recorded occupancy during match hours. Indoor CO2 levels ranged ∼700–1000 ppm during match #1 on 1/23/2019 but ranged from ∼900 to 1900 ppm during match #2 on 1/30/2019, with >1000 ppm for the majority of the time (and throughout the entire varsity match when occupancy was at maximum). Future research should further characterize PM10 constituents in mat dust and indoor air with larger samples of schools and matches.