Environmental Quality Conditions Research Articles

Indoor Environmental Quality in Portuguese Office Buildings: Influencing Factors and Impact of an Intervention Study

Office workers spend a considerable part of their day at the workplace, making it vital to ensure proper indoor environmental quality (IEQ) conditions in office buildings. This work aimed to identify significant factors influencing IEQ and assess the effectiveness of an environmental intervention program, which included the introduction of indoor plants, carbon dioxide (CO2) sensors, ventilation, and printer relocation (source control), in six modern office buildings in improving IEQ. Thirty office spaces in Porto, Portugal, were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. Indoor air quality, thermal comfort, illuminance, and noise were monitored before and after a 14-day intervention implementation. Occupancy, natural ventilation, floor type, and cleaning time significantly influenced IEQ levels. Biophilic interventions appeared to decrease volatile organic compound concentrations by 30%. Installing CO2 sensors and optimizing ventilation strategies in an office that mainly relies on natural ventilation effectively improved air renewal and resulted in a 28% decrease in CO2 levels. The implementation of a source control intervention led to a decrease in ultrafine particle and ozone concentrations by 14% and 85%, respectively. However, an unexpected increase in airborne particle levels was detected. Overall, for a sample of offices that presented acceptable IEQ levels, the intervention program had only minor or inconsistent impacts. Offices with declared IEQ problems are prime candidates for further research to fully understand the potential of environmental interventions.

Pendampingan Masyarakat Peduli Ekowisata Mangrove di Kawasan Mangrove Tanjung Batu, Kecamatan Sekotong, Kabupaten Lombok Barat, Nusa Tenggara Barat

Assistance to people who care about mangrove ecotourism in mangrove areas is one of the monitoring and evaluation activities to maintain sustainability and increase the effectiveness of ecotourism programs in mangrove areas. The aim of community service activities in the Tanjung Batu mangrove ecotourism area, Sekotong District, West Lombok Regency is a follow-up to the urgency and relevance of the community assistance program caring for mangrove ecotourism in the mangrove area as a strategic step in maintaining the sustainability of the mangrove ecosystem which can improve the welfare of the local community. This service method is carried out through a process of mentoring and community empowerment through several stages, namely: field surveys, interviews, discussions, and formulating solutions for sustainable mangrove ecotourism. The results of service activities show that the Tanjung Batu mangrove ecotourism area, Sekotong District, West Lombok Regency is in good condition with facilities and infrastructure to support tourism activities. Improving the quality of management of mangrove ecotourism areas can be carried out through a strategy of regular monitoring and evaluation of environmental (water) quality conditions, management, organizational structure (pokdarwis), and evaluation of ecotourism management, and involving community participation in sustainable management of Tanjung Batu mangrove ecotourism.

Tree planting as a health promotion strategy on cycle paths in a municipality with unfavorable weather conditions for active transport

Improving conditions and encouraging active mobility has become a necessity in the current parameters of urbanization in Brazil. Using active transport, through cycling, provides a sustainable characteristic to the urban environment, integrating environmental, social and economic improvements. The present study aims to analyze the influence of afforestation on cycling structures’ comfort condition in a Brazilian municipality in a region with extreme climate conditions: high temperatures and humidity unfavorable to active transport. Temperature and relative humidity data were collected using an HTR-157 thermo-hygrometer in 7 urban cycling structures in the municipality of Sinop, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil, from March to July 2020. Temperature and humidity were used to determine the Temperature and Humidity Index (THI). The analysis using a dendrogram, carried out using the hierarchical grouping method, for the tree-lined and non-tree-lined cycle paths, showed that cycle path 7, the only one with the presence of continuous and contiguous trees on both sides of the road, showed different behavior from all the others, with more favorable temperature and relative humidity indicators for the entire analyzed period (dry and rainy). It is concluded that afforestation constitutes an important strategy for promoting health in the urban environment, providing better thermal comfort and environmental quality conditions, especially when there are low values of relative air humidity, positively supporting aspects related to afforestation such as aesthetics, safety and microclimate.

Phytoarchitecture Design Requires a Plant Selection Framework to Combat Air Contaminants in Building Areas Sustainably

Empowerment of plants to maintain the indoor and outdoor air quality of a building area promises occupant health and sustainable use of the building. In supporting plants' functional role, this study proposes a novel approach for a general framework for selecting plants. The method to achieve the objectives of this study was based on previous empirical studies conducted in various places under different environmental quality conditions. The essential findings of the selected literature became part of the technical feasibility process in selecting plants. Significant results indicate the mechanism of controlling airborne contaminants by plants through aerial parts and growth media. Gaseous pollutants can be absorbed along with carbon dioxide absorption, while particulate matter is deposited on the leaf surface. Some other contaminants enter the plant growth medium, which plants can process with microbes in the root zone. The use of plants for indoor and outdoor phytoremediation is various plant species, sourced and selected from a retrospective study, locally available and standard plants, and popular plants. These findings were developed to include assessments of contaminant-plant interactions and plant-specific experiments. The implications of the plant selection framework can be one of the promising methods in designing sustainable building phytoarchitectures.

E-DYCE - Dynamic approach to the dynamic energy certification of buildings

The energy performance certification (EPC) scheme, introduced in the European Union approximately 20 years ago, has become the focus of the upcoming revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). Despite its widespread use, the current EPC scheme has several shortcomings that need to be addressed. The Energy flexible DYnamic building Certification (E-DYCE) project has developed a dynamic approach to address these issues. The methodology includes a dynamic assessment of a building’s energy needs and comfort conditions under standard and different from standard conditions of building use to support Performance Gap (PG) analyses. The E-DYCE approach includes a dynamic building performance simulation with comfort and energy-related key-performance indicators (KPIs) measured and calculated according to E-DYCE DEPC methodology. These KPIs can inform end-users about indoor environmental quality conditions decisive for building energy performance, aid building managers in detecting dysfunctions resulting in PG, and include energy performance indexes for heating, cooling, lighting, domestic hot water, and more. Overall, the E-DYCE approach offers dynamic, reliable, and customer-tailored information and optimization possibilities to end-users while potentially resolving known shortcomings of the existing EPC schemes.

Indoor Environmental Quality Optimisation Model for Institutional Care Rooms of Elderly People

It is known that the elderly usually spend the last years of their lives indoors, with little contact with others and the outside environment. Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) conditions related to lighting, air quality, thermal comfort, and acoustics directly affect their quality of life. In this study, the main focus is on the design of institutional care rooms for elderly people to create an indoor comfort. However, considering all four factors of IEQ in one model is a challenging task. A multi-objective problem is formulated based on a weighted sum of IEQ components in a parametric modelling environment using computational design methods. Several simulation tools are utilised, and a Self-Adaptive Ensemble Differential Evolution Algorithm is proposed to tackle this complex problem. The results show that optimal ranges for each IEQ component are achieved, with average values reaching 72% of the ideal benchmarks after the algorithm is converged. Results reveal strong correlations between IEQ components. This significant improvement in indoor environmental quality (IEQ) demonstrates the efficacy of the optimisation algorithm used. This study emphasises the flexibility and relevance of these findings for wider implementation in similar settings.

The Impact of Measurable Findings from Pre- and Post-Occupancy Evaluations of Indoor Environmental Quality in the Primary Workspace

This study examined the influence of quantitative and qualitative findings from both a pre-design occupancy evaluation (PDOE) and a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) on the expanded design team’s (designers, client, and researchers) approach to updating the interior work environment. The design team’s implementation of mid-course design solution modifications to the primary workspaces of an engineering group’s environment both after the PDOE and the POE yielded many significant outcomes. The POE was conducted using the same instrument as the PDOE one year after the employees had moved back into their renovated space on a corporate campus. The study’s results were used as a diagnostic tool to improve indoor environmental quality (IEQ) conditions for employees and provided benchmarks for the remaining (85%) campus workplace improvements. The influence and importance of IEQ criteria on employee satisfaction, work performance, and health were demonstrated and contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the influence of the built environment on building occupants. A paired inquiry (PDOE plus POE) helps ensure that human, financial, and environmental resources are appropriated with a higher likelihood of success over POE data alone in terms of meeting current and future employees’ needs and corporate goals.

The persuasive effect of humorous prompts on tourists’ heritage responsible behaviors

PropósitoEsta investigación pretende aclarar cómo afecta el humor al efecto persuasivo de la señalización sobre el comportamiento responsable de los turistas respecto al patrimonio.Diseño/metodología/enfoqueSe realizaron tres experimentos basados en escenarios a través de Credamo (una plataforma de encuestas en línea). En los estudios 1 y 2 se utilizó un diseño entre sujetos de un solo factor (estilo de lenguaje: humorístico frente a serio) para comprobar los efectos directos e indirectos de los señalización humorísticos. El estudio 3 utilizó un diseño entre sujetos de 2 (calidad del entorno: alta frente a baja) × 2 (estilo lingüístico: humorístico frente a serio) para revelar con más detalle la condición límite (calidad del entorno) del efecto del humor.ConclusionesLos resultados revelaron que las señalización humorísticas (frente a las serias) persuaden mejor a los turistas a participar en las HRB. El gusto por el contenido influye en la relación entre los señalización humorísticos y las HRB. Además, la calidad del entorno modera de forma significativa el efecto de los señalización humorísticos sobre los THRB, de modo que el efecto persuasivo de los señalización humorísticos es mayor en condiciones de alta calidad del entorno que en condiciones de baja calidad del entorno.Implicaciones prácticasLas organizaciones de gestión de destinos pueden utilizar el humor para reducir la reacción de los turistas ante las señalización a la persuasión conductual. Además, también es importante adaptar oportunamente las señalización humorísticas a los cambios en la calidad del entorno.Originalidad/valorBasándonos en la teoría de la reactancia psicológica, nuestra investigación confirmó el efecto dominante de las señalización humorísticas empleando el gusto por el contenido como variable mediadora, proporcionando una nueva perspectiva para la investigación sobre la regulación de las THRB. Además, aclaramos una condición límite para la persuasión de los señalización humorísticos, lo que ayuda a reforzar la comprensión de la persuasión humorística.

Macrozoobenthos Diversity on Mangkoso Beach in Barru Regency

Research on the diversity of Macrozoobenthos on the coast of Mangkoso village, Barru Sub-district in Barru district. The purpose of this research is to determine the diversity of Macrozoobentos. This research uses the purposive sampling method in determining the location of research stations and plot making using the line Transect method. The research station consists of three stations, i.e., Station 1, Station 2, and Station 3. The results of the study found 20 species of Macrozoobentos consisting of 13 species from Klas Gastropoda, from Classis Bivalvia 5 species, Polychaeta 1 species and Crustacea 1 species to a total of 20 species (Fillum Mollusca), Cerithium dialeum species, Cerithium sp, Clithon faba, Clithon oualaniense, Clithon sp, Hebra corticata, Hebra sp, Littorina sp, Nassarius bimacularus, Nerita sp, Smaragdia rangiana, Tornatina coarctata, and Vitta sp. Class Bivalvia consists of Anadara sp, Epicodakia sp, Spondylus sp, Tellina mariae, and Tellina sp. While Class Polychaeta, each one species is Naineris and Uca sp. The composition of the species, the population density, the negation, and uniformity of the community macrozoobenthos that the Station 2 is higher than Stations 1 and 3. It is seen on the results of the diversity index (H′) of Macrozoobentos at Station 1 (0.92) and Station 2 (2.55). All three stations indicate that low diversity and environmental quality conditions are in a half-polluted state. The seawater’s quality around the coastal Mangkoso village, Barru District, needs the local government’s attention to reduce environmental pollution.

A Protocol for Microclimate-Related Street Assessment and the Potential of Detailed Environmental Data for Better Consideration of Microclimatology in Urban Planning

This paper presents a warning that there is a need for better consideration of microclimatology in urban planning, particularly when addressing microclimate-related human comfort in designing outdoor public spaces. This paper develops a protocol for microclimate-related street assessment, considering simultaneous dynamic environmental components data gathering and better understanding of microclimatic conditions when commuting by bicycle. The development of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) has the potential for overcoming the gap between microclimatology and urban planning, since ICT tools can produce a variety of soft data related to environmental quality and microclimate conditions in outdoor spaces. Further, the interpretation of data in terms of their applicability values for urban planning needs to be well addressed. Accordingly, this paper tests one particular ICT tool, a prototype developed for microclimate data collection along cycling paths. Data collection was performed in two European cities: Bilbao (Spain) and Ljubljana (Slovenia), where the main objective was the development of a protocol for microclimate-related street assessment and exploration of the potential of the collected data for urban planning. The results suggest that the collected data enabled sufficient interpretation of detailed environmental data and led to a better consideration of microclimatology and the urban planning of cycling lanes. The paper contributes to urban planning by presenting a protocol and providing fine-grained localised data with precise spatial and temporal resolutions. The data collected are interpreted through human comfort parameters and can be linked with rates/levels of comfort. As the collected data are geopositioned, they can be presented on a map and provide links between environmental conditions within a spatial context.

Indoor environmental quality in offices and risk of health and productivity complaints at work: A literature review

Many service jobs are carried out in modern offices, with individual offices being increasingly replaced by open-plan settings. The high number of adult people working in office buildings, in most situations sharing the workplace with many others during a considerable part of their daily time, highlights the importance of providing adequate guidance to ensure the quality of office environments. This paper aims to summarize existing data on modern offices' indoor environmental quality (IEQ) conditions in terms of air pollution (volatile organic compounds (VOC), particulate matter and inorganic pollutants), thermal comfort, lighting and acoustics and the respective associations with health and productivity-related outcomes in workers. Evidence shows that although many offices present acceptable IEQ, some office settings can have levels of air pollutants, hygrothermal conditions/thermal comfort and illuminance that do not comply with the existing international standards and recommendations. In addition, findings suggest the existence of significant associations between the assessed IEQ indicators and the risk of detrimental effects on health and productivity of office workers. In particular, airborne particles, CO2, O3 and thermal comfort were linked with the prevalence of sick building syndrome symptoms. Poor lighting and acoustical quality have also been associated with malaise and physiological stress among office workers. Similarly, better productivity levels have been registered for good indoor air quality conditions, in terms of VOC, airborne particles and CO2. Overall, the evidence revised in this work suggests that for promoting health and productivity recommendations for office building managers include actions to ensure that: i) all relevant IEQ indicators are periodically controlled to ensure that levels comply with recommended limit values; ii) declared indoor pollution sources are avoided; iii) adequate ventilation and acclimatization strategies are implemented; and iv) there is the possibility of conduct personalized adjustments to environmental conditions (following workers' preferences).

A novel three-band macroalgae detection index (TMI) for aquatic environments

ABSTRACT Overgrowth of algae is a serious threat for aquatic ecosystems. This threat has occurred frequently in recent decades due to increased anthropogenic activities. Thus, understanding how the aquatic environment promotes algae growth by comprehensive monitoring is essential for protecting and sustaining aquatic ecosystems. We propose a novel Three band Macroalgae Index (TMI) using the green, red and near-infrared bands of Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) as a robust remote sensing indicator for detecting and monitoring algae overgrowth in aquatic ecosystems. The proposed index has been tested in different water quality conditions in different aquatic environments. These conditions always vary between different images even if the study area is the same, e.g. atmospheric aerosols, refraction of water-leaving radiance according to sun and view angles, and sun glint on the surface which is influenced by waves and currents. Also, the six study areas were selected because of their water quality differences, including open ocean and inland lakes, e.g. Great Salt Lake being hypersaline waters, Lake St. Claire regarded as moderately eutrophic and open ocean waters in English Channel. A cross-comparison among the TMI and nine existing algal bloom indices indicated the superior performance of TMI (90%–100%), with reference to similarity to the OC2-based-TSI classifications. The performance of the existing indices was inconsistent across varying environmental and water quality conditions. This might be attributed to several factors including, uncertainty of shortwave infrared band retrievals used by some indices over turbid waters, and dependence of those indices on specific geographical location and/or sensor. The TMI overcame these issues and is therefore an alternative index for algal bloom detection in different water types, as it uses the wavebands which are commonly available on many remote sensing systems.

Tradeoff between well-being of students and cost of greening schools in arid regions

PurposeSchools should be adequately built and operated to protect students' health. Green building rating systems, including Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), assist the construction industry in improving both the resource efficiency and indoor environmental quality of its buildings. Construction professionals may waive some green modifications and available optional credits due to their high costs or construction complexities. This study investigates whether cost-effective green modifications can adequately address the student health.Design/methodology/approachIn an effort to identify how school projects in Dubai, UAE prioritized LEED credits related to occupant well-being, the study identified eight LEED credits (called “Health and wellbeing” credits). Cost data from a sample of nine Dubai schools were used to develop an indicator, named the Feasibility Index Score (FIS), to quantify the attractiveness of LEED credits based on their cost and implementation complexity. Physical measurements taken from the sample schools give a window into current indoor environmental quality (IEQ) conditions of schools in the local region, while FIS provides insight into potential financial barriers towards improving these conditions.FindingsThe authors identified eight “Health and wellbeing” credits, which may net up to 14 points or 13% of all possible LEED points. Despite this, assessments of the sample schools revealed that six of the “Health and wellbeing” credits exhibited relatively low FIS values. This may cause these credits to be waived when lower tiers of LEED certifications are desired.Research limitations/implicationsA sample of nine schools was chosen for this research; further investigation using a greater sample size is recommended.Practical implicationsThe paper's IEQ assessment indicates the importance of health-related credits and suggests implementing them regardless of their FIS.Originality/valueThis paper recognizes the importance of providing more weight to credits that directly impact the health of occupants, particularly when upgrading existing structures.

Assessing the effect of a classroom IEQ on student satisfaction, engagement and performance

Inappropriate indoor environmental quality (IEQ) conditions are shown to reduce occupants’ satisfaction, wellbeing and performance. Therefore, it is crucial to provide an excellent classroom IEQ in order to minimize learning loss among students. This study determines the effect of different thermal and indoor air quality (IAQ) conditions in a classroom on students’ satisfaction, study engagement and cognitive performance. Three data collection campaigns were performed in a university classroom. Data collection consisted of (1) continuous IEQ monitoring (i.e., temperature, relative humidity, CO2, …), (2) frequent assessments of students’ satisfaction with IEQ and study engagement via here-and-now surveys, and (3) evaluations of students’ memory and processing speed. The IEQ conditions were varied by adapting (1) a room temperature setpoint between 18°C to 26°C and (2) a CO2-setpoint between 500 ppm and 1000 ppm. A mixed-effects regression analysis on the collected data showed statistically significant relationships between students’ study engagement and the room temperature trend, air enthalpy, relative humidity and TVOC-concentrations in the classroom. The addition of data on students’ satisfaction with IEQ only improved a minority of model fits. A statistically significant difference in students’ memory was found between test conditions. However, a randomized experimental design is needed to determine the relationship between the classroom IEQ and students’ cognitive performance.

Analysis of the Performance of Natural Composite Materials Reinforced with Sago Sheath Fibers as an Alternative Material in Overcoming the Effect of Urban Heat Islands on Buildings

Local knowledge of a region is an asset that encourages the identification of a region. Hence, the specificity, uniqueness, and character that animates a particular city can distinguish it significantly from other cities. Sago tree fronds are widely applied to buildings as an alternative material for making tiles for roofs and other parts of buildings. The sago palm has long been used for making roofs and walls, especially in traditional houses. Few previous studies have used sago fronds as a manufacturing material for traditional houses. However, based on data in the field, many traditional houses still use sago fronds as a roof and wall framing material. This is also an effort to overcome the urban heat island phenomenon (UHI) in buildings. The UHI phenomenon is a phenomenon of urban development that highly affects environmental quality conditions and causes microclimate changes where air temperature conditions in urban areas are higher than the surrounding air temperatures. Sago midrib fiber is a natural composite material used as a reinforcing material for natural composite materials due to its thermal and mechanical properties. Composite materials using the hand lay-up technique—with characterization methods including the impact test and the DSC test, variations in NaOH levels, and variations in the resin–catalyst matrix—were used in this study. The results obtained were then compared with those in the literature. The results showed that 6% NaOH obtained the most significant impact value of 2.1 J, and the resin–catalyst matrix variation of 97.5%:2.5% obtained the most significant impact value, which was 2.4 J. Meanwhile, the DSC test results showed that the material’s best value for retaining heat was at 4% NaOH content variation and a resin–catalyst matrix variation of 97.5%:2.5%.

Graded concentrations of lidocaine hydrochloride in the modulation of behavioral, cardiac, and muscular responses of the Amazon freshwater fish tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum)

The present study was designed to characterize the behavior and evaluate the electromyographic and electrocardiographic responses of tambaqui (C. macropomum) exposed to different concentrations of lidocaine hydrochloride in immersion baths and after transfer to anesthetic-free water. For this purpose, fish juveniles (25.38 ± 6.5 g) were acclimated to aquariums for 15 days under controlled environmental and water quality conditions. Four concentrations of lidocaine hydrochloride (LA) (150, 175, 200, and 225 mg/L LA) were used in immersion baths to evaluate behavioral, electromyographic, and electrocardiographic changes during short-term anesthetic induction (5-min exposure) and in a washout. Upon exposure to LA, and irrespective of concentration, fish showed loss of the righting reflex, along with significant myorelaxation, which was partially achieved at concentrations of 150 and 175 mg/L LA and fully attained at 200 and 225 mg/L LA. Notably, a decreased heart rate and alteration of the T wave tracing occurred at higher concentrations. Notwithstanding, although protocols using LA at 225 mg/L or above could require greater care in monitoring, the prompt reversibility of such responses in recovering fish indicates that LA can be safely used in immersion baths for tambaqui C. macropomum as an alternative to other anesthetics, especially those in which important side effects have been documented.

Spatial Analysis of Health and Physical Parameters of the Mangrove Forest at Taman Hutan Raya Ngurah Rai, Bali Using Sentinel-2A

Mangrove forest is a very valuable forest, but despite its benefits mangrove forest continue to be degraded due to human activities. The purpose of this study was to map the distribution and to analyze mangrove forests’ health based on the NDVI vegetation index value and environmental quality. Distribution of mangrove forest health was obtained through the processing of sentinel 2-A satellite imagery in 2020 and field measurements. The environmental quality of the mangrove forest was obtained by processing the physical parameters which are water temperature, water salinity, water pH, and substrate texture using the Ordinary Kriging method. The health of the mangrove forest of Taman Hutan Raya Ngurah Rai is dominated by healthy category mangroves. The health of the mangrove forest worsens when closer to the shore and riverbanks. Mangrove vegetation with good conditions tends to have optimal environmental quality conditions and vice versa.

IoT-based platform for automated IEQ spatio-temporal analysis in buildings using machine learning techniques

Providing accurate information about the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) conditions inside building spaces is essential to assess the comfort levels of their occupants. These values may vary inside the same space, especially for large zones, requiring many sensors to produce a fine-grained representation of the space conditions, which increases hardware installation and maintenance costs. However, sound interpolation techniques may produce accurate values with fewer input points, reducing the number of sensors needed. This work presents a platform to automate this accurate IEQ representation based on a few sensor devices placed across a large building space. A case study is presented in a research centre in Spain using 8 wall-mounted devices and an additional moving device to train a machine learning model. The system yields accurate results for estimations at positions and times never seen before by the trained model, with relative errors between 4% and 10% for the analysed variables.

Preventing cognitive impairment by reducing air pollution

Preventing cognitive impairment by reducing air pollution

Internet of Things Enabled Smart Animal Farm Prototype

Livestock plays very important economic, social and cultural roles in the well being of rural communities across the world. Quality environmental conditions, automation and monitoring are the key necessities of running a good and profitable livestock farm. Air quality, temperature of the surroundings and humidity play a major role while deciding the fan speeds of the exhaust System used in all aspects of livestock farming. Another important part of livestock production is increasing incubation speeds of eggs by performing artificial incubation. It is a requirement to maintain the temperature at a constant value in this system. This paper describes two mutually exclusive Fuzzy Logic algorithm-based systems to automate the exhaust system and an artificial egg incubator. The other important part of a livestock farm is production of milk and milk products. It is required to monitor the health of cows by overseeing their activities at any point of time. This can be done by determining and monitoring the activities performed by the cow. This paper describes a simple Deep Learning Model to classify the activities of a cow broadly as standing, walking or grazing. The Exhaust and the Incubator system are controlled and monitored using Internet of Things (IOT) System using a native web application developed using the Flask framework.