Spatial Comfort Research Articles

The Relationship Between Physical, Psychological Health and Space Comfort in the Elderly: A Qualitative Study

The aging process is characterized by a decline in living abilities that can affect the physical and mental well-being of the elderly. The various problems experienced by the elderly require facilities that provide comfort and interior design that supports their physical and mental health. This study aims to analyze the relationship between physical health, psychological health, and space comfort in improving the quality of life of the elderly at the Elderly School of Happy Culture House (SLRBB) in Depok City. The research method used is a qualitative method with data collection techniques through interviews and observations. Data was also obtained through a review of literature relevant to the research topic. Analysis was conducted using triangulation techniques, where data from various sources were compared and put together to obtain more comprehensive results. The results showed that there is a mutually influential relationship between physical health, psychological health, and spatial comfort in the elderly. Good physical health allows the elderly to carry out activities independently, while positive psychological health supports mental well-being. Spatial comfort, including elderly-friendly interior design, increases safety and comfort, and creates a more supportive environment that improves the overall quality of life of the elderly. The implications of this study show the importance of creating a holistic environment for older adults, which not only focuses on physical health, but also psychological well-being and spatial comfort. This can be applied to various programs or facilities that aim to improve the quality of life of the elderly.

Photovoice for leveraging traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine amongst black adults to improve sleep health and overall health.

Average adults are recommended to have 7-8 h of sleep. However insufficient sleep (IS defined as <7 h/nightly) is associated with increased risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM), a burgeoning area of research and practice, leverages both modern and traditional approaches to improve health. Despite TCIM's recognition as a tool to improve sleep and related outcomes, there is a gap in literature in addressing its impact among black individuals, who experience a disproportionate burden of IS and chronic disease. This qualitative study aimed to increase understanding of TCIM practices to overcome IS and overall health in black communities. Using photovoice methodology, a qualitative tool which applies community-engaged principles to produce culturally informed results through interviews and digital media, consented participants were recruited from Miami, Florida and (1) instructed to capture images over one week that communicated their TCIM to improve sleep and overall health on their mobile device; (2) interviewed using individual, semi-structured procedures to add "voice" to the "photos" they captured for ~20 min; and (3) invited to participate in follow-up focus groups for refined discussion and data triangulation for ~1.5 h. Both individual and focus group interviews were conducted over Zoom with recordings transcribed for formal content analysis using Nvivo software. The sample included N = 25 diverse US black individuals (M = 37, SD = 13, range 21-57). Approximately a quarter of the sample were unemployed (N = 7) and majority were women (N = 21). Results highlighted five themes including: (1) natural wellness (sleep supplements, comfort beverages, aromatherapy, herbalism, outdoors); (2) self-care (self-maintenance, physical activity, spatial comfort); (3) leisure (pet support, play); (4) mental stimulation (mindfulness, reading); and (5) spiritual wellness (faith-based practices). Study results elucidate the heterogeneity of diverse US black individuals regarding sociocultural knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors. Addressing IS in black communities requires a comprehensive strategy that integrates cultural sensitivity, family and community dynamics, education, mental health support, and informed policymaking. Future studies should consider how sleep health literacy, stress appraisal, and coping strategies may vary by race/ethnicity for tailored intervention.

Research on Public Space Area Indicators of Physical Examination Centers

With the increasing demand for medical checkups, problems such as overcrowding and confusion in the public spaces of physical examination centers are becoming prominent. This seriously affects the efficiency of medical checkups and the satisfaction of patients. Because of the lack of reference norms and standards, spatial resources are allocated blindly in physical examination centers. Therefore, the reasonable prediction of demands for space and the allocation of areas for public space are problems we need to explore. This study aims to establish a foundation for spatial resource allocation by analyzing the relationship between area allocation and volume of medical checkups and spatial comfort. The objective is to balance service quality and construction costs in physical examination centers. Utilizing AnyLogic, this research simulates pedestrian flow characteristics during peak hours based on empirical data. Additionally, it provides statistics on and analysis of such areas in 30 physical examination centers. The findings reveal that the average per capita allocation of public space ranges from 6.90 to 7.10 m2. The functional relationship between the area of public space (y) and the total area (x) is y = 0.3649x − 57.096. This paper also proposes a relationship between the waiting space and the daily volume of medical checkups according to two comfort levels. The percentages of waiting space in public space ranges from 10% to 12.5% (comfort level) and 7% to 10% (general comfort level). This research provides architects with a specific and operable foundation for space planning, enhancing the standardization and scientification of physical examination center construction. Furthermore, the methodology used in this study proves valuable for future analyses of the interrelationships among functional units in medical buildings. It can also be applied during the postuse evaluation phase, enabling continuous assessment and iterative improvement in the design.

무인카페 특성이 긍정적 감정과 지속이용의도에 미치는 영향

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between positive emotions and the intention to continue using unmanned cafes, focusing on the characteristics experienced by consumers. To this end, a survey was conducted among individuals who have patronized unmanned cafes. A total of 203 responses were statistically analyzed using the SPSS 18.0 software. The findings revealed that: First, the ease of technology use, spatial arrangement and functionality, and payment convenience—all key features of unmanned cafes—significantly positively influence positive emotions. Second, positive emotions were found to significantly enhance the intention to continue usage. Third, the characteristics of unmanned cafes directly contributed to a positive continuous use intention. These results suggest that strategies to facilitate the easy use of unmanned system technology, improve spatial comfort and functionality, and enhance payment convenience are essential. Such strategies can elicit positive emotions, thereby fostering a continued desire to use unmanned cafes. Emphasizing the importance of convenience for consumers in using unmanned cafes is particularly crucial.

Honeymoon-hangover effect: Occupant workspace satisfaction decreases over time

This paper investigates the pattern of change in occupants’ satisfaction with the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) of their workspace over time. Analyses were performed on a cumulative (2012–2023) database of responses to a Post-Occupancy Evaluation survey in Australia. 20,400 questionnaire responses from 226 office buildings were classified into five groups based on the length of time respondents had occupied their workspace. Associations between workspace satisfaction and the length of time respondents had occupied their workspace were also analysed for different gender and age cohorts. Our results show that occupant satisfaction generally decreased with the length of time they had been allocated to their present workspaces (the ‘honeymoon-hangover’ effect). People who have occupied their workspace for more than 5 years expressed lower overall satisfaction with their workspace than those who have been there for less than 6 months. The same pattern was observed for occupants’ satisfaction with other IEQ dimensions including building image and maintenance, indoor air quality, spatial comfort, and thermal comfort. This ‘honeymoon-hangover’ effect was evident across genders and age groups. Furthermore, there was negligible difference between the two genders on the ‘honeymoon-hangover’ effect, although thermal comfort and indoor air quality were generally less satisfactory for women than men. Respondents aged 30 yrs or less showed a larger decline in satisfaction over time compared to those over 50-yrs old. Within the 30-year-or-under age group, occupants who had spent more than 5 years at their workspaces consistently registered the lowest satisfaction score across all IEQ dimensions. Implications and impactsThe findings in this study have significant implications for the design of Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) surveys and for facility managers aiming to enhance occupants' satisfaction with their workspace and workplace.

Analyzing the Acoustic Performance of Unglazed Terracotta in an Indoor Office Environment

Work environments commonly address users' thermal, visual, and spatial comfort; however, acoustic comfort tends to be neglected, leading to potential discomfort. Terracotta, a durable indigenous material deeply ingrained in Indian households for centuries, is conventionally utilized in constructing roofs, floors, and decor but remains unexplored for its acoustic attributes. This study evaluates the acoustic performance of unglazed terracotta tiles as a salutogenic resource, employing the reverberation room method (ASTM C423) and the impulse response method (ISO 3382-2) in an indoor office space. Parameters such as sound absorption, background noise, sound pressure level, Speech Transmission Index (STI), Reverberation Time (RT), and noise curves are meticulously measured both pre- and post-placement of terracotta specimens using a Bedrock SM90 Class 1 Sound Level Meter. The findings from this research aim to encourage architects to consider terracotta as a prospective material for enhancing acoustic conditions within built environments. Upon analyzing the reverberation, speech intelligibility, background noise, signal-to-noise ratio, and noise curve evaluations, it was observed that terracotta demonstrates high effectiveness as a panel absorber, especially in higher frequency ranges. Further improvements were noted when the panels were given a foam backing, suggesting potential as an effective acoustic panel.

Geoecological assessment of spatial comfort of the population and bioproductivity of landscapes (regional aspect)

The article presents a geoecological assessment of the spatial comfort of the population of the Chechen Republic, as well as the natural bioproductivity of landscapes. Cartographic and tabular materials on the problem of environmental safety have been compiled. The main ecological problem of the Republic on the reduction of productive lands per capita is indicated. Conclusions and recommendations are made on the rational use and sustainability of landscape complexes, for planning and housing of the population, and industries of farms.

A study on eye movement test and visuospatial optimization of wayfinding perception in large-scale comprehensive transportation hubs

Abstract The integration of rail transit stations and the surrounding underground space presents volume scale and functional complexity, and it has gradually formed a complex integrated transportation hub. Wayfinding inside its space is also more difficult, and the behavioral phenomena of passengers stopping, wandering, and getting lost are common. This paper uses station A of a large transportation hub as an example. It combines target detection technology and the optical flow method, designs the traffic space guidance system, tests how well passengers can find their way by moving their eyes, and then looks at how the visual space can be improved in terms of color, comfort, and subjective comfort after getting feedback. The data from the passenger eye-movement test reveals that during the sub-processes of information perception and elevator path selection, the logo is the primary focus, with attention ratios of 72.35% and 61.28%. Orange, yellow, and green were the three colors that received the highest ratings for subjective spatial comfort from passengers, with ratings of 0.58, 0.55, and 0.35, respectively, which are data-supported for visuospatial optimization.

Enerji Verimli Aydınlatma Tasarımı: Farklı Pencere Boyutlarında Optimum Gün Işığı Kullanımı Üzerine Bir Araştırma

In recent years, with the frequently discussed concept of sustainability, designers have been increasingly demanded to improve spatial comfort conditions. The growing emphasis on energy efficiency in design has led designers to consider these issues at earlier stages of the design process. Daylight, seen as a clean, uninterrupted energy source and a cost-effective alternative to artificial lighting, also ensures visual comfort for individuals due to its good color rendering. Despite all these well-known benefits, design criteria have not been established to reduce the energy consumption rate caused by artificial lighting while taking into account the factors affecting daylight, an important input. This study presents an investigation aimed at achieving energy savings in lighting by using the ideal window concept and other parameters to optimally benefit from daylight. The study has been applied under cloudy sky and deep room conditions, which represent the worst-case scenarios. As an alternative to time-consuming mathematical calculations, the Velux Daylight Visualizer lighting simulation program was used to create three-dimensional designs for horizontal, vertical, square, and roof windows separately, and the effects of these windows on the daylight factor were analyzed. The impact of different furniture colors in the interior space was also examined. Following the investigations, it was observed that roof windows produced more daylight compared to others. However, since roof windows cannot be used in multi-story buildings, a comparison was made between horizontal, vertical, and square windows, and it was concluded that horizontal windows placed close to the upper wall were more efficient than the others. In addition, it was observed that lighter-colored furniture, among the light and dark furniture, produced more daylight compared to the other.

Determination of Patient Satisfaction with Dental and Oral Care Services for Clinical Students at Dental and Oral Hospital Prima Medan

The aim of this research is to determine the determinants of patient satisfaction with dental and oral care services for clinical students at Dental and Oral Hospital Prima Medan. This type of research is quantitative research with a cross-sectional design. The sample in this study was 200 patients. Data analysis in this study used univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis. The results of the study showed that there was a correlation between patient satisfaction with dental and oral care services among clinical students at Dental and Oral Hospital Prima Medan based on time, procedure, attitude, level of knowledge, p &lt; 0.05 (0.000 &lt; 0.05) with a very high correlation level strong. There is a correlation between patient satisfaction with dental and oral care services among clinical students at Dental and Oral Hospital Prima Medan based on communication and spatial comfort, p &lt; 0.05 (0.000 &lt; 0.05) with a strong correlation level. The influence of service time, procedures, attitudes, level of knowledge, communication and spatial comfort on dental and oral care patient satisfaction among clinical students at Dental and Oral Hospital Prima Medan was 83.7%. The variable that most influences patient satisfaction with dental and oral care services for clinical students at Dental and Oral Hospital Prima Medan is the procedure variable

Comfort level of green areas in public spaces in Guayaquil

Green spaces in urban areas generally have a positive impact on the physical and mental well-being of residents, as well as providing ecological benefits, such as improving air and water quality. Green areas in public spaces can contribute to the overall comfort level of an urban environment that requires shade, reduce heat island effects, and improve air quality. They can also provide a sense of calm and relaxation and can serve as a gathering place for community members. Studies have also shown that access to green spaces can have a positive effect on mental health and can reduce stress levels. However, the comfort level of a specific green area in a public space de-pends on quality and comfort indicators. Microclimatic conditions and hu-man thermal comfort and demonstrate how the presence and quality of green spaces can affect the urban heat island effect and mitigate the impacts of high temperatures in urban areas. In the present study, the quality, and com-fort indicators such as accessibility, design, maintenance, and biodiversity of the existing green areas will be determined in samples taken in public spaces in the south, center and north of the city of Guayaquil as a comparative study for Improvements in street furniture and new selections of plant species were established. The objective of this study is to reduce the effect of heat islands and generate an increase in the urban green index of Guayaquil. The qualitative methodology is applied by applying the AHP-TOPSIS decision-making method to determine design strategies and guidelines for green areas in public spaces. The study concludes that the application of these indicators to green spaces have a positive impact on thermal and spatial comfort and can reduce the urban heat island effect and improve the habitability of public spaces.

Approaches for Complex and Integrated Refurbishment to Improve Energy Efficiency and Spatial Comfort of the Existing Post-War Mass Housing Stock in Serbia

The research presents approaches to the complex refurbishment of multi-family buildings constructed during the mass construction period in Serbia. These buildings comprise a quarter of Serbia’s housing stock, are characterized by high energy consumption for heating, and have major spatial and organizational deficiencies: small apartments, outdated and inflexible spatial organization, and the absence of elevators. The subject of the research is the application of the methodology of complex and integrated refurbishment by adding volume to existing multi-family buildings with the goal of achieving higher energy efficiency while remodeling and modernizing residential units and improving vertical building communications. The research presents a comparative analysis of the energy performance and spatial organization of the existing building and three variants of building improvement: Case 1 (without volumetric additions), Case 2 (with volumetric additions—relocating vertical communications), and Case 3 (with volumetric additions—expanding usable living space). Based on the Knaufterm simulations, the energy savings for heating energy consumption compared to the existing state are 81% in Case 1, 89% in Case 2, and 87% in Case 3. Based on predefined parameters of spatial comfort, a comparative analysis of spatial comfort in residential units was conducted for all three improvement variants.

Critical indoor environmental factors affecting productivity: perspectives from university staff and postgraduate students

ABSTRACT Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of buildings plays an important role in affecting building occupants’ comfort, health and well-being. However, there is limited understanding of the critical IEQ factors that affect occupants’ work productivity in university office buildings. By surveying 204 people (72 university staff members and 132 postgraduate students) in a tertiary education institution in New Zealand, this research aimed to identify and rank the critical IEQ factors concerning their perceived productivity and how the perceived importance of these factors differed between staff and student cohorts. Statistical analysis identified a total of 16 IEQ factors as important in affecting work productivity, and 15 of them, except cleanliness of the office, could be grouped into four categories: (1) thermal comfort and lighting; (2) acoustics and privacy comfort; (3) spatial comfort and (4) aesthetics and views. Based on the identified critical IEQ factors, a framework was developed and can be used by building facility managers and designers in the tertiary education sector to optimize design solutions to improve building performance that is more conducive to their occupants. The findings from this research can inform the inclusion of design features that will enable staff and students using these buildings to achieve better productivity.

Spatial Cognition of the Visually Impaired: A Case Study in a Familiar Environment.

This paper aims to explore the factors influencing the spatial cognition of the visually impaired in familiar environments. Massage hospitals are some of the few places that can provide work for the visually impaired in China. Studying the spatial cognition of the visually impaired in a massage hospital could be instructive for the design of working environments for the visually impaired and other workplaces in the future. First, the subjective spatial cognition of the visually impaired was evaluated by object layout tasks for describing the spatial relationships among object parts. Second, physiological monitoring signal data, including the electrodermal activity, heart rate variability, and electroencephalography, were collected while the visually impaired doctors walked along prescribed routes based on the feature analysis of the physical environment in the hospital, and then their physiological monitoring signal data for each route were compared. The visual factors, physical environmental factors, and human-environment interactive factors that significantly impact the spatial cognition of visually impaired people were discussed. (1) visual acuity affects the spatial cognition of the visually impaired in familiar environments; (2) the spatial cognition of the visually impaired can be promoted by a longer staying time and the more regular sequence of a physical environment; (3) the spatial comfort of the visually impaired can be improved by increasing the amount of greenery; and (4) the visual comfort of the visually impaired can be reduced by rich interior colors and contrasting lattice floor tiles.

Spatial comfort of social housing units - perspective of Nis, Serbia

The basic precondition, when it comes to the spatial comfort of social housing units is to create residential space which will, in addition to health, hygiene and sanitary minimum, also provide optimal conditions for proper psycho-social development of the users. Previous researches showed that the most relevant criteria, regarding the unit?s spatial comfort, are: size, spatial arrangement and adaptability of housing space, but also the existence of private open areas. Upon these criteria the evaluation model for the valorization of the spatial comfort of social housing units will be formed. This model will further be used for the analysis of the buildings constructed for this purpose in the city of Nis, Serbia.

A COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF USER SATISFACTION THROUGH COMFORT CONDITIONS IN EDUCATION BUILDINGS

Aim: The study aimed to measure user satisfaction in the education buildings on comfort conditions, to determine and evaluate the significant criteria for the users of education buildings. Method: A conceptual scale is developed. Two architectural education buildings of Adana Science and Technology University are evaluated comparatively through the developed scale and the scale is tested. The data required during the analysis and evaluation process are obtained from the survey studies that are carried out with the architecture students. Results: After the analyzes; visual comfort, auditory comfort, thermal comfort, spatial comfort and air quality were determined as the dimensions of the scale. The scale was tested and it is confirmed that the scale is at the level that can distinguish the conditions of user satisfaction thanks to the analysis as well as the case studies. Conclusion: The literature review shows that there is a need for a more holistic and collective user satisfaction understanding within the context of comfort conditions. The scale, developed to meet this need, can be used for not only post-use evaluation and development in the use/operational process of education buildings, but also has the potential to be used in the planning and design stages.

Climatic change impacts on the energy requirements for the built environment sector

The population growth, rising living standards, and climate change impacts will considerably affect the energy needs for the built environment in the coming decades. Because of the climatic changes, the shift in humidity levels and dry/wet bulb temperatures would change the required energy to maintain the same spatial comfort conditions. Furthermore, the heating load may be lowered due to the higher winter temperatures; however, the cooling load will be significantly augmented for some regions. Thus, it is imperative to quantify the impacts of building heating and cooling loads concerning climate change. This will help emphasize increasing energy capacity, improving efficiency, and developing energy policies to reduce and adapt to the climate change implications. The present study focuses on analyzing the recent works addressing and exploring the effects of climate change on the built environment’s energy consumption. This paper examines and discusses the accepted approaches and projections of building energy change. The survey shows that the estimations of heating/cooling loads are significantly affected by the type of building, city, and other regional factors. Finally, the challenges associated with predicting building energy requirements are presented and discussed.

Impact of Block Spatial Optimization and Vegetation Configuration on the Reduction of PM2.5 Concentrations: A Roadmap towards Green Transformation and Sustainable Development

The article aims to reduce PM2.5 concentration by improving the spatial comfort of blocks and the vegetation configuration. It mainly analyzes the impact of the following five aspects on the PM2.5 concentration distribution in blocks, including different angles between the prevailing wind direction and blocks, different vegetation types, the distance between vegetation and buildings, vegetation height and building height, and different street tree configuration types on both sides of the block. The results show that: when the street angle is 45 degrees, the PM2.5 concentration in the air is the lowest. The PM2.5 concentration in the air is significantly improved when the enclosed vegetation type (F1–F2) is planted, and the spacing between vegetation and buildings has no obvious effect on PM2.5 concentration distribution. There is a negative correlation between the height of vegetation on both sides and the PM2.5 concentration. At the height of 6 m, the PM2.5 concentrations on the windward and leeward sides are relatively balanced. When the street trees are evenly distributed, they have the least effect on reducing PM2.5 concentrations. However, the richer the distribution levels of street trees, the more obvious the effect on reducing PM2.5 concentrations.

Audial Comfort Evaluation of the Urban Park Libraries, Case Study: Bima Microlibrary in Bandung, Indonesia

Public libraries have a function as a place of activity for its visitors. Activities performed at this facility require excellent comfort, including spatial comfort, visual comfort, thermal comfort, and most importantly audial comfort. Currently, micro libraries are starting to appear as public libraries in urban parks, among other things, to increase public interest in reading and provide educational space for underprivileged communities. The various activities that occur around and in the urban park produce noise which of course disturbs the micro library in it. This research focuses on the Bima Microlibrary located in Taman Bima, as a prototype micro library designed by SHAU Architecture and Urbanism. This research uses a descriptive quantitative method by measuring the noise level that occurs in the object of study. Through this research, it is known that the noise level that occurs in the object of study reaches a very high and uncomfortable level. Therefore, this research also recommends engineering that can be done for the study object to attain audial comfort. It is hoped that the results of this study can encourage designers to pay more attention to audial comfort for educational facilities, especially those built in public areas, such as micro libraries.

LOGGING CRAFTS OF UDMURT PEASANTS IN VYATKA PROVINCE DURING THE MODERNIZATION PERIOD (SECOND HALF OF THE XIX CENTURY)

The article considers logging crafts of Udmurt peasants of Vyatka province as an independent type of craft activity in interaction with other elements of the peasant economy in the second half of the 19th century. Logging and wood-chopping trades were the most attractive for Udmurt peasants, because of their proximity to the familiar world, sacred ideas about spatial differentiation, ethnic and linguistic comfort. Therefore, they were the most traditional and massive for the peasantry of Udmurtia. The analysis of their development in the Russian modernization dynamics of the second half of the 19 century allows us to answer the questions of the coexistence of traditions and innovations in the Russian province. The dominant influence of the natural factor on the territorial division of labor, the choice of one or another type of non-agricultural occupations of the population is shown. The unique combination of huge woodlands and a dense network of floating rivers with access to the Kama and Vyatka determined not only the preservation of logging and wood-cutting industries in the second half of the 19 century, but also the growth of wood production. The constant growth of the market demand for wood, combined with the preserved methods of logging and timber transportation, showed the high adaptive capabilities of these traditional crafts during the studied period. The abolition of serfdom, the elimination of the institution of indispensable workers, the active penetration of market mechanisms into traditional foundations laid the grounds for the process of gradual transformation of logging into one of the elements of the emerging capitalist economy.