Use Of Air Conditioning Research Articles

Impact of the Thermal Load for a Library Model in a Rural Region of Tropical Climate in Mexico

The evaluation and results of a thermal balance is presented for a building located at latitude 18° N, in an intercultural university community in the “Sierra de los Tuxtlas” (Tuxtlas Mountains), southeast of Mexico. The case study corresponds to the main building of the Intercultural University of Veracruz Las Selvas which is able to house the library, a center for learning native languages ​​and a computing. In order to maintain thermal comfort conditions in this space, the use of an air conditioning system is required, which works at its maximum capacity, implying high consumption of electrical energy, as well as important maintenance expenses. The objective of this work was to evaluate the thermal load of the building considering the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) methodology in order to reduce the consumption of the electric energy required for the use of air conditioning, which is of vital importance in this tropical zone. In the first stage of evaluation, the following assumptions were considered: (a) the loads related to the glazed enclosures (radiation, conduction and infiltration of air), (b) the effect of the surface of the windows of the different orientations of the building and, (c) the use of solar control films to decrease heat gains. Special care was taken not to make alterations on the infrastructure of the physical space and to not compromise the external environment. In the building that was under evaluation it was found that by reducing the enveloped area of the north and south sections, heat can be minimized and the transmitted visible light required for the development of the occupants’ activities is not affected. However, if the enveloped area on the west side is modified, visible light would be compromised. The use of solar control films provides significant benefits because the heat gained by radiation can be minimized by more than 60 %, this is achieved without obstruction the view to the outside nor the visible light required by the occupants to maintain an adequate performance in the development of their activities. If these strategies are implemented, the consumption of electrical energy can be reduced considerably.

Air Conditioning the Arabian Peninsula

With much of the Arabian Peninsula characterized by hot and arid weather conditions during long summer seasons, residents are forced to rely on air conditioning to cool their surroundings. Before the construction of air conditioning infrastructures, many would leave the coast during the summer months to head to oases, such as Al Ain near Abu Dhabi, or live in tents in the desert to find relief from the heat. From the 1950s, European and American building practices shaped the region with little consideration of vernacular design elements or energy conservation. These building practices introduced air conditioning as a cooling method. For instance, the 1951 Report of Operations to the Saudi Arab Government by the Arabian American Oil Company explained how “automobiles, air conditioning units, sewing machines, washing machines, refrigerators, and many other modern conveniences are now readily available” in Al Hasa, a significant region for Aramco's operations on the east of Saudi Arabia. By 1952, workers residing in Aramco's camps could have air conditioning units installed in their rooms on a rental basis. Air conditioning technology reconfigured urban environments, altering the relationship between indoors and outdoors, and ultimately constituting what Jiat-Hwee Chang and Tim Winter term a “thermal modernity” that transforms how built forms are imagined and inhabited. The current widespread use of air conditioning in the region is therefore connected not only to high temperatures, but also to how air conditioning is singled out as the ultimate technical fix in confronting the climate. Other solutions to managing heat, such as improving insulation mechanisms for residences and office buildings, have been less pervasive.

Perceived heat stress increases with population density in urban Philippines

The world’s population is increasingly urban, with more than half the global population already living in cities. The urban population is particularly affected by increasing temperatures because of the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Increasing temperatures cause heat stress in people, even when not directly exposed to heat, since outdoor meteorological conditions also affect conditions inside, particularly in non-air-conditioned environments. Heat stress harms people’s health, can impair their well-being and productivity, and may cause substantial economic losses. In this study, we investigate how people in urban areas across the Philippines are affected by heat, using data from 1161 responses obtained through an online survey. We found that almost all respondents (91%) are already experiencing heat stress quite severely and that the level of heat stress is correlated with population density. Controlling, in a multiple log it model, for variables commonly associated with heat stress, such as age, health, physical exertion and climate, we found that those least likely to be severely affected by heat live in areas with fewer than ∼7000 people per km2. Air-conditioning use at home relieved heat stress mostly for people in low-density areas but not where population density was high. The results provide evidence for the social impacts of increasing heat in urban areas, complementing understanding of well-known physical impacts such as the UHI effect.

Air-quality-related health impacts from climate change and from adaptation of cooling demand for buildings in the eastern United States: An interdisciplinary modeling study.

BackgroundClimate change negatively impacts human health through heat stress and exposure to worsened air pollution, amongst other pathways. Indoor use of air conditioning can be an effective strategy to reduce heat exposure. However, increased air conditioning use increases emissions of air pollutants from power plants, in turn worsening air quality and human health impacts. We used an interdisciplinary linked model system to quantify the impacts of heat-driven adaptation through building cooling demand on air-quality-related health outcomes in a representative mid-century climate scenario.Methods and findingsWe used a modeling system that included downscaling historical and future climate data with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, simulating building electricity demand using the Regional Building Energy Simulation System (RBESS), simulating power sector production and emissions using MyPower, simulating ambient air quality using the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model, and calculating the incidence of adverse health outcomes using the Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP). We performed simulations for a representative present-day climate scenario and 2 representative mid-century climate scenarios, with and without exacerbated power sector emissions from adaptation in building energy use. We find that by mid-century, climate change alone can increase fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations by 58.6% (2.50 μg/m3) and ozone (O3) by 14.9% (8.06 parts per billion by volume [ppbv]) for the month of July. A larger change is found when comparing the present day to the combined impact of climate change and increased building energy use, where PM2.5 increases 61.1% (2.60 μg/m3) and O3 increases 15.9% (8.64 ppbv). Therefore, 3.8% of the total increase in PM2.5 and 6.7% of the total increase in O3 is attributable to adaptive behavior (extra air conditioning use). Health impacts assessment finds that for a mid-century climate change scenario (with adaptation), annual PM2.5-related adult mortality increases by 13,547 deaths (14 concentration–response functions with mean incidence range of 1,320 to 26,481, approximately US$126 billion cost) and annual O3-related adult mortality increases by 3,514 deaths (3 functions with mean incidence range of 2,175 to 4,920, approximately US$32.5 billion cost), calculated as a 3-month summer estimate based on July modeling. Air conditioning adaptation accounts for 654 (range of 87 to 1,245) of the PM2.5-related deaths (approximately US$6 billion cost, a 4.8% increase above climate change impacts alone) and 315 (range of 198 to 438) of the O3-related deaths (approximately US$3 billion cost, an 8.7% increase above climate change impacts alone). Limitations of this study include modeling only a single month, based on 1 model-year of future climate simulations. As a result, we do not project the future, but rather describe the potential damages from interactions arising between climate, energy use, and air quality.ConclusionsThis study examines the contribution of future air-pollution-related health damages that are caused by the power sector through heat-driven air conditioning adaptation in buildings. Results show that without intervention, approximately 5%–9% of exacerbated air-pollution-related mortality will be due to increases in power sector emissions from heat-driven building electricity demand. This analysis highlights the need for cleaner energy sources, energy efficiency, and energy conservation to meet our growing dependence on building cooling systems and simultaneously mitigate climate change.

A new type of self-powered external cooling shell of air conditioner

In recent years, with the rising demands one indoor comfort, the use of air conditioners is becoming more and more widespread. The energy consumption of air conditioners is rising, accounting for about 40%-60% of the total building energy consumption[1]. During the use of air conditioner in summer, the disordered discharge of condensate water and the excessive temperature of external machine are two major problems that need to be improved. In view of these above problems, we have designed a new type of self_powered external cooling shell of air conditioner. It includes condensate water collection subsystem, solar panel cover subsystem, energy storage subsystem, intelligent control and ultrasonic atomization subsystem. The purpose of this device is to collect the useless air conditioner condensate water and cool down the air conditioner external machine. This device can not only save water, but also enhance the effect of air conditioner refrigeration, save electric energy and enhance the service life of air conditioner.

Indoor environment monitoring based on humidity conditions using a low-cost sensor network

Strict energy targets are driving demands for greener and more sustainable energy generation, distribution and consumption practices. A significant portion of energy consumption is due to the use of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems within building. Optimising HVAC systems for energy efficiency requires improved environmental monitoring; as such more sensors are necessary for monitoring the indoor space. However, use of multiple sensors could be cost prohibitive, hence the need for low-cost sensor network systems. This paper presents a low-cost monitoring system and the testing of the system on humidity conditions, which is an important parameter affecting thermal comfort conditions in the indoor environment and by extension, energy consumption and/ or conservation. We argue that appropriately monitoring and reporting on indoor environment conditions helps to ensure appropriate application of control measures leading to efficient energy management and delivery. The system, with some modification and further development can also be used to monitor and control Mini/Microgrid systems or in other fields.

The impact from the direct injection and multi-port fuel injection technologies for gasoline vehicles on solid particle number and black carbon emissions

The gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine has substantially penetrated light-duty gasoline vehicles to help reduce fleet-wide fuel consumption across the world. However, increased particle emissions from GDI vehicles rather than the conventional multi-port fuel injection (MPFI) vehicles are of great concern. To investigate the particle emissions for these two categories of gasoline engines, we employed a dynamometer and measured the emissions of solid particle number (PN) and black carbon (BC) for four GDI and four MPFI vehicles under various testing cycles and conditions. Under the reference cycle (30 °C and cold-start WLTC), a strong correlation between solid PN and BC emissions is identified for both GDI and MPFI vehicles, although GDI vehicles without particle filters have significantly higher emissions of solid PN and BC than those of MPFI vehicles. Furthermore, varying the testing conditions by including cold start, low temperature, aggressive driving and air conditioning use all increase the emissions of solid PN and BC. These affecting factors pose more significant changes to particle emissions from MPFI vehicles than GDI vehicles. For example, at −7 °C, the solid PN and BC emissions of MPFI vehicles are increased by 4.17 times and 16.5 times relative to the results under 30 °C, and they are comparable to or higher than the emissions of GDI vehicles. Our results indicate that modern gasoline vehicles available in China’s market are likely to fail to comply with the upcoming PN emission limit (China 6), suggesting a serious need to adopt gasoline particle filters (GPF) for both GDI and MPFI vehicles. Advanced after-treatment technologies and stringent regulations to control particle emissions from gasoline vehicles should fully consider varying real-world conditions to guarantee effective environmental benefits.

Ocular dryness assessment in Saudi employees working indoors and outdoors.

ObjectiveTo investigate dry eye disease in Saudi employees working in indoor and outdoor environments.MethodsA single-center randomized controlled study was carried out in an optometry clinic, to assess the ocular dryness of 24 male employees (12 indoor and 12 outdoor employees, mean age 36.4±2.5 years). The Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire was used to assess ocular dryness. Tear film assessment was carried out using phenol red thread (PRT), tear film osmolarity test, and fluorescein tears breakup time (FTBUT) with slit-lamp biomicroscopy.ResultsBoth indoor and outdoor employees showed mild-to-moderate ocular dryness. A significant difference (P=0.004) was found for the tear quality test (FTBUT) between the indoor (8.58±4.8) and outdoor (5.54±1.3) employees. However, no significant differences for the tear quantity tests (tear osmolarity and PRT) between the indoor and outdoor employees were observed.ConclusionDry eye cases were detected in both groups. This might be due to the hot dry environment in Riyadh and the use of air conditioners commonly used indoors. A significant difference was observed for the tear film stability, which might be due to the effect of environment and/or visual display unit use.

Wind-Driven Natural Ventilation Design Of Walk-Up Apartment In Coastal Region North Jakarta

Housing has been the second most energy-consuming sector in Indonesia nowadays. According to the data released by government, the biggest consumption in housing sector is the use of air conditioning. This consumption will significantly rise in metropolitan-high density city like Jakarta along with the increase of vertical housing supply. This research focus on design iteration to achieve optimum model of wind-driven naturally ventilated housing. Cilincing District, North Jakarta, known as industrial and settlement area is used as case study. Since the location by the bay area, Cilincing represents the characteristic of tropical coastal area. This research utilizes the tropical coastal characteristic especially wind to design a naturally ventilated housing. Various building elements are determined as variables and tested using Ansys Fluent CFD simulator to achieve thermal comfort stadard by SNI 03-6572-2001. Preliminary results shows that unlinear (zig-zag) building layout and combination of various building distances give big impact to airflow movement around the buildings. Narrowing building distance in the middle of the site can create a kind-of tunnel / trap that strengthen the wind along the site. Inlet and outlet area should be balance to avoid uneven airflow distribution inside the room and located in different level to maximize cross-ventilation.

Survey of resident behaviour related to air conditioner operation in low-cost apartments of kuala lumpur

Predictions of air conditioner (AC) use can greatly facilitate efforts to increase energy efficiency in buildings and promote sustainability. In order to determine the statistical characteristics of occupant behaviour related to AC operation, a series of surveys were conducted between September 2013 and December 2015 in 63 dwellings within two apartments in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Measurements were taken either in the bedroom or living room of each dwelling. The results indicate that occupants who use ACs more frequently tend to use them for longer periods. It was found that AC use in bedrooms is not affected by outdoor temperature but is controlled by the habitual behaviour of the occupant. AC usage in living rooms slightly increases with increases in outdoor temperature. AC usage predominantly occurs at night time, with a maximum of 50 % of occupants using ACs in bedrooms. The start time and duration of use vary for each dwelling. These findings on stochastic resident behaviour might be useful for various building energy simulations in predicting realistic AC loads, particularly in tropical climates.

Source Apportionment and Influencing Factor Analysis of Residential Indoor PM2.5 in Beijing.

In order to identify the sources of indoor PM2.5 and to check which factors influence the concentration of indoor PM2.5 and chemical elements, indoor concentrations of PM2.5 and its related elements in residential houses in Beijing were explored. Indoor and outdoor PM2.5 samples that were monitored continuously for one week were collected. Indoor and outdoor concentrations of PM2.5 and 15 elements (Al, As, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Pb, Se, Tl, V, Zn) were calculated and compared. The median indoor concentration of PM2.5 was 57.64 μg/m3. For elements in indoor PM2.5, Cd and As may be sensitive to indoor smoking, Zn, Ca and Al may be related to indoor sources other than smoking, Pb, V and Se may mainly come from outdoor. Five factors were extracted for indoor PM2.5 by factor analysis, explained 76.8% of total variance, outdoor sources contributed more than indoor sources. Multiple linear regression analysis for indoor PM2.5, Cd and Pb was performed. Indoor PM2.5 was influenced by factors including outdoor PM2.5, smoking during sampling, outdoor temperature and time of air conditioner use. Indoor Cd was affected by factors including smoking during sampling, outdoor Cd and building age. Indoor Pb concentration was associated with factors including outdoor Pb and time of window open per day, building age and RH. In conclusion, indoor PM2.5 mainly comes from outdoor sources, and the contributions of indoor sources also cannot be ignored. Factors associated indoor and outdoor air exchange can influence the concentrations of indoor PM2.5 and its constituents.

An Exploratory Analysis of Sound Field Characteristics using the Impulse Response in a Car Cabin

Sound environments in cars are becoming quieter and receiving attention because of the prevalence of low-noise engines such as hybrid and electric engines and the manifestation of automated driving. Although the car cabin has potential as a listening space, its acoustic quality has not been examined in detail. The present study investigated sound field characteristics in the car cabin using acoustic parameters obtained by impulse response analysis. In particular, effects of the passenger position, open windows and the use of an air conditioner on acoustic parameters were investigated. The passenger position affected the sound strength at low frequencies. Rear seats, except for the rear central seat, had lower interaural correlation than the front seats, suggesting that rear seats have more diffused sound fields. The opening of windows and use of air conditioners attenuated the ratio of early- and late-arriving energy at high frequencies, suggesting a loss of clarity for music.

Analisa pemakaian energi listrik dan cop pada AC split 900 watt menggunakan refrigeran hidrokarbon MC-22 dan R-22

Untuk mengetahui efisiensi kerja suatu peralatan AC perlu mengetahuikonsumsi energi listrik, efek refrigerasi dan coefficient of performance(COP). Kebanyakan sistem pengkondisian udara/AC memakai refrigeransintetik. Penggunaan refrigeran sintetik telah dilarang pemerintah menurutkeputusan Menperindag RI No. 79/MPP/Kep/12/2002 karena termasukOzone Depleting Substance (ODS), yaitu zat yang dapat menyebabkankerusakan lapisan ozon, disamping itu masih mempunyai potensi sebagai zatyang dapat menyebabkan efek pemanasan global karena memiliki GlobalWarming Potential (GWP) yang signifikan. Pada tesis ini ditinjaupenggunaan refrigeran yang ramah lingkungan, yaitu refrigeranhidrokarbon Musicool 22 /MC-22 sebagai pengganti R-22. Refrigeran MC-22 kompatibel dengan komponen AC yang menggunakan R-22. Dari hasilpenelitian AC Split dengan menggunakan R-22, pemakaian energi listrik 726Watt, efek refrigerasi 149.07 kJ/kg dan COP 4.9. Bila menggunakan MC-22pemakaian

Smart Control System to Optimize Time of Use in a Solar-Assisted Air-Conditioning by Ejector for Residential Sector

The present work provides a series of theoretical improvements of a control strategy in order to optimize the time of use of solar air-conditioning by an ejector distributed in multiple solar collectors of vacuum tubes for the residential sector, which will allow us to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions, costs and electrical energy consumption. In a solar ejector cooling system, the instability of the solar source of energy causes an operational conflict between the solar thermal system and ejector cooling cycle. A fuzzy control structure for the supervisory ejector cycle and multi-collector control system is developed: the first control is applied to control the mass flow of the generator and the evaporator for different cooling capacities (3, 3.5, 4, 4.5 and 5 kW) and set a temperature reference according to the operating conditions; the second is applied to keep a constant temperature power source that feeds the low-grade ejector cooling cycle using R134aas refrigerant. For the present work, the temperature of the generator oscillates between 65 °C and 90 °C, a condenser temperature of 30 °C and an evaporator temperature of 10 °C. For the purpose of optimization, there are different levels of performance for time of use: the Mode 0 (economic) gives a performance of 17.55 h, Mode 5 (maximum cooling power) 14.86 h and variable mode (variable mode of capacities) 16.25 h, on average. Simulations are done in MATLAB-Simulink applying fuzzy logic for a mathematical model of the thermal balance. They are compared with two different types of solar radiation: real radiation and disturbed radiation.

Subjective Complaints of Ocular Dryness and Xerostomia Among the Non-Sjögren Adult Population of Lublin Region, Poland.

BackgroundEye and mouth dryness are the most common symptoms reported during ophthalmological and dental examinations, and their frequency increases with age. In connection with population aging and the huge variety of factors and conditions that can induce this condition, it is becoming a serious and growing problem. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether ocular dryness and concomitant xerostomia is associated with particular systemic diseases.Material/MethodsWe enrolled 642 non-Sjögren patients referred for examination to the ophthalmology or dental clinic of Lublin region, Poland. The research was conducted using a standardized interview: The Interview and Examination Questionnaire. All patients responded to the survey questions, which concerned systemic diseases, lifestyle, with special emphasis on computer work, spending time in polluted and air-conditioned rooms, and subsequent questions about the subjective symptoms of ocular and mouth dryness.ResultsThere were 424 patients who presented signs and symptoms of both ocular and mouth dryness. Our study showed a statistically significant association between this condition and the age and sex of the patients and systemic diseases such as hypertension (p=0.0000), cardiovascular disease (p=0.057), and stress (p=0.036), and time spent at the computer (p=0.00015).ConclusionsOcular dryness and concomitant xerostomia may occur in apparently healthy individuals, but is more frequent in patients with systemic disorders. The lack of dry eye and dry mouth symptoms does not exclude insufficient tearing and salivation; thus, the disorders are usually underestimated. Our study indicates that ocular and mouth dryness are the most common conditions seen in out-patients, due to increased use of medications, computers, and air conditioning.

A Case Study on the Air-conditioner Use of Occupant Behavior in Apartment

The purpose of this study is to analyze the air conditioner (AC) use behavior of occupants based on monitoring data. The indoor temperature and humidity, the occupancy state, and the infrared signal of the AC remote control of 4 households were collected. Using the above data, specific user behavior (on/off, set-temperature, air volume, etc. adjustment) was determined. The collected information on the AC use was divided into three categories based on the occupancy state; entering, leaving, and staying. The probability of turning on and off on the AC according to the DI (discomfort index) while staying the room was also analyzed. The result of this study is significant for future research on predicting the energy consumption propensity of the residents and for developing on AC use model based on user behavior.

OPTIMAL WINDOW GEOMETRY FACTORS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN PORTUGAL

INTRODUCTION With respect to thermal performance, windows are the weakest component of the building envelope, essentially because the U-value is usually higher than the opaque envelope. This would allow the highest heat conductance of the building envelope. However, it also helps buildings to gain useful solar heat during winter. Therefore, it has been generally accepted that passive buildings would have small windows towards the poles and large windows facing the equator (Persson, Roos, and Wall 2006). In spite of this guideline, large or fully glazed facades have been used in modern architecture. The intensive use of air conditioning is the result of overheating and high thermal loss problems, which otherwise would lead to thermal discomfort. This extensive use of large windows associated with high energy consumption has motivated researchers to study this building component. Window areas were investigated by Persson et al. (Persson, Roos, and Wall 2006) on 20 terraced houses with larger windows facing the equator and built in Gothenburg. The building envelope was well insulated and fitted with energy efficient windows. It was found that energy efficient windows do not have a major influence on the heating demand in the winter, but it is relevant for the cooling need in summer. Therefore, reduced indoor illuminance due to small windows can be solved by enlarging them in order to obtain relevant daylighting conditions. When efficient windows are designed for a warm climate, as in Mexico, reducing heat flux and solar transmittance indoors was the best option for energy savings (Aguilar et al. 2017). However, reducing solar transmittance influences the indoor illuminance, which was not analyzed.

Effeictive Utilization Method of Renewable Energy through the Use of Air-conditioner and Engine Generator Integrated Electric Vehicles

Effeictive Utilization Method of Renewable Energy through the Use of Air-conditioner and Engine Generator Integrated Electric Vehicles

Revitalization of Lightweight Cladding of Buildings and Its Impact on Environment

The presented study reveals that the revitalization of lightweight claddings installed before 1990 can have a positive impact on the environment and on the reduction of greenhouse gases in particular. The main focus is placed on the revitalization of a structural system known as OD-001, commonly called the ‘Boleticky panel’ system, which was frequently utilised all around the Czech Republic in the period before 1990. Only revitalization methods utilizing contemporary structural designs and current materials were verified during this study. The ‘Boleticky panel’ system was the type of façade cladding most frequently installed on administrative buildings in what was then Czechoslovakia. It is a panel system where load-bearing structure of the panel itself consists of closed profiles that are suspended from the building’s load-bearing structure. This type of system saw a great deal of use for more than 20 years. From today’s point of view, its thermal and technical properties are completely unsatisfactory and the gradual structural degradation of such systems, with a direct impact on their mechanical resistance, has been monitored over the last few years. However, these defects can be completely eliminated by the selection of a suitable type of revitalization. Cladding revitalization can be divided into three main categories. Each category represents a different level of impact on the structure of the above described cladding system. The first category only involves the replacement of windows, while the second consists in the replacement both of the windows and the existing panel sections. The third category of revitalization entails the complete removal of the existing cladding system and its replacement with a new one. The Life Cycle Assessment method (LCA) was used for environmental impact assessment. The aims and intentions of this method are not to search for the most economical or technically perfect product, service or technology, but to find the most environmentally friendly product with properties that can be guaranteed to last throughout its whole service life. The obtained results showed that revitalization has a positive impact on the environment. It can significantly reduce the consumption of energy that is used to heat the building in the winter, and thus reduces greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, it will cause a slight increase in the demand for cooling energy in the summer, which is mainly due to the reduction of the air permeability of the structure, making it more difficult to cool the interior of the building down, e.g. during the night, causing inhabitants to make greater use of air-conditioning. However, the revitalization itself, even if this term is taken to include the installation of the new cladding system, its maintenance and its future demolition, has a negligible impact on the environment compared with the old system. Therefore, based on the evaluated data the authors of the presented paper can highly recommend and encourage the revitalization of OD-001 lightweight cladding systems.

Evidence from SINPHONIE project: Impact of home environmental exposures on respiratory health among school-age children in Romania

BackgroundExposure to indoor air pollutants at home was found to be associated with respiratory diseases. As lifestyle changes with rapid economic growth in Romania, the aim of our study is to describe the characteristics of Romanian homes and their impact on children's respiratory health. MethodsSelf-reported information on respiratory symptoms was collected from 280 Romanian elementary school students in 2011, and the symptoms were categorized into allergy, asthma-like, and flu-like symptoms. Home characteristics and demographic information were collected from questionnaires answered by parents. The association between home characteristics and respiratory health was assessed through multivariate logistic regression controlling for school indoor exposure. ResultsAs compared to U.S. households, Romanian homes have a higher percentage of smokers, limited use of indoor climate control, and higher use of iron stoves. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke was associated with both asthma and allergy symptoms. Additional risk factors identified for allergy symptoms include living in apartments, near pesticide sprayed areas, and the use of incense sticks. The significantly higher risk of flu-like symptoms was associated with mold and dampness issues, the use of air conditioner, gas heater/iron stove in children's bedroom. ConclusionOur findings suggest that an increase in respiratory symptoms among Romanian school-age children can be partly related to their environmental exposure at home. Since most of the identified risk factors are preventable, our results provide critical information and evidence for policymakers, to develop target intervention and education strategies.