scholarly journals Indoor Air Quality (IAQ): Accuracy of Natural Ventilation for Temperature, Air Flow Rate and Relative Humidity (RH) in School Building Classrooms

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3.9) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
Norsafiah Norazman ◽  
Adi Irfan Che Ani ◽  
Nor Haslina Ja’afar ◽  
Muhamad Azry Khoiry
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Natural Ventilation ◽  
Air Flow ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
The Hours ◽  
Hot Weather

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is an essential matter in achieving students’ satisfaction for the learning process. Building’s orientation is a factor that may encourage sufficient natural ventilation for the classroom occupants. Inadequate ventilation is an issue for most existing classrooms. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the accuracy of natural ventilation in classrooms. Therefore, experimental on 20 classrooms has been conducted by using Multipurpose Meter at secondary school buildings in Malaysia. The findings indicated that the accuracy of natural ventilation testing was below the permissible limits throughout the hours monitored, thus this may cause potential health hazards to the students. Temperature and air flow rates were lower than 23 °C and 0.15 m/s respectively, it fulfilled the basic requirements as a standard learning environment. However, measurements taken showed the overall relative humidity (RH) in the classrooms can be categorized as acceptable with 40% to 70% range. On the basis of these findings, it is evident that naturally ventilated classrooms are important especially due to energy efficiency, whereas mechanical ventilation should only be installed as an alternative under extremely hot weather conditions.   

scholarly journals Measurement and improvement of indoor air quality in an information technology classroom

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 915-924
Author(s):  
Mladen Tomic ◽  
Biljana Milutinovic ◽  
Predrag Zivkovic ◽  
Petar Djekic ◽  
Aleksandra Boricic
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Natural Ventilation ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Concentration ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Educational Institutions

With the rapid development of information technology equipment and its use in the teaching and learning activities, the working environment (especially indoor air quality) in which students and pupils spend a great deal of time in educational institutions has been changing. Therefore, special attention must be paid to indoor air quality and comfort. It is of great importance to maintain indoor air quality in an object, such as information technology classrooms, where a large number of students spend long periods of time. Poor indoor environment can negatively affect scholarly performances and cause discomfort and poor work performance. The problem of indoor air quality in educational institutions can be more serious than in other types of objects, because of the higher concentration of students and information technology equipment. This paper analyzes the changes in air quality in an information technology classrooms, when occupied with students, for the period from March to April. The changes of indoor air temperature, relative humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration are monitored in the classroom, as well as outdoor temperature and relative humidity. Several cases are studied: the classroom with closed windows and doors (closed classroom), the classroom with natural ventilation, the classroom cooled with a split system (cooled classroom). Responses of students are followed for each case. The analysis is performed based on the measurement results and numerical simulations using the computational fluid dynamics package, and measures are proposed to improve the indoor air quality in the considered classroom.

scholarly journals Indoor Air Quality and Sustainability Management—Case Study in Three Portuguese Healthcare Units

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Fonseca ◽  
Isabel Abreu ◽  
Maria Guerreiro ◽  
Cristina Abreu ◽  
Ricardo Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Natural Ventilation ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Co2 Concentration ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
June July ◽  
Management Case Study

Adequate management of indoor air quality (IAQ) in healthcare units has relevant impacts on sustainability performance due to its effects on patient safety, occupational health and safety, and energy consumptions. This study sought to identify improvement opportunities on IAQ management by collecting and analyzing experimental data of selected parameters in three healthcare units in Portugal: Two general hospitals and one primary healthcare center. Indoor air temperature, relative humidity, CO2, bacteria, and fungi concentrations were measured in summer and winter campaigns in June/July 2017 and in January/March 2018. Results show that the exclusive use of natural ventilation is not adequate when the affluence of users is high, but the analyzed parameters revealed acceptable results under low occupation intensity conditions. Results also show that keeping low indoor air relative humidity has a significant impact in reducing fungi concentration and that there is a significant correlation at the 0.05 level between indoor air CO2 concentration and bacterial loads. Therefore, as opportunities to improve sustainability, IAQ management in healthcare facilities should consider natural ventilation as a complement to mechanical ventilation systems and should focus on adequate control of indoor air relative humidity and CO2 concentration to reduce the risk of airborne infections.

scholarly journals Window operation behaviour and indoor air quality during lockdown: A monitoring-based simulation-assisted study in London

2021 ◽  
pp. 014362442110177
Author(s):  
Farhang Tahmasebi ◽  
Yan Wang ◽  
Elizabeth Cooper ◽  
Daniel Godoy Shimizu ◽  
Samuel Stamp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Natural Ventilation ◽  
Probabilistic Models ◽  
Performance Model ◽  
Outdoor Environment ◽  
Ventilation Strategies ◽  
The Impact

The Covid-19 outbreak has resulted in new patterns of home occupancy, the implications of which for indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy use are not well-known. In this context, the present study investigates 8 flats in London to uncover if during a lockdown, (a) IAQ in the monitored flats deteriorated, (b) the patterns of window operation by occupants changed, and (c) more effective ventilation patterns could enhance IAQ without significant increases in heating energy demand. To this end, one-year’s worth of monitored data on indoor and outdoor environment along with occupant use of windows has been used to analyse the impact of lockdown on IAQ and infer probabilistic models of window operation behaviour. Moreover, using on-site CO2 data, monitored occupancy and operation of windows, the team has calibrated a thermal performance model of one of the flats to investigate the implications of alternative ventilation strategies. The results suggest that despite the extended occupancy during lockdown, occupants relied less on natural ventilation, which led to an increase of median CO2 concentration by up to 300 ppm. However, simple natural ventilation patterns or use of mechanical ventilation with heat recovery proves to be very effective to maintain acceptable IAQ. Practical application: This study provides evidence on the deterioration of indoor air quality resulting from homeworking during imposed lockdowns. It also tests and recommends specific ventilation strategies to maintain acceptable indoor air quality at home despite the extended occupancy hours.

The Potential of Natural Ventilation in Single-Sided Ventilated Apartment to Improve Indoor Thermal Comfort and Air Quality

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. F. Mohamed ◽  
M. Behnia ◽  
S. King ◽  
D. Prasad
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Natural Ventilation ◽  
Architectural Element ◽  
Flat Design ◽  
Effective Ventilation ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
Ventilation Performance

Cross ventilation is a more effective ventilation strategy in comparison to single-sided ventilation. In the NSW Residential Flat Design Code1 (RFDC) the majority of apartments are required to adopt cross ventilation. However, in the case of studio and one-bedroom apartments, it is acknowledged that single-sided ventilation may prevail. Deep plan studio and one-bedroom apartments may achieve lower amenity of summer thermal comfort and indoor air quality where mechanical ventilation is not provided by air conditioning. Since compliance with the code may allow up to 40% of apartments in a development in Sydney to be single sided, it is important to understand the natural ventilation performance of such apartments. The objective of this paper is to investigate the natural ventilation potential in single-sided ventilated apartments to improve indoor air quality and thermal comfort. This investigation includes simulating various facade treatments involving multiple opening and balcony configurations. Balcony configurations are included in this study because, in Sydney, a balcony is a compulsory architectural element in any apartment building. The study uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software to simulate and predict the ventilation performance of each apartment configuration. This study suggests that properly configured balconies and openings can significantly improve indoor ventilation performance for enhanced indoor air quality and thermal comfort, by optimizing the available prevailing wind. However, it is important to note that inappropriately designed fac¸ade treatments also could diminish natural ventilation performance.

The effect of natural ventilation strategy on indoor air quality in schools

2017 ◽  
Vol 595 ◽  
pp. 894-902 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Stabile ◽  
Marco Dell'Isola ◽  
Aldo Russi ◽  
Angelamaria Massimo ◽  
Giorgio Buonanno
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Natural Ventilation ◽  
Ventilation Strategy

scholarly journals Assessment of Occupational Safety and Hygiene Perception among Afro-Caribbean Hair Salon Operators in Manchester, United Kingdom

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (18) ◽  
pp. 3284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haruna Musa Moda ◽  
Debrah King
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Musculoskeletal Diseases ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Musculoskeletal Symptoms ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Hair Salon

Because of exposure to a number of potential health hazards within the work environment, hairstylists experience occupational diseases that include occupational asthma, skin conditions and musculoskeletal diseases. The paucity of studies assessing occupational safety and hygiene management among Afro-Caribbean hair salon operators in the UK promoted the study. QualtricsTM was used to assess the participants’ perception of exposure to hair products and their personal safety and hygiene knowledge, attitudes, awareness, and risk perceptions at work. In five salons, indoor air quality was monitored over one working week for selected environmental pollutants: temperature, humidity, CO, CO2 and Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs) using a GrayWolf Direct Sense Indoor Air Quality-IAQ (IQ-610). The use of unflued gas heating to raise the indoor temperature was common among the salons’ operators which explains the high carbon monoxide readings recorded. Itchy eyes and nose (44.4%) shoulder, neck and back pain (39.2%) were frequently reported. Age-stratified analysis of reported occupational ailments showed participants within an age bracket of 31–35 reported allergies (24%) and itchy eyes and nose (19.1%) as the most common of occupational ailments. Respiratory, skin and musculoskeletal symptoms ranked as major occupational ill-health experiences among the study population. The study outcome demonstrated that the type of activity and the hair products used play an important role in the level of pollutants in the working environment. The substitution of the more harmful hair products with safer alternatives is needed, as is the encouragement of health surveillance.

Effect of natural ventilation and manual airing on indoor air quality in naturally ventilated Italian classrooms

2016 ◽  
Vol 98 ◽  
pp. 180-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Stabile ◽  
Marco Dell’Isola ◽  
Andrea Frattolillo ◽  
Angelamaria Massimo ◽  
Aldo Russi
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Natural Ventilation

scholarly journals The Evaluation of Indoor Microbial Air Quality in Two New Commissioning Higher Educational Buildings in Johor, Malaysia

2015 ◽  
Vol 773-774 ◽  
pp. 1068-1072 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chin Ming Er ◽  
N.M. Sunar ◽  
Abdul Mutalib Leman ◽  
Norzila Othman ◽  
Q. Emparan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Humid Climate ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Affected Area ◽  
Exposure Limit ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Airborne Microorganism ◽  
Maximum Exposure

The proliferation of indoor airborne microorganism in public institutional buildings such as schools and universities is often regarded as a potential health hazards to the buildings’ users. This issue is not new in Malaysia, a country with humid climate which favours the growth of microorganism. However, there is lack of research’s data, especially in higher institutional buildings in this country. The assessment of the indoor air quality is conducted in a university’s two new commissioning buildings located at Southern Peninsular of Malaysia. Both buildings utilized centralized air conditioning system. Concentrations of airborne microorganism were determined using a single-stage impacter (biosampler) as per requirement of National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Manual Analytical Method 0800. The acquired readings were compared to the standard level determined in Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality (ICOP IAQ) 2010. Other parameters such as relative humidity, temperature, and air velocity were recorded along the assessment. The mean concentrations of the total bacteria at the affected area of the two buildings are 1102.5 CFU/m3 and 813 CFU/m3 respectively and it is significantly higher compared to the maximum exposure limit of 500 CFU/m3. While, the mean concentration of total fungi at the affected area for two buildings are 805.7 CFU/m3 and 509 CFU/m3 respectively which are both higher than the reading of outdoors and unaffected indoor area although slightly lower than the maximum exposure limit of 1000 CFU/m3. This study provides a glance of the poor indoor microbiological air quality in new higher institutional buildings in this humid region.

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