scholarly journals Indoor Air Quality and Health Outcomes in Employees Working from Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1665
Author(s):  
Taehyun Roh ◽  
Alejandro Moreno-Rangel ◽  
Juha Baek ◽  
Alexander Obeng ◽  
Nishat Tasnim Hasan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Fine Particulate Matter ◽  
Sick Building Syndrome ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Working From Home ◽  
The Difference

Indoor air quality (IAQ) has a substantial impact on public health. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, more employees have worked remotely from home to minimize in-person contacts. This pilot study aims to measure the difference in workplace IAQ before and during the pandemic and its impact on employees’ health. The levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and total volatile organic chemicals (tVOC) were measured in the employees’ offices before the COVID-19 pandemic and at homes while working from home during the pandemic using Foobot air monitors. The frequencies of six sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms were evaluated at each period of monitoring. The result showed PM2.5 levels in households while working from home were significantly higher than in offices while working at the office for all participants (p < 0.05). The PM2.5 levels in all households exceeded the health-based annual mean standard (12 µg/m3), whereas 90% of offices were in compliance. The tVOC levels were all below the standard (500 µg/m3). We also found a higher frequency of SBS symptoms were observed while working from home as the IAQ was worse at home. This study suggested that working from home might have a detrimental health impact due to poor IAQ and providing interventions to remote employees should be considered.

scholarly journals INDOOR AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT FOR A MULTISTOREY UNIVERSITY OFFICE BUILDING IN MALAYSIA

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 93-109
Author(s):  
Abd Halid Abdullah ◽  
Yee Yong Lee ◽  
Eeydzah Aminudin ◽  
Yeong Huei Lee
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Sick Building Syndrome ◽  
Office Building ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Air Quality Assessment ◽  
Sick Building

The indoor air quality (IAQ) in office buildings should be assessed for public health concerns as it relates to work performance and productivity. Therefore, this paper aims to assess the IAQ in a university office building. From this investigation, the level of contaminated indoor air is examined, the significant causes and contributing factors of contaminated indoor air are determined and a recommendation to improve the existing condition has been proposed. The physical parameters measured include air temperature, air velocity, relative humidity, and concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and also air particles. It was found that the number of air particles of 0.5 μm in diameter is about 197,748 particles/m3, while air particles of 5.0 μm in diameter is around 534 particles/m3. The collected data were then compared with a questionnaire and IAQ standards. In conclusion, the indoor air quality within the multi-storey central office building of Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) is acceptable and suitable for occupation even though there were countable symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) among its occupants.

scholarly journals The Effect of Environmentally Friendly Wallpaper and Flooring Material on Indoor Air Quality and Atopic Dermatitis: A Pilot Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jung Im Na ◽  
Sang Young Byun ◽  
Mi Young Jeong ◽  
Kyoung Chan Park ◽  
Chang Hun Huh
Keyword(s):  
Atopic Dermatitis ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Flooring Material

scholarly journals An international survey of indoor air quality, ventilation, and smoking activity in restaurants: a pilot study

2003 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 378-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hoy R Bohanon ◽  
Jean-Jacques Piadé ◽  
Matthias K Schorp ◽  
Yves Saint-Jalm
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
International Survey

Sick building symptoms among hospital workers associated with indoor air quality and personal factors

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 645-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulken Tunga Babaoglu ◽  
Fikriye Milletli Sezgin ◽  
Funda Yag
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Sick Building Syndrome ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Hospital Workers ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sick Building

This study assesses the interior air quality and infective factors in a hospital in Turkey to provide data about air quality to protect hospital workers. This study measured indoor air quality in eight different locations in a hospital, including particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM1), carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, temperature, humidity and microbiological matter. The highest PM2.5 and PM1 concentrations were in emergency service, and the highest CO2 was measured in the paediatric clinic. The poor interior air quality results are the most important cross-sectional data. For all participants, the prevalence of eye, upper respiratory tract, lower respiratory tract, skin and non-specific sick building syndrome symptoms were 23.0%, 40.7%, 22.5%, 36.3% and 63.7%, respectively. When sick building syndrome symptoms and environmental factors were investigated, skin symptoms increased 1.82 times in areas with stagnant air flow (p = 0.046; OR = 1.823; 95% CI: 1.010–3.290). Non-specific symptoms increased 2.17 times in locations with dry indoor air (p = 0.039; OR = 2.176; 95% CI: 1.041–4.549). Hospital workers are exposed to conditions that may increase the risk of a variety of sick building syndrome symptoms. Although the air quality measurements were not above the recommended limits in the hospital, long-term exposures should be considered for those experiencing sick building syndrome-related symptoms.

scholarly journals Indoor Air Quality and Sick Building Syndrome in Malaysian Buildings

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Syazwan Aizat I. ◽  
Juliana J. ◽  
Norhafizalina O. ◽  
Azman Z. A. ◽  
Kamaruzaman J.
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Sick Building Syndrome ◽  
Sick Building

scholarly journals Impact of Ventilation Strategy on the Transmission of Outdoor Pollutants into Indoor Environment Using CFD

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 10343
Author(s):  
Murtaza Mohammadi ◽  
John Calautit
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Indoor Environment ◽  
Dispersion Model ◽  
Personal Exposure ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Concentration Data ◽  
Pollution Dispersion ◽  
Indoor Spaces

The transition to remote working due to the pandemic has accentuated the importance of clean indoor air, as people spend a significant portion of their time indoors. Amongst the various determinants of indoor air quality, outdoor pollution is a significant source. While conventional studies have certainly helped to quantify the long-term personal exposure to pollutants and assess their health impact, they have not paid special attention to the mechanism of transmission of pollutants between the two environments. Nevertheless, the quantification of infiltration is essential to determine the contribution of ambient pollutants in indoor air quality and its determinants. This study evaluates the transmission of outdoor pollutants into the indoor environment using 3D computational fluid dynamics modelling with a pollution dispersion model. Naturally ventilated buildings next to an urban canyon were modelled and simulated using Ansys Fluent and validated against wind tunnel results from the Concentration Data of Street Canyons database. The model consisted of two buildings of three storeys each, located on either side of a road. Two line-source pollutants were placed in the street, representing traffic emissions. Three internal rooms were selected and modelled on each floor and implemented with various ventilation strategies. Results indicate that for a canyon with an aspect ratio of 1, indoor spaces in upstream buildings are usually less polluted than downstream ones. Although within the canyon, pollution is 2–3 times higher near the upstream building. Cross ventilation can minimise or prevent infiltration of road-side pollutants into indoor spaces, while also assisting in the dispersion of ambient pollutants. The critical configuration, in terms of air quality, is single-sided ventilation from the canyon. This significantly increases indoor pollutant concentration regardless of the building location. The study reveals that multiple factors determine the indoor–outdoor links, and thorough indexing and understanding of the processes can help designers and urban planners in regulating urban configuration and geometries for improved indoor air quality. Future works should look at investigating the influence of indoor emissions and the effects of different seasons.

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