scholarly journals mHealth: Indoor Environmental Quality Measuring System for Enhanced Health and Well-Being Based on Internet of Things

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gonçalo Marques ◽  
Rui Pitarma
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Computing ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Clinical Diagnostics ◽  
Quality Monitoring ◽  
Indoor Environmental Quality ◽  
Health And Well Being

Mobile health research field aims to provide access to healthcare anytime and anywhere through mobile computing technologies while using a cost-effective approach. Mobile health is closely related to ambient assisted living as both research fields address independence in elderly adults. Aging has become a relevant challenge, as it is anticipated that 20% of world population will be aged 60 years and older in 2050. Most people spend more than 90% of their time indoors, therefore the indoor environmental quality has a relevant impact on occupant’s health and well-being. We intended to provide real-time indoor quality monitoring for enhanced living environments and occupational health. This paper presents the AirPlus real-time indoor environmental quality monitoring system, which incorporates several advantages when compared to other systems, such as scalability, flexibility, modularity, easy installation, and configuration, as well as mobile computing software for data consulting and notifications. The results that were obtained are promising and present a significant contribution to the monitoring solutions available in the literature. AirPlus provides a rich dataset to plan interventions for enhanced indoor quality, but also to support clinical diagnostics and correlate occupant’s health problems with their living environment conditions.

Collaborative activities and library indoor environmental quality affecting performance, health, and well-being of different library user groups in higher education

Facilities ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 88-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young S. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Other ◽  
Indoor Environmental Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
User Groups ◽  
Collaborative Activities ◽  
Library User ◽  
Health And Well Being

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify different indoor environmental quality (IEQ) criteria affecting performance, health, and well-being of library user groups in higher education. The study investigated the differences in significant IEQ criteria affecting the performance, health, and well-being among the library user groups conducting certain types of collaborative activities. The aim was to was to find the significant IEQ criteria particular to each group conducting certain types of collaborative activities. Design/methodology/approach – Four types of collaborative activities were categorized based on the organizational knowledge creation theory in the knowledge management field. A total of ten IEQ criteria affecting performance, health, and well-being were identified based on a literature review of other studies and existing instruments. A survey was conducted via online with library users in a higher education library on the east coast of the USA. Responses from a total of 421 students were analyzed by descriptive statistics and analysis of variance statistics. Findings – The results indicated that the group conducting only individual focused work and socializing in a group showed statistically lower significance in acoustics, privacy, and ergonomics furniture than one or more of the other groups. The group conducting all four collaborative activities exhibited statistically higher significance in ergonomic furniture and aesthetics than one or more of the other groups. Originality/value – The study provides a comprehensive framework to be used in occupant survey to measure occupant performance, health, and well-being. It also offers practical implications for enhancing particular IEQ criteria for each library user group conducting certain types of collaborative activities in the academic library of higher education.

scholarly journals Bridging the gap: The need for a systems thinking approach in understanding and addressing energy and environmental performance in buildings

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Shrubsole ◽  
I. G. Hamilton ◽  
N. Zimmermann ◽  
G. Papachristos ◽  
T. Broyd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Building Performance ◽  
Indoor Environmental Quality ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Health And Well Being

Innovations in materials, construction techniques and technologies in building construction and refurbishment aim to reduce carbon emissions and produce low-energy buildings. However, in-use performance consistently misses design specifications, particularly those of operational energy use and indoor environmental quality. This performance gap risks reducing design, technology, sustainability, economic, health and well-being benefits. In this paper, we compare settings of the Chinese and the UK buildings sectors and relate their historical context, design, construction and operation issues impacting energy performance, indoor environmental quality, occupant health and well-being. We identify a series of key, common factors of ‘total’ building performance across these two settings: the application of building regulations, the balance between building cost and performance, skills, construction and operation. The dynamic and complex interactions of these factors are currently poorly understood and lead to building performance gaps. We contend that a systems approach in the development of suitable building assessment methods, technologies and tools could enable the formulation and implementation of more effective policies, regulations and practices. The paper illustrates the application of the approach to the UK and Chinese settings. A full application of a systems approach may help to provide a more dynamic understanding of how factor interactions impact the ‘total’ building performance gaps and help address its multiple causes.

A novel real-time method for HVAC system operation to improve indoor environmental quality in meeting rooms

2018 ◽  
Vol 144 ◽  
pp. 365-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenzhuo Li ◽  
Choongwan Koo ◽  
Seung Hyun Cha ◽  
Taehoon Hong ◽  
Jeongyoon Oh
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Indoor Environmental Quality ◽  
Hvac System ◽  
System Operation

scholarly journals Examining the spatial relationship between environmental health factors and house prices

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. McCord ◽  
Sean MacIntyre ◽  
Paul Bidanset ◽  
Daniel Lo ◽  
Peadar Davis
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Environmental Quality ◽  
House Prices ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Spatial Modelling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

Purpose Air quality, noise and proximity to urban infrastructure can arguably have an important impact on the quality of life. Environmental quality (the price of good health) has become a central tenet for consumer choice in urban locales when deciding on a residential neighbourhood. Unlike the market for most tangible goods, the market for environmental quality does not yield an observable per unit price effect. As no explicit price exists for a unit of environmental quality, this paper aims to use the housing market to derive its implicit price and test whether these constituent elements of health and well-being are indeed capitalised into property prices and thus implicitly priced in the market place. Design/methodology/approach A considerable number of studies have used hedonic pricing models by incorporating spatial effects to assess the impact of air quality, noise and proximity to noise pollutants on property market pricing. This study presents a spatial analysis of air quality and noise pollution and their association with house prices, using 2,501 sale transactions for the period 2013. To assess the impact of the pollutants, three different spatial modelling approaches are used, namely, ordinary least squares using spatial dummies, a geographically weighted regression (GWR) and a spatial lag model (SLM). Findings The findings suggest that air quality pollutants have an adverse impact on house prices, which fluctuate across the urban area. The analysis suggests that the noise level does matter, although this varies significantly over the urban setting and varies by source. Originality/value Air quality and environmental noise pollution are important concerns for health and well-being. Noise impact seems to depend not only on the noise intensity to which dwellings are exposed but also on the nature of the noise source. This may suggest the presence of other externalities that arouse social aversion. This research presents an original study utilising advanced spatial modelling approaches. The research has value in further understanding the market impact of environmental factors and in providing findings to support local air zone management strategies, noise abatement and management strategies and is of value to the wider urban planning and public health disciplines.

Evaluation of occupants’ well-being and perception towards indoor environmental quality in Malaysia affordable housing

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syahrul Nizam Kamaruzzaman ◽  
Ainur Mardiha Azmal
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Sick Building Syndrome ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Condition ◽  
Indoor Environmental Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Housing Area ◽  
Sick Building

Purpose This paper aims to identify the indoor environmental quality in an affordable housing, as well as the health condition of users. Furthermore, it aims to find the relationship between quality of the indoor environment (IEQ) and sick building syndrome (SBS) and the satisfaction level of the occupants towards the IEQ factor, as well as the importance of the factors in the occupants’ view. Additionally, the purpose of this pilot study is to validate the questionnaire and identify the possible outcome of this research for the main study. Design/methodology/approach There are a few methods to achieve the objective of this paper: first is by literature review and second is by a survey. There are two types of survey made: observation survey and questionnaire survey. The purpose of observation survey is to survey the surrounding and the condition of the apartments, while questionnaire survey was distributed to the respondents in the affordable housing area. Next, is analysis and discussion of the survey, and finally, summary. Findings Aside from achieving the validity of the questionnaire survey, the results of the survey have found that the respondents are dissatisfied with the noise and glare level, as well as the amount of artificial lighting in their unit. Additionally, they have rated health, ventilation and amount of air movement as the most important IEQ factors. More importantly, the occupants have experienced the symptoms of SBS and the health condition of the building occupants. The results show that the most frequent symptoms affected the respondents are fatigue, dizziness and a headache. Originality/value This paper has indicated the IEQ in the affordable housing and identifies the health risk of occupants, specifically in Malaysia.

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