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Yun S, Zhong S, Alavi HS, Alahi A, Licina D. Proxy methods for detection of inhalation exposure in simulated office environments. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:396-406. [PMID: 36347935 PMCID: PMC10234809 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00495-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Modern health concerns related to air pollutant exposure in buildings have been exacerbated owing to several factors. Methods for assessing inhalation exposures indoors have been restricted to stationary air pollution measurements, typically assuming steady-state conditions. OBJECTIVE We aimed to examine the feasibility of several proxy methods for estimating inhalation exposure to CO2, PM2.5, and PM10 in simulated office environments. METHODS In a controlled climate chamber mimicking four different office setups, human participants performed a set of scripted sitting and standing office activities. Three proxy sensing techniques were examined: stationary indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring, individual monitoring of physiological status by wearable wristband, human presence detection by Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors. A ground-truth of occupancy was obtained from video recordings of network cameras. The results were compared with the concurrent IAQ measurements in the breathing zone of a reference participant by means of multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis with a combination of different input parameters. RESULTS Segregating data onto sitting and standing activities could lead to improved accuracy of exposure estimation model for CO2 and PM by 9-60% during sitting activities, relative to combined activities. Stationary PM2.5 and PM10 monitors positioned at the ceiling-mounted ventilation exhaust in vicinity of the seated reference participant accurately estimated inhalation exposure (adjusted R² = 0.91 and R² = 0.87). Measurement at the front edge of the desk near abdomen showed a moderate accuracy (adjusted R² = 0.58) in estimating exposure to CO2. Combining different sensing techniques improved the CO2 exposure detection by twofold, whereas the improvement for PM exposure detection was small (~10%). SIGNIFICANCE This study contributes to broadening the knowledge of proxy methods for personal exposure estimation under dynamic occupancy profiles. The study recommendations on optimal monitor combination and placement could help stakeholders better understand spatial air pollutant gradients indoors which can ultimately improve control of IAQ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seoyeon Yun
- Human-Oriented Built Environment Lab, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fedérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Sailin Zhong
- Human-IST Institute, Department of Informatics, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Hamed S Alavi
- Digital Interactions Lab, Institute of Informatics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alexandre Alahi
- Visual Intelligence for Transportation, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fedérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dusan Licina
- Human-Oriented Built Environment Lab, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fedérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Assessment of Low-Level Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Incidence in Gdansk, Poland: Time-Series Cross-Sectional Analysis. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12062206. [PMID: 36983207 PMCID: PMC10054494 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12062206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: More than 1.8 million people in the European Union die every year as a result of CVD, accounting for 36% of all deaths with a large proportion being premature (before the age of 65). There are more than 300 different risk factors of CVD, known and air pollution is one of them. The aim of this study was to investigate whether daily cardiovascular mortality was associated with air pollutants and meteorological conditions in an urban environment with a low level of air pollution. (2) Methods: Data on daily incidence of strokes and myocardial infarctions in the city of Gdansk were obtained from the National Health Fund (NHF) and covered the period from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2018. Data on the level of pollution, i.e., SO2, NO, NO2, NOx, CO, PM10, PM2.5, CO2, O3 and meteorological conditions came from the foundation: Agency of Regional Air Quality Monitoring in the Gdańsk metropolitan area (ARMAG). Using these data, we calculated mean values with standard deviation (SD) and derived the minimum and maximum values and interquartile range (IQR). Time series regression with Poisson distribution was used in statistical analysis. (4) Results: Stroke incidence is significantly affected by an increase in concentrations of NO, NO2 and NOx with RRs equal to 1.019 (95%CI: 1.001–1.036), 1.036 (95%CI: 1.008–1.064) and 1.017 (95%CI: 1.000–1.034) for every increase in IQR by 14.12, 14.62 and 22.62 μg/m3, respectively. Similarly, myocardial infarction incidence is significantly affected by an increase in concentrations of NO, NO2 and NOx with RRs equal to 1.030 (95%CI: 1.011–1.048), 1.053 (95%CI: 1.024–1.082) and 1.027 (95%CI: 1.010–1.045) for every increase in IQR by 14.12, 14.62 and 22.62 μg/m3, respectively. Both PM10 and PM2.5 were positively associated with myocardial infarction incidence. (5) Conclusions: In this time-series cross-sectional study, we found strong evidence that support the hypothesis that transient elevations in ambient PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2 and CO are associated with higher relative risk of ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction incidents.
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Unobtrusive occupancy and vital signs sensing for human building interactive systems. Sci Rep 2023; 13:954. [PMID: 36653386 PMCID: PMC9846702 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27425-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive buildings use data on how occupants respond to the built environment to proactively make occupant-centric adjustments to lighting, temperature, ventilation, and other environmental parameters. However, sensors that unobtrusively and ubiquitously measure occupant responses are lacking. Here we show that Doppler-radar based sensors, which can sense small physiological motions, provide accurate occupancy detection and estimation of vital signs in challenging, realistic circumstances. Occupancy was differentiated from an empty room over 93% of the time in a 3.4 m × 8.5 m conference room with a single sensor in both wall and ceiling-mounted configurations. Occupancy was successfully detected while an occupant was under the table, visibly blocked from the sensor, a scenario where infrared, ultrasound, and video-based occupancy sensors would fail. Heart and respiratory rates were detected in all seats in the conference room with a single ceiling-mounted sensor. The occupancy sensor can be used to control HVAC and lighting with a short, 1-2 min delay and to provide information for space utilization optimization. Heart and respiratory rate sensing could provide additional feedback to future human-building interactive systems that use vital signs to determine how occupant comfort and wellness is changing with time.
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Discovery of associative patterns between workplace sound level and physiological wellbeing using wearable devices and empirical Bayes modeling. NPJ Digit Med 2023; 6:5. [PMID: 36639725 PMCID: PMC9839735 DOI: 10.1038/s41746-022-00727-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
We conducted a field study using multiple wearable devices on 231 federal office workers to assess the impact of the indoor environment on individual wellbeing. Past research has established that the workplace environment is closely tied to an individual's wellbeing. Since sound is the most-reported environmental factor causing stress and discomfort, we focus on quantifying its association with physiological wellbeing. Physiological wellbeing is represented as a latent variable in an empirical Bayes model with heart rate variability measures-SDNN and normalized-HF as the observed outcomes and with exogenous factors including sound level as inputs. We find that an individual's physiological wellbeing is optimal when sound level in the workplace is at 50 dBA. At lower (<50dBA) and higher (>50dBA) amplitude ranges, a 10 dBA increase in sound level is related to a 5.4% increase and 1.9% decrease in physiological wellbeing respectively. Age, body-mass-index, high blood pressure, anxiety, and computer use intensive work are person-level factors contributing to heterogeneity in the sound-wellbeing association.
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Weng J, Zhang Y, Chen Z, Ying X, Zhu W, Sun Y. Field Measurements and Analysis of Indoor Environment, Occupant Satisfaction, and Sick Building Syndrome in University Buildings in Hot Summer and Cold Winter Regions in China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 20:554. [PMID: 36612874 PMCID: PMC9819874 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Teachers and students work and study in classrooms for long durations. The indoor environment directly affects the health and satisfaction of teachers and students. To explore the performance differences between green buildings, conventional buildings, and retrofitted buildings in terms of their indoor environment, occupant satisfaction, and sick building syndrome (SBS), as well as the correlation between these different aspects, three university teaching buildings were selected in hot summer and cold winter regions in China. These included a green building (GB), a retrofitted building (RB), and a conventional building (CB). Long-term indoor environment monitoring and point-to-point measurements were conducted during the transition season and winter and the indoor environment, satisfaction, and SBS in the three buildings were compared. A sample of 399 point-to-point questionnaires was collected. A subjective-objective indoor environmental quality (IEQ) evaluation model for schools in China was established, covering satisfaction and the indoor environment. The results showed that the compliance rate of the indoor environment in the GB and RB was generally superior to that of the CB. The overall satisfaction was the highest for the GB, followed by the CB, and then the RB. The GB had the highest overall indoor environment quality score, followed by the RB and then the CB. The occurrence of SBS was lowest in the CB, followed by the GB, and then the RB. It was determined that the design of natural ventilation should be improved and that building users should be given the right to autonomous window control and temperature control. To reduce the occurrence of SBS symptoms, attention should be paid to the control of temperature and CO2 concentration. To improve learning efficiency, it suggests reducing indoor CO2 concentrations and improving desktop illuminance. This study provides a reference for improving the indoor environment and health performance of existing university teaching buildings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiantao Weng
- School of Spatial Planning and Design, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou 310015, China
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Building’s Digital Carbon Neutral Technology, Hangzhou 310015, China
- School of Economics and Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
- Huahui Engineering Design Group Co., Ltd, Shaoxing 312000, China
| | - Yuhan Zhang
- School of Spatial Planning and Design, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou 310015, China
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Building’s Digital Carbon Neutral Technology, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Zefeng Chen
- School of Spatial Planning and Design, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou 310015, China
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Building’s Digital Carbon Neutral Technology, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Xiaoyu Ying
- School of Spatial Planning and Design, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou 310015, China
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Building’s Digital Carbon Neutral Technology, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- School of Spatial Planning and Design, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou 310015, China
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Building’s Digital Carbon Neutral Technology, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Yukai Sun
- Hangzhou Integrative Medicine Hospital, Hangzhou 310064, China
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6
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Aldekheel M, Altuwayjiri A, Tohidi R, Jalali Farahani V, Sioutas C. The Role of Portable Air Purifiers and Effective Ventilation in Improving Indoor Air Quality in University Classrooms. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14558. [PMID: 36361438 PMCID: PMC9658982 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In this study we investigated the effectiveness of air purifiers and in-line filters in ventilation systems working simultaneously inside various classrooms at the University of Southern California (USC) main campus. We conducted real-time measurements of particle mass (PM), particle number (PN), and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in nine classrooms from September 2021 to January 2022. The measurement campaign was carried out with different configurations of the purifier (i.e., different flow rates) while the ventilation system was continuously working. Our results showed that the ventilation systems in the classrooms were adequate in providing sufficient outdoor air to dilute indoor CO2 concentrations due to the high air exchange rates (2.63-8.63 h-1). The particle penetration coefficients (P) of the investigated classrooms were very low for PM (<0.2) and PN (<0.1), with the exception of one classroom, corroborating the effectiveness of in-line filters in the ventilation systems. Additionally, the results showed that the efficiency of the air purifier exceeded 95% in capturing ultrafine and coarse particles and ranged between 82-88% for particles in the accumulation range (0.3-2 µm). The findings of this study underline the effectiveness of air purifiers and ventilation systems equipped with efficient in-line filters in substantially reducing indoor air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Aldekheel
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Department of Civil Engineering, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 5969, Kuwait City 13060, Kuwait
| | - Abdulmalik Altuwayjiri
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ramin Tohidi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Vahid Jalali Farahani
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Constantinos Sioutas
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
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Srinivasan K, Currim F, Ram S. A Human-in-the-loop Segmented Mixed-effects Modeling Method For Analyzing Wearables Data. ACM TRANSACTIONS ON MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.1145/3564276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Wearables are an important source of big data as they provide real-time high-resolution data logs of health indicators of individuals. Higher-order associations between pairs of variables is common in wearables data. Representing higher-order association curves as piece-wise linear segments in a regression model makes them more interpretable. However, existing methods for identifying the change points for segmented modeling either overfit or have low external validity for wearables data containing repeated measures. Therefore, we propose a human-in-the-loop method for segmented modeling of higher-order pairwise associations between variables in wearables data. Our method uses the smooth function estimated by a generalized additive mixed model to allow the analyst to annotate change point estimates for a segmented mixed-effects model, and thereafter employs the Brent's constrained optimization procedure to fine-tuning the manually provided estimates. We validate our method using three real-world wearables datasets. Our method not only outperforms state-of-the-art modeling methods in terms of prediction performance but also provides more interpretable results. Our study contributes to health data science in terms of developing a new method for interpretable modeling of wearables data. Our analysis uncovers interesting insights on higher order associations for health researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Faiz Currim
- Eller College of Management, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ, U.S
| | - Sudha Ram
- Eller College of Management, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ, U.S
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Guo D, Zhan C, Liu J, Wang Z, Cui M, Zhang X, Su X, Pan L, Deng M, Zhao L, Liu J, Song Y. Alternations in neural oscillation related to attention network reveal influence of indoor toluene on cognition at low concentration. INDOOR AIR 2022; 32:e13067. [PMID: 35904384 DOI: 10.1111/ina.13067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite accumulative literature reporting negative impacts of high-concentration toluene, cognitive effects of toluene at low concentration are still unclear. Twenty-two healthy college students were exposed in a closed environmental chamber to investigate the influence of indoor toluene on cognitive performance and brain activity. During each toluene exposure condition (0 ppb, 17.5 ppb, 35 ppb, and 70 ppb), attention network test and electroencephalogram (EEG) recording were synchronously performed after 4-hour toluene exposure. Characteristic neural oscillation patterns in three attention networks were compared between four groups. The statistical analyses indicated that short-term exposure to toluene had no significant impact on behavioral performance of attention network. However, there was a significant increase in the power of theta and alpha band of executive network and orienting network in the whole brain, especially in frontal region when exposed to toluene. Besides, no significant difference was observed in alerting network. The alternations in neural oscillation demonstrated that more effort was required to accomplish the same tasks when exposed to toluene. The present study revealed that short-term exposure to toluene affected brain activity of attention network even at low concentration, which provided a theoretical basis for the development of safer evaluation methods and standards in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Guo
- General Medicine Department, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Changqing Zhan
- Department of Neurology, Wuhu No.2 People's Hospital, Wuhu, China
| | - Jie Liu
- General Medicine Department, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Zukun Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Indoor Air Environmental Quality Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Mingrui Cui
- General Medicine Department, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- General Medicine Department, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiao Su
- General Medicine Department, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Liping Pan
- General Medicine Department, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Meili Deng
- General Medicine Department, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Lei Zhao
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Indoor Air Environmental Quality Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Junjie Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Indoor Air Environmental Quality Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yijun Song
- General Medicine Department, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin, China
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Awada M, Becerik-Gerber B, White E, Hoque S, O'Neill Z, Pedrielli G, Wen J, Wu T. Occupant health in buildings: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the opinions of building professionals and implications on research. BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT 2022; 207:108440. [PMID: 34697517 PMCID: PMC8520175 DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The objectives of this study are to investigate building professionals' experience, awareness, and interest in occupant health in buildings, and to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their opinions, as well as to compare the research on occupant health in buildings to professionals' opinions. To address these objectives, a mixed research methodology, including a thorough review of the literature (NL = 190) and an online survey (NS = 274), was utilized. In general, there is an increasing research interest in occupant health and a heightened interest in health-related projects, among professionals, following the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, among the nine different building attributes examined, indoor air quality was the most researched building attribute with a focus on occupant health and was also presumed to be the most important by the professionals. Professionals considered fatigue and musculoskeletal pain to be the most important physical well-being issues, and stress, anxiety, and depression to be the most important mental well-being issues that need to be the focus of design, construction, and operation of buildings to support and promote occupant health, while eye-related symptoms and loss of concentration were the most researched physical and mental well-being symptoms in the literature, respectively. Finally, professionals indicated that COVID-19 pandemic had significant effect on their perspectives regarding buildings' impact on occupant health and they believed future building design, construction and operation will focus more on occupant health because of the pandemic experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamad Awada
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, United States
| | - Burçin Becerik-Gerber
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, United States
| | - Elizabeth White
- School of Computing Informatics and Decision Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, United States
| | - Simi Hoque
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, Drexel University, United States
| | - Zheng O'Neill
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University, United States
| | - Giulia Pedrielli
- School of Computing Informatics and Decision Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, United States
| | - Jin Wen
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, Drexel University, United States
| | - Teresa Wu
- School of Computing Informatics and Decision Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, United States
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Low Level Carbon Dioxide Indoors—A Pollution Indicator or a Pollutant? A Health-Based Perspective. ENVIRONMENTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/environments8110125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
With modern populations in developed countries spending approximately 90% of their time indoors, and with carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations inside being able to accumulate to much greater concentrations than outdoors, it is important to identify the health effects associated with the exposure to low-level CO2 concentrations (<5000 ppm) typically seen in indoor environments in buildings (non-industrial environments). Although other reviews have summarised the effects of CO2 exposure on health, none have considered the individual study designs of investigations and factored that into the level of confidence with which CO2 and health effects can be associated, nor commented on how the reported health effects of exposure correspond to existing guideline concentrations. This investigation aimed to (a) evaluate the reported health effects and physiological responses associated with exposure to less than 5000 parts per million (ppm) of CO2 and (b) to assess the CO2 guideline and limit concentrations in the context of (a). Of the 51 human investigations assessed, many did not account for confounding factors, the prior health of participants or cross-over effects. Although there is some evidence linking CO2 exposures with health outcomes, such as reductions in cognitive performance or sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms, much of the evidence is conflicting. Therefore, given the shortcomings in study designs and conflicting results, it is difficult to say with confidence whether low-level CO2 exposures indoors can be linked to health outcomes. To improve the epidemiological value of future investigations linking CO2 with health, studies should aim to control or measure confounding variables, collect comprehensive accounts of participants’ prior health and avoid cross-over effects. Although it is difficult to link CO2 itself with health effects at exposures less than 5000 ppm, the existing guideline concentrations (usually reported for 8 h, for schools and offices), which suggest that CO2 levels <1000 ppm represent good indoor air quality and <1500 ppm are acceptable for the general population, appear consistent with the current research.
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11
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Di Gilio A, Palmisani J, Pulimeno M, Cerino F, Cacace M, Miani A, de Gennaro G. CO 2 concentration monitoring inside educational buildings as a strategic tool to reduce the risk of Sars-CoV-2 airborne transmission. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 202:111560. [PMID: 34224708 PMCID: PMC8253691 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
In order to avoid SARS-CoV-2 transmission inside educational buildings and promote the safe reopening of schools, the Italian Government, in line with the other European countries and in accordance with the WHO recommendations, adopted a contingency plan including actions able to guarantee adequate air ventilation in classrooms. Therefore, in this pilot study, a surveillance activity based on the real-time monitoring of CO2 levels as a proxy of SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk, was conducted inside 9 schools (11 classrooms) located in Apulia Region (South of Italy) during the reopening of schools after the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, monitoring activities and data treatment were conducted to evaluate the initial scenario inside the classrooms (first stage of evaluation) and the potential improvements obtained by applying a detailed operating protocol of air ventilation based on specific actions and the simultaneous real time visualization of CO2 levels by non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensors (second stage of evaluation). Although, during the first evaluation stage, air ventilation through the opening of windows and doors was guaranteed, 6 (54%) classrooms showed mean values of CO2 higher than 1000 ppm and all classrooms exceeded the recommended CO2 concentration limit value of 700 ppm. The development and implementation of tailored ventilation protocol including the real time visualization of CO2 levels allowed to depict better scenariosAn overall improvement of CO2 levels was indeed registered for all classrooms where teachers were compliant and helpful in the management of the air ventilation strategy. Therefore, this study reports the first evidence-based measures demonstrating that, with the exception of few environments affected by structural limits, the real-time visualization and monitoring of CO2 concentrations allowes effective air exchanges to be implemented and contributes to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Moreover, on the basis of the monitoring outcomes and in order to ensure adequate air ventilation in educational buildings, a 4 level-risk classification including specific corrective actions for each level was provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Di Gilio
- Biology Department, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4, 70126, Bari, Italy.
| | - Jolanda Palmisani
- Biology Department, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4, 70126, Bari, Italy.
| | - Manuela Pulimeno
- UNESCO Chair on Health Education and Sustainable Development, Naples, Italy
| | - Fabio Cerino
- Befreest srl, viale Virgilio 113, 74121, Taranto, Italy
| | - Mirko Cacace
- Befreest srl, viale Virgilio 113, 74121, Taranto, Italy
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Laurent JGC, MacNaughton P, Jones E, Young AS, Bliss M, Flanigan S, Vallarino J, Chen LJ, Cao X, Allen JG. Associations between Acute Exposures to PM 2.5 and Carbon Dioxide Indoors and Cognitive Function in Office Workers: A Multicountry Longitudinal Prospective Observational Study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS : ERL [WEB SITE] 2021; 16:094047. [PMID: 35330988 PMCID: PMC8942432 DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac1bd8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Despite evidence of the air pollution effects on cognitive function, little is known about the acute impact of indoor air pollution on cognitive function among the working-age population. We aimed to understand whether cognitive function was associated with real-time indoor concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon dioxide (CO2). We conducted a prospective observational longitudinal study among 302 office workers in urban commercial buildings located in six countries (China, India, Mexico, Thailand, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom). For 12 months, assessed cognitive function using the Stroop color-word test and Addition-Subtraction test (ADD) via a mobile research app. We found that higher PM2.5 and lower ventilation rates, as assessed by CO2 concentration, were associated with slower response times and reduced accuracy (fewer correct responses per minute) on the Stroop and ADD for 8 out 10 test metrics. Each interquartile (IQR) increase in PM2.5 (IQR=8.8 µg/m3) was associated with a 0.82% (95%CI: 0.42, 1.21) increase in Stroop response time, a 6.18% (95% CI: 2.08, 10.3) increase in Stroop interference time, a 0.7% (95% CI: -1.38, -0.01) decrease in Stroop throughput, and a 1.51% (95% CI: -2.65, -0.37) decrease in ADD throughput. For CO2, an IQR increase (IQR=315ppm) was associated with a 0.85% (95% CI: 0.32, 1.39) increase in Stroop response time, a 7.88% (95% CI: 2.08, 13.86) increase in Stroop interference time, a 1.32% (95% CI: -2.3, -0.38) decrease in Stroop throughput, and a 1.13% (95% CI: 0.18, 2.11) increase in ADD response time. A sensitivity analysis showed significant association between PM2.5 in four out of five cognitive test performance metrics only at levels above 12 µg/m3. Enhanced filtration and higher ventilation rates that exceed current minimum targets are essential public health strategies that may improve employee productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Emily Jones
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anna S. Young
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maya Bliss
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Skye Flanigan
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jose Vallarino
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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13
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Tuomala E, Danivska V, Gustafsson R. Is a new office a blessing in disguise? The strategic importance of relocation. FACILITIES 2021. [DOI: 10.1108/f-02-2021-0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
Corporate relocation is a rare event in the history of an individual company. The choices related to location, building and workplace constitute major long-term strategic decisions that determine the company’s future operating environment. However, business decision-makers often do not evaluate all the aspects of relocation before making relocation decisions. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to systemise the knowledge behind corporate relocation and the strategic qualities and impacts of these choices.
Design/methodology/approach
This conceptual paper is based on a comprehensive literature review of 74 articles on the strategic qualities of short-distance corporate relocation of knowledge-intensive firms. Based on the review insights, a conceptual model of the strategic operational qualities for work environment selection is developed.
Findings
This paper identifies three strategic layers of physical environment change, namely, location, building and physical work environment, which need to be considered when deciding to relocate. Corporate relocation affects a company through five operational qualities, namely, staff productivity, costs, employee retention and availability, operational changes and organisational culture.
Practical implications
Relocation is a complex process for an individual company. Justifying choices based on direct costs can lead to unexpected changes in indirect costs for the company. This paper helps decision-makers understand the strategic importance of corporate relocation, identify relocation goals and plan successful relocation.
Originality/value
This paper uses a strategy and organisation lens to provide a systematic overview and synthesis of the strategic qualities of short-distance corporate relocation of knowledge-intensive firms.
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14
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Tu Z, Li Y, Geng S, Zhou K, Wang R, Dong X. Human responses to high levels of carbon dioxide and air temperature. INDOOR AIR 2021; 31:872-886. [PMID: 33205466 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In this study, 30 subjects were exposed to different combinations of air temperature (Ta : 24, 27, and 30°C) and CO2 level (8000, 10 000, and 12 000 ppm) in a high-humidity (RH: 85%) underground climate chamber. Subjective assessments, physiological responses, and cognitive performance were investigated. The results showed that as compared with exposure to Ta = 24°C, exposure to 30°C at all CO2 levels caused subjects to feel uncomfortably warm and experience stronger odor intensity, while increased mental effort and greater intensity of acute health symptoms were reported. However, no significant effects of Ta on task performance or physiological responses were found. This indicated that subjects had to exert more effort to maintain their performance in an uncomfortably warm environment. Increasing CO2 from 8000 to 12 000 ppm at all Ta caused subjects to report higher rates of headache, fatigue, agitation, and feeling depressed, although the results were statistically significant only at 24 and 27°C. The text typing performance and systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased significantly at this exposure, whereas diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and thermal discomfort increased significantly. These effects suggest higher arousal/stress. No significant interaction effect of Ta and CO2 concentration on human responses was identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijun Tu
- Institute of Military Environmental Teaching & Research, PLA Army University of Engineering, Nanjing, China
| | - Yong Li
- Institute of Military Environmental Teaching & Research, PLA Army University of Engineering, Nanjing, China
| | - Shibin Geng
- Institute of Military Environmental Teaching & Research, PLA Army University of Engineering, Nanjing, China
| | - Kun Zhou
- Institute of Military Environmental Teaching & Research, PLA Army University of Engineering, Nanjing, China
| | - Ruihai Wang
- Institute of Military Environmental Teaching & Research, PLA Army University of Engineering, Nanjing, China
| | - Xian Dong
- Institute of Military Environmental Teaching & Research, PLA Army University of Engineering, Nanjing, China
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15
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Occupants’ Satisfaction toward Indoor Environment Quality of Platinum Green-Certified Office Buildings in Tropical Climate. ENERGIES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/en14082264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The quality of the indoor environment has become a vital component for buildings due to the time spent indoors. To this extent, the performance of the indoor environment is considered as part of the greenery criteria by green rating schemes such as the Green Building Index in Malaysia. This study aims to investigate and assess the quality of the indoor environment of Platinum-certified office buildings in a tropical climate. This research applied a case study approach over two Platinum-certified office buildings. Post-occupancy evaluation is employed integrating full-scale measurement with an occupants’ survey. The measurement was carried out from May to August, and 112 questionnaires were retrieved to evaluate occupants’ satisfaction with aspects of the indoor environment. Thermal comfort, indoor air quality, acoustic, lighting, furniture, and cleanliness are considered as the main study variables. The findings of full-scale measurement indicated high relative humidity, and low air velocity and illuminance. While occupants reported overall indoor environment quality (IEQ) comfort, a significant correlation of variables was observed. The main sources of dissatisfaction were identified as overcooling around 24 °C, high relative humidity (RH), around 70% RH, glare, and background noise around 51.9 dB. Statistically, a significant difference between occupants’ responses to IEQ of two cases was identified, although both buildings are labelled with a Platinum certificate.
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16
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Afroz Z, Burak Gunay H, O'Brien W. A review of data collection and analysis requirements for certified green buildings. ENERGY AND BUILDINGS 2020; 226:110367. [PMID: 32834441 PMCID: PMC7413204 DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2020.110367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
While the research community widely recognizes the importance of post-occupancy measurement of buildings to verify performance, requirements of green building certification schemes are highly varied. To assess the effectiveness of building certification schemes during the operation and maintenance stage of certified buildings, this paper critically reviews recent case studies that report on post-certification performance. The review of relevant case studies from the literature reveals some important findings in relation to the performance gap of certified buildings. Subsequently, major operation and maintenance-related building certification schemes are surveyed to reveal the underlying reasons behind this performance gap. Post-certification actions that require post-occupancy data collection and analysis are identified through this survey and compared to highlight their strengths and shortcomings and pinpoint the major discrepancies in data infrastructure and archiving practices that hinder certified buildings in performing according to their design intent. Lastly, suggestions are extracted which may shed light on the re-certification pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakia Afroz
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carleton University, Canada
| | - H Burak Gunay
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carleton University, Canada
| | - William O'Brien
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carleton University, Canada
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17
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The Effects of the Driver's Mental State and Passenger Compartment Conditions on Driving Performance and Driving Stress. SENSORS 2020; 20:s20185274. [PMID: 32942684 PMCID: PMC7571166 DOI: 10.3390/s20185274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Globalization has increased the number of road trips and vehicles. The result has been an intensification of traffic accidents, which are becoming one of the most important causes of death worldwide. Traffic accidents are often due to human error, the probability of which increases when the cognitive ability of the driver decreases. Cognitive capacity is closely related to the driver’s mental state, as well as other external factors such as the CO2 concentration inside the vehicle. The objective of this work is to analyze how these elements affect driving. We have conducted an experiment with 50 drivers who have driven for 25 min using a driving simulator. These drivers completed a survey at the start and end of the experiment to obtain information about their mental state. In addition, during the test, their stress level was monitored using biometric sensors and the state of the environment (temperature, humidity and CO2 level) was recorded. The results of the experiment show that the initial level of stress and tiredness of the driver can have a strong impact on stress, driving behavior and fatigue produced by the driving test. Other elements such as sadness and the conditions of the interior of the vehicle also cause impaired driving and affect compliance with traffic regulations.
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18
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Wang L, Zheng D. Integrated analysis of energy, indoor environment, and occupant satisfaction in green buildings using real-time monitoring data and on-site investigation. BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT 2020; 182:107014. [PMID: 32834419 PMCID: PMC7377739 DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.107014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Recently, a growing literature pay attention to the green buildings, and most of them focuses on design, energy simulation, and post-occupancy evaluation but rarely involves the integration analysis of energy consumption, indoor environmental quality, and occupant satisfaction in the operational stage. In this paper, the authors propose a comprehensive quantitative study based on energy-environment-satisfaction (EES) and take a three-star green building in Shanghai as an example. Through the use of real-time monitoring data, the study analyses the distribution characteristics of the parameters of EES. Meanwhile, this study discusses the differences between operational energy consumption and design parameters and also quantifies the exponential relationship between per floor personnel density and building energy consumption. Moreover, combined with the user satisfaction survey, some improvements are suggested. Furthermore, the relationship between daily energy consumption and the environmental parameters of daily energy consumption, PM2.5, CO2, temperature, relative humidity, and illumination is fitted, and the results indicate that there is a multivariate linear relationship with a correlation of 0.876. Through the sensitivity analysis, we found that the relative humidity affects 1.4 times as much as CO2. Therefore, its control value is critical to reduce energy consumption in the operation of green buildings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhen Wang
- Shanghai Research Institute of Building Sciences, Shanghai, 201108, China
| | - Donglin Zheng
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
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19
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The Development of a CO2 Emission Coefficient for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles with Different Road Slope Conditions Using Multiple Linear Regression, and Considering the Health Effects. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12176994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The current studies on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the impacts on public health focus mainly on evaluating CO2 emissions from two types of emission sources. The first is a fixed source type from industrial plants, which can be controlled or easily evaluated. The second is a mobile source type from the transport sector, especially from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs), which produce high emissions. However, the common methods of evaluation of the average value of CO2 emissions per kilometer of a vehicle use a general Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) model that does not consider the topography or road conditions. This affects the accuracy of CO2 emission assessments and, in turn, affects the accuracy of any analysis needed to establish health policies and the management of public health within the affected area. In this paper, therefore, we present the development of emission coefficient calculations with varying topography conditions for MHDVs with consideration of the health effects on the populace. The study area was the Asian highway network in Thailand that passes through all regions and is geographically diverse. Data were collected from the Department of Highway’s records, global positioning system (GPS) and electronic control unit (ECU) with data consisting of road data, slope, distance, traffic level and vehicle weight, as well as fuel consumption along the transportation route. To analyze and map out the correlation of the CO2 emission coefficients for each road slope, we determined the coefficient of the CO2 emissions using multiple linear regression analysis and validated this using Huber–White robust standard errors for heteroscedasticity. This method was more cost-efficient and time-efficient compared to the conventional approaches. We also created CO2 emission maps with risk points for health effects, and we propose policy designs and plans to manage the traffic level in each of these areas prone to higher levels of such emissions.
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20
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Indoor Air Quality Monitoring Systems for Enhanced Living Environments: A Review toward Sustainable Smart Cities. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12104024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Smart cities follow different strategies to face public health challenges associated with socio-economic objectives. Buildings play a crucial role in smart cities and are closely related to people’s health. Moreover, they are equally essential to meet sustainable objectives. People spend most of their time indoors. Therefore, indoor air quality has a critical impact on health and well-being. With the increasing population of elders, ambient-assisted living systems are required to promote occupational health and well-being. Furthermore, living environments must incorporate monitoring systems to detect unfavorable indoor quality scenarios in useful time. This paper reviews the current state of the art on indoor air quality monitoring systems based on Internet of Things and wireless sensor networks in the last five years (2014–2019). This document focuses on the architecture, microcontrollers, connectivity, and sensors used by these systems. The main contribution is to synthesize the existing body of knowledge and identify common threads and gaps that open up new significant and challenging future research directions. The results show that 57% of the indoor air quality monitoring systems are based on Arduino, 53% of the systems use Internet of Things, and WSN architectures represent 33%. The CO2 and PM monitoring sensors are the most monitored parameters in the analyzed literature, corresponding to 67% and 29%, respectively.
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21
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Pantelic J, Liu S, Pistore L, Licina D, Vannucci M, Sadrizadeh S, Ghahramani A, Gilligan B, Sternberg E, Kampschroer K, Schiavon S. Personal CO 2 cloud: laboratory measurements of metabolic CO 2 inhalation zone concentration and dispersion in a typical office desk setting. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2020; 30:328-337. [PMID: 31636369 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-019-0179-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Inhalation exposure to pure and metabolic elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration has been associated with impaired work performance, lower perceived air quality, and increased health symptoms. In this study, the concentration of metabolic CO2 was continuously measured in the inhalation zone of 41 subjects performing simulated office work. The measurements took place in an environmental chamber with well-controlled mechanical ventilation arranged as an office environment. The results showed the existence of a personal CO2 cloud in the inhalation zone of all test subjects, characterized by the excess of metabolic CO2 beyond the room background levels. For seated occupants, the median CO2 inhalation zone concentration levels were between 200 and 500 ppm above the background, and the third quartile up to 800 ppm above the background. Each study subject had distinct magnitude of the personal CO2 cloud owing to differences in metabolic CO2 generation, posture, nose geometry, and breathing pattern. A small desktop oscillating fan proved to be suitable for dispersing much of the personal CO2 cloud, thus reducing the inhalation zone concentration to background level. The results suggest that background measurements cannot capture the significant personal CO2 cloud effect in human microclimate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovan Pantelic
- Center for the Built Environment, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Shichao Liu
- Center for the Built Environment, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Rd, WPI - Kaven Hall, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Lorenza Pistore
- Center for the Built Environment, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Piazza Università, 5, 39100, Bolzano, BZ, Italy
| | - Dusan Licina
- Human-Oriented Built Environment Lab, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Matthew Vannucci
- Center for the Built Environment, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Sasan Sadrizadeh
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Ali Ghahramani
- Center for the Built Environment, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Brian Gilligan
- General Services Administration, 1800 F St NW, Washington, DC, 20405, USA
| | - Esther Sternberg
- Institute on Place, Wellbeing and Performance, University of Arizona College of Medicine, P.O. Box 245153, Tuscon, AZ, 85724, USA
| | - Kevin Kampschroer
- General Services Administration, 1800 F St NW, Washington, DC, 20405, USA
| | - Stefano Schiavon
- Center for the Built Environment, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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22
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A Survey of the Status and Challenges of Green Building Development in Various Countries. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11195385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Since the energy crisis in the 1960s, crucial research and activities were spurred to improve energy efficiency and decrease environmental pollution. To deal with the various problems the construction industry are facing, the concept of green buildings (GBs) has been gradually shaped and put forward all over the world, and green building rating systems (GBRSs) have been developed. The concept of GBs covers a wide range of elements, and its definition is constantly updated as the construction industry develops. This paper compares the development of backgrounds and statuses of green building development in various countries. It also presents an overview of the green building development situation within these countries, summarizing two influences for GB development: one external and the other internal. External factors include GB development policy support, economic benefits, and certification schemes. Internal factors are the development and application of GB technology, the level of building management, and how users interact with the GB technology. Currently, 49 worldwide green building standards and application have been sorted out, including 18 standard expert appraisal systems. Moreover, it discusses the research results and lessons learned from green building projects in different countries and summarizes their achievements and challenges. To correctly understand and use green building technology, it is essential to improve the policy and incentive system, improve the professional quality and technical ability of employees and accredited consultants, constantly develop and update the evaluation system, strengthen technological innovation, and integrate design and management. This paper aims to draw a clear roadmap for national standard development, policy formulation, and construction design companies, provide solutions to remove the obstacles, and suggest research direction for future studies.
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23
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Chen Z. Economic benefit analysis of green building based on fuzzy logic and bilateral game model. JOURNAL OF INTELLIGENT & FUZZY SYSTEMS 2019. [DOI: 10.3233/jifs-179087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhuolun Chen
- Architecture Design and Research Institute, School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of management Engineering, Copenhagen Center on Energy Efficiency, Technical University of Denmark, UNEP-DTU Partnership, Copenhagen, Denmark
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24
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Allen JG, MacNaughton P, Cedeno-Laurent JG, Cao X, Flanigan S, Vallarino J, Rueda F, Donnelly-McLay D, Spengler JD. Airplane pilot flight performance on 21 maneuvers in a flight simulator under varying carbon dioxide concentrations. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2019; 29:457-468. [PMID: 30089876 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-018-0055-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies suggest that carbon dioxide has an impact on cognitive function performance of office workers at concentrations previously thought to be benign (1000-2500 ppm). The only available data for CO2 on the flight deck indicate that the average CO2 concentrations are typically <1000 ppm, but the 95th percentile concentration can be as high as 1400 ppm, depending on airplane type. METHODS We recruited 30 active commercial airline pilots to fly three 3-h flight segments in an FAA-approved flight simulator with each segment at a different CO2 concentration on the flight deck (700, 1500, 2500 ppm). CO2 concentrations were modified by introducing ultra-pure CO2 into the simulator; ventilation rates remained the same for each segment. The pilots performed a range of predefined maneuvers of varying difficulty without the aid of autopilot, and were assessed by a FAA Designated Pilot Examiner according to FAA Practical Test Standards. Pilots and the Examiner were blinded to test conditions and the order of exposures was randomized. RESULTS Compared to segments at a CO2 concentration of 2500 ppm, the odds of passing a maneuver as rated by the Examiner in the simulator were 1.52 (95% CI: 1.02-2.25) times higher when pilots were exposed to 1500 ppm and 1.69 (95% CI: 1.11-2.55) times higher when exposed to 700 ppm, controlling for maneuver difficulty, Examiner and order of maneuvers. DISCUSSION Examiner rating captured a wider range of performance indicators than output from the flight simulator, which can characterize only a few quantitative aspects of the flight performance. More broadly, these findings suggest that there is a direct effect of carbon dioxide on performance, independent of ventilation, with implications for many other indoor environments that routinely experience CO2 concentrations above 1000 ppm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G Allen
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Piers MacNaughton
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Xiaodong Cao
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Skye Flanigan
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jose Vallarino
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Deborah Donnelly-McLay
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John D Spengler
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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25
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Cao X, MacNaughton P, Cadet LR, Cedeno-Laurent JG, Flanigan S, Vallarino J, Donnelly-McLay D, Christiani DC, Spengler JD, Allen JG. Heart Rate Variability and Performance of Commercial Airline Pilots during Flight Simulations. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16020237. [PMID: 30654438 PMCID: PMC6352143 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16020237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Pilots undergo a variety of stressors that may affect their performance during all phases of flight. Heart rate variability (HRV) has been considered as a reliable indicator of the parasympathetic and sympathetic activities of human autonomic nervous system, which can be used to characterize the sympathetic stress response of pilots during flight. In this study, thirty active commercial airline pilots were recruited to fly three flight segments in a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified A320 flight simulator with each segment at a different carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration on the flight deck. The pilots performed a series of maneuvers of varying difficulty, and their performance was evaluated by FAA designated pilot examiners. The HRV metrics (SDNN, RMSSD and LF/HF ratio) of each pilot both before and during flight simulations were measured with a Movisens EcgMove3 sensor. The average SDNN, RMSSD and LF/HF ratio of the pilots during flight simulations were 34.1 ± 12.7 ms, 23.8 ± 10.2 ms and 5.7 ± 2.8 respectively. Decreased HRV was associated with aging, obesity and performing difficult maneuvers. Both CO₂ exposure and HRV had an independent effect on the pilot performance, while their interaction was not significant. The generalized additive mixed effect model results showed that a pilot performed better on a maneuver when his stress response was lower, as indicated by higher SDNN and RMSSD and lower LF/HF ratio. An interquartile range (IQR) increase in SDNN (21.97 ms) and RMSSD (16.00 ms) and an IQR decrease in LF/HF ratio (4.69) was associated with an increase in the odds of passing a maneuver by 37%, 22% and 20%, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Cao
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Piers MacNaughton
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Leslie R Cadet
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | | | - Skye Flanigan
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Jose Vallarino
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Deborah Donnelly-McLay
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - David C Christiani
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - John D Spengler
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Joseph G Allen
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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Azuma K, Kagi N, Yanagi U, Osawa H. Effects of low-level inhalation exposure to carbon dioxide in indoor environments: A short review on human health and psychomotor performance. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 121:51-56. [PMID: 30172928 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.08.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 08/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/25/2018] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Scientific literature and documents pertaining to the effects of inhalation exposure to carbon dioxide (CO2) on human health and psychomotor performance were reviewed. Linear physiological changes in circulatory, cardiovascular, and autonomic systems on exposure to CO2 at concentrations ranging from 500 to 5000 ppm were evident. Human experimental studies have suggested that short-term CO2 exposure beginning at 1000 ppm affects cognitive performances including decision making and problem resolution. Changes in autonomic systems due to low-level exposure to CO2 may involve these effects. Further research on the long-term effects of low-level CO2 exposure on the autonomic system is required. Numerous epidemiological studies indicate an association between low-level exposure to CO2 beginning at 700 ppm and building-related symptoms. Respiratory symptoms have been indicated in children exposed to indoor CO2 concentrations higher than 1000 ppm. However, other indoor comorbid pollutants are possibly involved in such effects. In the context of significant linear increase of globally ambient CO2 concentration caused by anthropogenic activities and sources, reducing indoor CO2 levels by ventilation with ambient air represents an increase in energy consumption in an air-conditioned building. For the efficient energy control of CO2 intruding a building from ambient air, the rise of atmospheric CO2 concentration needs to be urgently suppressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenichi Azuma
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Behavioral Science, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama 589-8511, Japan; Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, Wako 351-0197, Japan.
| | - Naoki Kagi
- Department of Mechanical and Environmental Informatics, Graduate School of Information Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan; Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, Wako 351-0197, Japan.
| | - U Yanagi
- Department of Architecture, School of Architecture, Kogakuin University, Tokyo 163-8677, Japan; Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, Wako 351-0197, Japan.
| | - Haruki Osawa
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, Wako 351-0197, Japan.
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Interlinked Sustainability Aspects of Low-Rise Residential Family House Development in Slovakia. SUSTAINABILITY 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/su10113966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This paper compares the sustainability aspects of three family houses according to the Slovak building environmental assessment system (BEAS). Various categories of family houses were evaluated, including site selection, project planning, building construction, indoor environment, energy performance, and water and waste management. Based on the results, Family Houses 3 and 2 are certified as BEAS SILVER, with scores of 2.46 and 2.01, respectively. Family House 1 is certified as BEAS BRONZE, with an overall score of 1.44. The results show, not only the importance of the site in terms of availability, connectivity to the network and the potential to use renewable energy sources, but also the importance of the design and construction of the building, including the application of environmentally friendly building materials, ensuring the quality of the indoor environment and the energy efficiency of the building. The aims of this study were to highlight the current trend in the design and construction of low-rise residential family houses in Slovakia and to identify gaps in the design and construction of key sustainability aspects through the existing building environmental assessment system. In the future, many low-rise residential family houses will be assessed to modify and validate BEAS.
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MacNaughton P, Satish U, Laurent JGC, Flanigan S, Vallarino J, Coull B, Spengler JD, Allen JG. The Impact of Working in a Green Certified Building on Cognitive Function and Health. BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT 2017; 114:178-186. [PMID: 28785124 PMCID: PMC5543984 DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2016.11.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Thirty years of public health research have demonstrated that improved indoor environmental quality is associated with better health outcomes. Recent research has demonstrated an impact of the indoor environment on cognitive function. We recruited 109 participants from 10 high-performing buildings (i.e. buildings surpassing the ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010 ventilation requirement and with low total volatile organic compound concentrations) in five U.S. cities. In each city, buildings were matched by week of assessment, tenant, type of worker and work functions. A key distinction between the matched buildings was whether they had achieved green certification. Workers were administered a cognitive function test of higher order decision-making performance twice during the same week while indoor environmental quality parameters were monitored. Workers in green certified buildings scored 26.4% (95% CI: [12.8%, 39.7%]) higher on cognitive function tests, controlling for annual earnings, job category and level of schooling, and had 30% fewer sick building symptoms than those in non-certified buildings. These outcomes may be partially explained by IEQ factors, including thermal conditions and lighting, but the findings suggest that the benefits of green certification standards go beyond measureable IEQ factors. We describe a holistic "buildingomics" approach for examining the complexity of factors in a building that influence human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piers MacNaughton
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Usha Satish
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY-Upstate Medical School, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | | | - Skye Flanigan
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jose Vallarino
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brent Coull
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John D. Spengler
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph G. Allen
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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