Article
Construction & Building Technology
Antigona Ukehaxhaj, Naser Ramadani, Hanns Moshammer, Drita Zogaj
Summary: There is scientific evidence of the adverse health effects of indoor exposure to chemicals in children. Nitrogen dioxide and benzene were found to be too high in at least one school. Formaldehyde levels were higher indoors and in newer schools. Improving air circulation and temperature control, as well as identifying and eliminating sources of pollution, would benefit the health and learning of school children.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Brandon Bottorff, Chen Wang, Emily Reidy, Colleen Rosales, Delphine K. Farmer, Marina E. Vance, Jonathan P. D. Abbatt, Philip S. Stevens
Summary: Despite the lack of full understanding of the chemistry of nitrous acid (HONO) in the indoor environment, this study presents results from comparing measurements of HONO using different instruments. The findings indicate that HONO has a long enough lifetime to be quickly distributed indoors and mix throughout the house, contributing to the oxidative capacity indoors.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Rhiannon Thompson, Rachel B. Smith, Yasmin Bou Karim, Chen Shen, Kayleigh Drummond, Chloe Teng, Mireille B. Toledano
Summary: This systematic review examines the literature on the association between air pollution and general population cognition. The results suggest that there is a link between air pollution exposure and worsened cognition, although the evidence is varied and sometimes contradictory. Specifically, there is moderate certainty evidence supporting the detrimental associations between certain pollutants and cognitive functions in adults and children.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Manasa Reddy, Mohammad Heidarinejad, Brent Stephens, Israel Rubinstein
Summary: Indoor air quality in nursing homes often exceeds outdoor levels, which may adversely affect the health of elderly residents who are more susceptible to air pollutants. Regular monitoring and improvement of indoor air quality in nursing homes can reduce medical expenditures and improve residents' quality of life.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yuhe Zhou, Guangfei Yang, Siyi Xin, Yu Yang
Summary: This paper proposes an indoor PM2.5 dynamic characteristic evaluation model considering human activities based on real-time monitoring data and the principle of mass conservations. The model helps to dynamically set parameters for fresh air ventilation systems and provides technical support for predicting indoor PM2.5 under natural ventilation.
ENERGY AND BUILDINGS
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Prisco Piscitelli, Alessandro Miani, Leonardo Setti, Gianluigi De Gennaro, Xavier Rodo, Begona Artinano, Elena Vara, Lisa Rancan, Javier Arias, Fabrizio Passarini, Pierluigi Barbieri, Alberto Pallavicini, Alessandro Parente, Edoardo Cavalieri D'Oro, Claudio De Maio, Francesco Saladino, Massimo Borelli, Elena Colicino, Luiz Marcos G. Goncalves, Gianluca Di Tanna, Annamaria Colao, Giovanni S. Leonardi, Andrea Baccarelli, Francesca Dominici, John P. A. Ioannidis, Jose L. Domingo
Summary: There are important questions about the role of outdoor and indoor air quality in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the persistence of the COVID-19 epidemic. Environmental health plays a critical role in preventing COVID-19. The public health community should consider the evolving evidence and issue occupational guidelines. New evidence from epidemiological and experimental research is expected to provide knowledge about virus diffusion, COVID-19 severity in highly polluted areas, interpersonal distance requirements, and the need for masks in indoor and outdoor environments.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sushma Dhital, Dipesh Rupakheti, Maheswar Rupakheti, Xiufeng Yin, Yanli Liu, Joy James Mafiana, Mohammed Muneer Alareqi, Halabia Mohamednour, Benzhong Zhang
Summary: This study examined the research progress of indoor air pollution (IAP) through a scientometric analysis, revealing significant differences between developed and developing countries in this field. Current research focuses on global burden, comparative risk assessment, household air pollution, and author Kirk R. Smith has made important contributions. Studies related to rural, fossil-fuel toxicity, IAP, and exposure assessment have received particular attention.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pengfei Guo, Elizabeth Z. Lin, Jeremy P. Koelmel, Enmin Ding, Ying Gao, Fuchang Deng, Haoran Dong, Yuanyuan Liu, Yu'e Cha, Jianlong Fang, Xiaoming Shi, Song Tang, Krystal J. Godri Pollitt
Summary: The study characterized personal exposure to airborne chemical contaminants among older adults using passive wristband samplers, and identified main exposure compounds like PAHs, phthalates, nitroaromatics, and VOCs. Some substances showed positive correlations with outdoor temperatures while others displayed inverse relationships.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Economics
Heike Marquart, Maximilian Ueberham, Uwe Schlink
Summary: This paper discusses a novel method that extends the dimensions of personal exposure to include the situational context of exposure perception. By combining mobile interviews and wearable sensors in a mixed-method approach, the study explores the differences between perceived and measured exposure, highlighting the potential of these methods to improve urban transport planning decisions.
JOURNAL OF TRANSPORT GEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Ashraf Mimi Elsaid, M. Salem Ahmed
Summary: The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in widespread infections and deaths, impacting global activities and the economy. Improving air conditioning systems, particularly air filters, is crucial to prevent the spread of the virus and maintain indoor air quality.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Karolina Bralewska, Wioletta Rogula-Kozlowska, Adrian Bralewski
Summary: This study aimed to determine the concentrations of selected gaseous indoor air pollutants in a typical Polish sports center, evaluate the efficiency of the ventilation system, and identify the factors determining air quality. The results showed higher concentrations of pollutants during the heating season, except for CO2 outside. CO2 concentrations were mainly influenced by physical activity, while VOC, NO2, and SO2 concentrations were mainly influenced by outdoor sources. Specific substances were found only in indoor air and were influenced by specific indoor sources. The findings can be used to improve indoor air quality in sports facilities and minimize adverse health effects.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Xiwang Du, Xuezhu Li, Pan Qian, Hong Wu
Summary: This study found that the use of solid fuel is significantly associated with a higher risk of depression and cognitive impairment. Furthermore, indoor air pollution influences depression partly through the inflammatory profile.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katie Van Valkinburgh, Ali Mohammadi Nafchi, Ehsan Mousavi, Vincent Blouin, Nigel Kaye, Andrew R. Metcalf
Summary: This study discusses the results of ventilation testing in a university classroom and evaluates the effectiveness of different ventilation systems in removing particles. The study shows that low-cost devices can be as effective as high-cost devices in removing particles, and the particle concentration half-life decreases as the mechanical air changes per hour increases. Additionally, operating the fan coil units on a high fan speed and using a HEPA filter can reduce potential exposure risk.
AEROSOL AND AIR QUALITY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Thomas H. Frampton, Akira Tiele, James A. Covington
Summary: The PONG system is a personalized environmental quality monitoring system that transmits data to a smartphone via Bluetooth, allowing for monitoring of air quality, light quality, acoustic comfort, and thermal comfort. The system successfully demonstrated its functionality in both static and mobile testing.
IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Amirhosein Mousavi, Jun Wu
Summary: During the COVID-19 lockdown, indoor PM2.5 concentrations increased significantly, particularly with clear peaks in residential areas in the afternoon and evening, reflecting increased human activity and household chores during meal times. The contribution of indoor-generated PM2.5 to total indoor concentrations increased as high as 80% during and post-lockdown periods compared to before lockdown.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Federico Tartarini, Stefano Schiavon, Ollie Jay, Edward Arens, Charlie Huizenga
Summary: Heatwaves are increasing in frequency and intensity, causing significant deaths. Electric fans are a cost-effective and safe cooling solution even when indoor temperatures exceed 35 degrees C. Studies show that elevated air speeds can delay heat strain, indicating that current health guidelines may be too restrictive.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Construction & Building Technology
William W. Nazaroff, Charles J. Weschler
Summary: Indoor exposure to ozone mainly comes from outdoor sources, but indoor emission sources can also impact concentrations. Factors affecting indoor ozone levels include mechanical ventilation systems, indoor surfaces, and human occupants. Mitigation technologies, such as activated carbon filtration, can help reduce indoor ozone levels.
Review
Construction & Building Technology
William W. Nazaroff
Summary: Knowledge on person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 focuses on emission, transport, and inhalation of virus-containing particles indoors. The study identifies different sizes of particles and their removal methods, emphasizing the importance of masking and social distancing in reducing transmission. Key findings include the predominant indoor transmission, significant contribution of airborne particles to viral spread, and the role of speaking as a major source of viral emissions.
Review
Construction & Building Technology
Won Hee Ko, Michael G. Kent, Stefano Schiavon, Brendon Levitt, Giovanni Betti
Summary: This study presents a framework for window view quality, including the variables of View Content, View Access, and View Clarity, which are derived from daylighting standards, green certification systems, and scientific research. Through a literature review, a concept index for evaluating the quality of window views is proposed.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Toby Cheung, Lindsay T. Graham, Stefano Schiavon
Summary: This study examines the impact of personal factors on occupant satisfaction with indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and finds that job satisfaction and life satisfaction are closely related to IEQ satisfaction.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Editorial Material
Construction & Building Technology
Won Hee Ko, Stefano Schiavon, Sergio Altomonte, Marilyne Andersen, Ayesha Batool, William Browning, Galen Burrell, Kynthia Chamilothori, Ying-Chieh Chan, Giorgia Chinazzo, Jens Christoffersen, Nancy Clanton, Christopher Connock, Timur Dogan, Billie Faircloth, Luis Fernandes, Lisa Heschong, Kevin W. Houser, Mehlika Inanici, Alstan Jakubiec, Anjali Joseph, Caroline Karmann, Michael Kent, Kyle Konis, Iason Konstantzos, Kera Lagios, Linda Lam, Florence Lam, Eleanor Lee, Brendon Levitt, Wenting Li, Piers MacNaughton, Ahoo Malekafzali Ardakan, John Mardaljevic, Barbara Matusiak, Werner Osterhaus, Steffen Petersen, Matt Piccone, Clotilde Pierson, Brent Protzman, Tarek Rakha, Christoph Reinhart, Siobhan Rockcastle, Holly Samuelson, Luis Santos, Azadeh Sawyer, Stephen Selkowitz, Eloise Sok, Jakob Stromann-Andersen, William C. Sullivan, Irmak Turan, Gayathri Unnikrishnan, Will Vicent, Dan Weissman, Jan Wienold
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Michael G. Kent, Stefano Schiavon
Summary: This study used machine learning models to accurately predict window view preferences based on environmental information criteria. The higher the ratings given to the criteria, the more positive the evaluations for psychological restoration and positive affect. The study recommends the use of these criteria in practice and emphasizes the importance of nature in window view design.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Matias Quintana, Stefano Schiavon, Federico Tartarini, Joyce Kim, Clayton Miller
Summary: Cohort Comfort Models (CCM) are a technique that predicts personalized thermal comfort for new building occupants by leveraging historical data from similar individuals. It combines background information and one-time surveys with physiological and environmental sensor measurements. The results demonstrate that CCM performs as well as or better than conventional models and achieves increased prediction accuracy when incorporating historical preference data points.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Toby Cheung, Jiayu Li, Jiamin Goh, Chandra Sekhar, David Cheong, Kwok Wai Tham
Summary: This study used tracer gas technique to simulate virus-laden aerosols exhaled by a patient under home quarantine. The results showed that indoor concentration was 4 times higher under air-conditioning settings compared to natural ventilation. Operating an exhaust fan substantially reduced in-room concentration and leakage rate, except for natural ventilation with a ceiling fan. The study recommends natural ventilation instead of air-conditioning and utilizing exhaust fans when using air-conditioning to reduce exposure risk during home quarantine.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Aurelie Laguerre, Danlyn L. Brennan, Olyssa Starry, Todd N. Rosenstiel, Elliott T. Gall
Summary: This study characterizes the CO2 uptake and BVOC emission of succulent plants and moss using proton transfer reaction - time of flight - mass spectrometry. Methanol was the dominant BVOC emitted, and acetaldehyde had the largest removal. The results can inform the selection of plants used in urban greening.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Won Hee Ko, Stefano Schiavon, Luis Santos, Michael G. Kent, Hanwook Kim, Mohammad Keshavarzi
Summary: Aims of window design include providing quality views that affect occupants' health, well-being, and work performance. This study assessed the effect of geometric variables on occupants' satisfaction to view access and developed a view access index. The results showed that glazing area, window distance, and viewing direction were the primary predictors for view access satisfaction. Integrating these variables during the early stages of building design is important.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Aureelie Laguerre, Elliott T. T. Gall
Summary: Wildfire smoke can accumulate indoor materials, and two methods were developed for measuring PAHs on indoor materials. The extraction recoveries of PAHs ranged from 50-83% and were influenced by the number of aromatic rings. The recovery of heavy PAHs was higher than that of light PAHs.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Baisong Ning, Chandra Sekhar, Stefano Schiavon, Kwok Wai Tham, David Cheong, Hongyuan Jia, Prashant Anand
Summary: Overcooling or too high humidity issues may occur when the cooling coil in the central air-conditioning system is inadequate. Developing more advanced cooling coils to adapt to cooling load changes is a possible solution. This study presents experimental and simulation results for an adaptable coil, which shows a reduction in relative humidity and stable water flow rate compared to a conventional coil in small-scale experiments. However, in a properly sized and well-operated system, the adaptable coil does not significantly reduce humidity and overcooling.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zuraimi Sultan, Jiayu Li, Jovan Pantelic, Stefano Schiavon
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of portable air cleaners (PACs) in reducing particle matter (PM) concentration in office buildings and developed a design method to determine the number of PACs needed. The results showed that PACs are more effective in smaller spaces and the effectiveness is logarithmically dependent on the number of units deployed.
AEROSOL AND AIR QUALITY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Parth Bansal, Steven Jige Quan
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between urban form and canopy layer urban heat island (CUHI) using a relatively large sample of microclimate sensors in Seoul, Korea. The study compares different statistical models and finds that the spatially explicit gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT) model has the highest accuracy. The study also shows that the effect of urban form on CUHI varies at different time instances during the day. These findings provide valuable insights for planners to understand the complexity of urban climate and reduce CUHI magnitude.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Miaomiao Liu, Salah Almazmumi, Pinlu Cao, Carlos Jimenez-bescos, John Kaiser Calautit
Summary: Windcatchers provide effective low-energy ventilation and summer passive cooling in temperate climates. However, their use in winter is limited due to significant ventilation heat loss and potential discomfort. This study evaluates the applicability of windcatchers in low-temperature conditions, highlighting the need for control strategies to reduce over-ventilation and the integration of heat recovery or thermal storage to enhance winter thermal conditions.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Review
Construction & Building Technology
Behrouz Nourozi, Aneta Wierzbicka, Runming Yao, Sasan Sadrizadeh
Summary: This article presents a systematic review of ventilation solutions in hospital wards, aiming to enhance pathogen removal performance while maintaining patient and healthcare staff comfort using air-cleaning techniques. The study reveals the importance of proper ventilation systems in reducing infection risk and adverse effects of cross-contamination.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zhen Yang, Weirong Zhang, Hongkai Liu, Weijia Zhang, Mingyuan Qin
Summary: The study examines the influence of personalized local heating on the thermal comfort of occupants in old residential buildings. The findings reveal that personalized local heating can increase the overall thermal sensation of occupants, but only a few methods are effective in enhancing thermal comfort. The chosen heating methods and background temperature affect the participants' selection of heating parts.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Hong Cheng, Dan Norback, Huilin Zhang, Liu Yang, Baizhan Li, Yinping Zhang, Zhuohui Zhao, Qihong Deng, Chen Huang, Xu Yang, Chan Lu, Hua Qian, Tingting Wang, Ling Zhang, Wei Yu, Juan Wang, Xin Zhang
Summary: The home environment and sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms in five southern Chinese cities have been studied over time. The study found a decrease in asthma prevalence and an increase in allergic rhinitis. Cockroaches, rats, mice, mosquitoes or flies were identified as consistent biological risk factors for SBS symptoms, while redecoration, buying new furniture, and traffic air pollution were identified as other risk factors.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Chaojie Xing, Zhengtao Ai, Zhiwei Liu, Cheuk Ming Mak, Hai Ming Wong
Summary: This study experimentally investigated the emission characteristics of droplets around the mouth during dental treatments. The results showed that the peak mass fraction of droplets occurs within the size range of 20 μm to 100 μm, and droplets with a diameter less than 200 μm account for over 80% of the mass fraction. The dominant emission direction of droplets is towards the dummy's head and chest, forming an approximately cone shape.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zhijian Liu, Zhe Han, Lina Hu, Chenxing Hu, Rui Rong
Summary: This study compared the effects of different respiratory behaviors on the distribution of aerosols in a ward and the risk of infection for healthcare workers using numerical simulation. It was found that talking in the ward significantly increased aerosol concentrations, particularly short periods of talking. Wards designed with side-supply ventilation had lower overall infection risk. Talking alternately between healthcare workers and patients slightly extended the impact time of aerosols.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yan Yan, Mengyuan Kang, Haodong Zhang, Zhiwei Lian, Xiaojun Fan, Chandra Sekhar, Pawel Wargocki, Li Lan
Summary: In a high-density city, opening windows for sleep may lead to increased indoor temperature, higher PM2.5 concentration, and noise disturbance, which can negatively impact sleep quality.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yan Bai, Liang Liu, Kai Liu, Shuai Yu, Yifan Shen, Di Sun
Summary: This study developed a non-intrusive personal thermal comfort model using machine learning techniques combined with infrared facial recognition. The results showed that the ensemble learning models perform better than traditional models, and the broad learning model has a higher prediction precision with lower computational complexity and faster training speed compared to deep neural networks. The findings provide a reference for optimizing building thermal environments.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yue Lei, Zeynep Duygu Tekler, Sicheng Zhan, Clayton Miller, Adrian Chong
Summary: Mixed-mode ventilation is a promising solution for achieving energy-efficient and comfortable indoor environments. This study found that occupants can thermally adapt when switching between natural ventilation (NV) and air-conditioning (AC) modes within the same day, with the adaptation process stabilizing between 35 to 45 minutes after the mode switch. These findings are important for optimizing thermal comfort in mixed-mode controls, considering the dynamic nature of thermal adaptation.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Nan Mo, Jie Han, Yingde Yin, Yelin Zhang
Summary: This study develops a method based on the LCZ framework for a comprehensive evaluation of urban-scale heat island effects, considering the impact of geographic factors on LST. The results show that Guilin's geomorphological conditions lead to abnormal heat island effects during winter, and the cooling effects of mountains and water bodies vary seasonally in different built areas, with LCZ 2 exhibiting the strongest cooling effect.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Tunga Salthammer
Summary: Monitoring the potential formaldehyde emission of wood-based materials through test chamber investigations has significantly contributed to reducing indoor formaldehyde concentrations. However, the different methodologies used in these procedures prevent direct result comparison. Empirical models for converting formaldehyde steady-state concentrations based on temperature, humidity, air change rate, and loading were developed in the 1970s and have been modified to accommodate the development of lower-emitting materials. Formaldehyde emissions from wood-based materials are complex and require nonlinear regression tools for mathematical analysis.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Katarina Stebelova, Katarina Kovacova, Zuzana Dzirbikova, Peter Hanuliak, Tomas Bacigal, Peter Hartman, Andrea Vargova, Jozef Hraska
Summary: This study investigated the impact of reduced short-wavelength light on the hormone melatonin metabolite 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (u-sMEL) and examined the association between previous day's light exposure and u-sMEL. It was found that reducing short-wavelength light during the day did not change the concentration of u-sMEL. Personal photopic illuminance was positively correlated with u-sMEL in the reference week. The illuminance had a significant impact on u-sMEL, as shown by the evaluation of the mean of all three urine samples. However, this correlation was not found in the experimental week.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Ruoxin Xiong, Ying Shi, Haoming Jing, Wei Liang, Yorie Nakahira, Pingbo Tang
Summary: This study proposes a data-model integration method to identify and calibrate uncertainties in machine learning models, leading to improved thermal perception predictions. The method utilizes the Multidimensional Association Rule Mining algorithm to identify biased human responses and enhances prediction accuracy and reliability. The study also evaluates different calibration techniques and discovers their potential in enhancing prediction reliability.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Beichao Hu, Zeda Yin, Abderrachid Hamrani, Arturo Leon, Dwayne McDaniel
Summary: This paper introduces an innovative super-resolution approach to model the air flow and temperature field in the cold aisle of a data center. The proposed method reconstructs a high-fidelity flow field by using a low-fidelity flow field, significantly reducing the computational time and enabling real-time prediction.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)