Article
Construction & Building Technology
Theresa Pistochini, Caton Mande, Subhrajit Chakraborty
Summary: Lowering the potential for airborne disease transmission in school buildings is crucial, and balancing health and energy consumption is important in ventilation and filtration measures. The study found that an improved filtration system reduced energy consumption by 31% compared to 100% outdoor air ventilation, and decreased infection probability by 29%. Additionally, activating cooling based on outdoor temperature setpoint using an economizer increased ventilation, reduced energy consumption, and lowered infection probability.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2022)
Review
Construction & Building Technology
Nima Izadyar, Wendy Miller
Summary: This review paper examines the impact of ventilation on the spread of aerosols and suggests efficient strategies such as personalized ventilation systems and consideration of design features to control indoor aerosol transmission. It emphasizes the importance of ventilation rates and suggests the use of filtration and decontamination devices to enhance ventilation performance.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Su-Hoon Park, Se-Jin Yook, Hyun Bon Koo
Summary: This study compared and analyzed the effects of natural ventilation and air purifiers on virus spread in a classroom. The results showed that operating one or two air purifiers could significantly reduce the virus-containing aerosols in indoor air during winter, especially when combined with natural ventilation. However, adjustments should be made based on weather conditions and particulate matter concentrations during the use of these methods.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Ajith N. Nair, Prashant Anand, Abraham George, Nilabhra Mondal
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive review on the mechanisms, factors, and control measures of airborne transmission of viruses. It reveals that airborne viruses can remain infectious for hours and that air pollutants and environmental parameters have significant influences on virus transmission. By collating measures and building techniques from various research studies, architects and organizations can improve or design building systems to combat COVID-19 or future pandemics.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
L. Stabile, A. Pacitto, A. Mikszewski, L. Morawska, G. Buonanno
Summary: The key challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic is reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through indoor air. Improved ventilation in crowded indoor environments like schools can help minimize airborne transmission, but there is uncertainty around required ventilation rates and achieving targets efficiently. The study explores using mechanical ventilation and ad-hoc airing procedures to mitigate airborne transmission risk in classrooms, proposing a feedback control strategy for naturally-ventilated classrooms.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Diana Rodriguez, Itziar R. Urbieta, Angel Velasco, Miguel Angel Campano-Laborda, Elena Jimenez
Summary: This study evaluated the ventilation conditions, COVID-19 risk, and indoor air quality (IAQ) in secondary school and university classrooms in Toledo, Spain. The results showed that university classrooms had better ventilation conditions and thermal comfort compared to secondary school classrooms. The IAQ was generally good in all classrooms, with outdoor sources of gaseous pollutants and heterogeneous sources of particulate matter. Controlled mechanical ventilation systems and wearing well-fitting masks were recommended to minimize the transmission risk of COVID-19 and other airborne infectious diseases.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Construction & Building Technology
S. Ferrari, T. Blazquez, R. Cardelli, G. Puglisi, R. Suarez, L. Mazzarella
Summary: This review examines the implementation of air ventilation strategies in school environments to reduce the risk of contagion between students. The findings suggest that both natural and mechanical ventilation, through architectural design and airflow control strategies, play a positive role in reducing infection risks.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Jingcui Xu, Hai Guo, Yanling Zhang, Xiaopu Lyu
Summary: This study investigates the performance of a personalized air curtain (PAC) system in reducing exposure to airborne droplets. The results show that PAC can effectively reduce the risk of exposure to airborne droplets, especially when the flow rate reaches the "critical velocity". In addition, the integrated PAC-PV also demonstrates good performance in reducing airborne droplet risk.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Junemo Koo, Young Min Jo, Tae Jeong Lee, Sowoo Park, Doosam Song
Summary: During the COVID-19 pandemic, schools in South Korea faced a trade-off problem between airborne transmission risks and elevated indoor PM2.5 concentrations due to increased ventilation rates. This study quantitatively analyzed the impact of ventilation rate on indoor PM2.5 concentrations and COVID-19 transmission risk in classrooms. The results provide important insights into the trade-off between ventilation rate and COVID-19 transmission risk, and can be used to develop strategies for mitigating both risks and ensuring safety.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Christos D. Argyropoulos, Vasiliki Skoulou, Georgios Efthimiou, Apostolos K. Michopoulos
Summary: The underestimation of airborne dispersion of biological agents and the need for monitoring and analyzing their transmission in building environments is a major challenge. Ventilation systems play a crucial role in the transmission of indoor air pollutants, and computational fluid dynamics modeling can help predict dispersion routes and concentrations. This multidisciplinary review examines the nature of biological agents, their transmission routes, the role of HVAC systems, and computer modeling approaches.
AIR QUALITY ATMOSPHERE AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Mary Myla Andamon, Priyadarsini Rajagopalan, Jin Woo
Summary: This paper presents field measurements of CO2 concentration levels in classrooms in Victoria, Australia, showing insufficient ventilation and elevated CO2 levels. The study highlights the importance of improving classroom design, promoting proper ventilation practices, raising awareness of building ventilation in schools, and developing guidelines for ventilation and indoor air quality in schools.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Shamila Haddad, Afroditi Synnefa, Miguel Angel Padilla Marcos, Riccardo Paolini, Steven Delrue, Deo Prasad, Mattheos Santamouris
Summary: A field study was conducted in secondary school classrooms in Sydney, Australia, where the use of a cloud-connected demand-controlled mechanical extract ventilation system (DCV) significantly improved air quality and comfort. Students demonstrated adaptability to indoor temperature and CO2 concentration changes. Understanding indoor air quality and thermal environment is crucial for developing child-friendly design guidelines for schools.
ENERGY AND BUILDINGS
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Hooseung Na, Haneul Choi, Haseong Kim, Dongjun Park, Joosang Lee, Taeyeon Kim
Summary: This study proposes an operating method to minimize noise while improving indoor air quality in school classrooms by using CONTAM simulations. The method involves operating the heat recovery ventilation (HRV) in low wind mode during class time and strong wind mode during break time. The study findings provide an effective and feasible approach to satisfying both noise and indoor air quality requirements and can be valuable for developing appropriate air purifier facility capacities in different schools.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Biology
Manas Mondal, Srabani Chakrabarti, Yi Qin Gao, Dhananjay Bhattacharyya, Jaydeb Chakrabarti
Summary: This study investigates the indoor propagation of airborne diseases through a microscopic model of virus particles in respiratory microdroplets. The motion of the virus particles is influenced by various forces, including air flow from indoor air conditioning, gravity, viscous drag, interfacial tension, thermal forces, and interaction forces with other viral particles. The simulations and scaling analysis reveal the time it takes for a droplet to reach the ground and the distance it propagates horizontally from the source. This research provides insights into the long-distance transmission of airborne respiratory droplets in indoor conditions.
COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Zahra Noorimotlagh, Neemat Jaafarzadeh, Susana Silva Martinez, Seyyed Abbas Mirzaee
Summary: The possibility of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor air environments has been highlighted in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures such as improving ventilation, maintaining interpersonal distance, and considering the airborne transmission route are crucial for protecting health.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Philomena M. Bluyssen, Dadi Zhang, Marco Ortiz
Summary: This study investigated the multifactorial nature of rhinitis and headaches among students from universities in different cities, finding associations between building-related factors and health issues. The identified risk factors seemed to be independent of season or climate region, highlighting the importance of both environmental and personal factors in addressing health and comfort in homes.
INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Dadi Zhang, Er Ding, Philomena M. Bluyssen
Summary: The ventilation of school buildings has gained attention since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is a lack of guidance for assessing ventilation performance in classrooms. This study conducted laboratory and field studies and found significant variations in CO2 concentrations at different locations in classrooms, particularly under natural ventilation conditions. Therefore, it is recommended to monitor CO2 concentrations at multiple locations in classrooms.
INDOOR AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Acoustics
Amneh Hamida, Dadi Zhang, Marco A. Ortiz, Philomena M. Bluyssen
Summary: Students in educational buildings have individual acoustical preferences and needs, but current acoustical guidelines for educational buildings mainly focus on dose-related and building-related indicators, while occupant-related indicators are rarely considered. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of relevant indicators and methods in the field of indoor acoustics and soundscape to investigate students' acoustical preferences and needs in educational buildings.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Philomena M. Bluyssen, Dadi Zhang, Marco Ortiz
Summary: Recent studies have found that both personal and building-related factors can impact the health and comfort of occupants in their homes, and people may respond differently to these factors. This study used a large database from a survey conducted among first-year students at Delft University of Technology to explore the associations between self-reported symptoms and the indoor environment of their homes. The results showed three distinct clusters of students based on their perceptions of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and these clusters had different risk factors contributing to symptoms.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Er Ding, Dadi Zhang, Amneh Hamida, Clara Garcia-Sanchez, Lotte Jonker, Annemarijn R. de Boer, Patricia C. J. L. Bruijning, Kimberly J. Linde, Inge M. Wouters, Philomena M. Bluyssen
Summary: This study in the Netherlands investigated the effects of COVID-19 measures on ventilation and thermal conditions in classrooms. It found that post-lockdown, indoor CO2 concentration decreased significantly and ventilation rates mainly increased due to reduced occupancy. However, overall ventilation rates did not change significantly and thermal conditions were still unsatisfactory.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Huiying Cynthia Hou, Dadi Zhang, Joseph H. K. Lai
Summary: This study investigates the indoor built environment (IBE) of a Dutch modular student housing by integrating IBE performance data and occupants' perception. The study finds that thermal quality and indoor air quality (IAQ) are critical factors, and that room orientation and occupant behavior have significant impacts on IBE. The methodology developed in this study can be applied to enhance the design and management of modular student housing in the future.
ENERGY AND BUILDINGS
(2023)
Review
Construction & Building Technology
Dadi Zhang, Marco A. Ortiz, Philomena M. Bluyssen
Summary: Due to COVID-19, the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in sports facilities has become a concern for environmental health practitioners. To understand the available guidelines, standards, and studies on IEQ in sports facilities, a comprehensive literature review was conducted. The study aimed to identify indicators used to assess IEQ, particularly indoor air, and gaps in knowledge regarding the safety, health, and comfort of sports facilities. The findings reveal a focus on dose-related indicators in current standards and previous investigations, with little consideration for building-related and occupant-related indicators. More research is recommended to develop future standards considering various IEQ factors in sports facilities.
INDOOR AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Ling -Tim Wong, Miu Ting Chan, Dadi Zhang, Kwok-Wai Mui
Summary: Since COVID-19 outbreak, online learning has gained more attention. However, the physical environment where online learning takes place, such as students' homes, is seldom studied. To explore the impact of thermal conditions in the online learning environment on students' comfort and performance, an experiment was conducted. Results showed a positive correlation between participants' thermal sensation and their skin temperature as well as the operative temperature in the apartment. In addition, an inverted U-shape relationship was found between participants' perceived performance and their thermal sensation/skin temperature/operative temperature.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ling-Tim Wong, Chun-San Chan, Kwok-Wai Mui, Dadi Zhang
Summary: Previous studies have shown the potential for energy and water savings in residential showering facilities, but the potential of public showering places with multiple showerheads has been overlooked. This study measured water flow rate in a swimming pool to understand water-use patterns. The results showed the need for an appropriately sized water tank to improve stability and efficiency in water supply systems. However, further field studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dadi Zhang, Kwok-Wai Mui, Ling-Tim Wong
Summary: In the past two decades, there has been a significant increase in research on indoor environmental quality (IEQ) assessment due to advances in data collection and analytical techniques. This study examines and summarizes the IEQ models proposed in the literature from 2001 to 2022, identifying ten key questions related to indicator selection, data collection, analysis methods, interpretation, and implication. The answers to these questions provide practical instructions for the development of an improved, standardized, and repeatable IEQ assessment model.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Dadi Zhang, Kwok-Wai Mui, Ling-Tim Wong
Summary: Despite an increased awareness about energy conservation, the energy consumed for water heating in Hong Kong has actually increased by 7% from 2008 to 2018. A study was conducted to investigate the relationship between occupants' behavior and energy consumption during showering, and a mathematical model was developed for this purpose. The findings suggest that water flow rate and ventilation rate are the most and least influential variables, respectively, in energy saving.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
L. Jonker, K. J. Linde, A. R. de Boer, E. Ding, D. Zhang, M. L. A. de Hoog, S. Herfst, D. J. J. Heederik, P. L. A. Fraaij, P. M. Bluyssen, I. M. Wouters, P. C. J. L. Bruijning-Verhagen
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 measures on SARS-CoV-2 incidence in secondary schools and its association with classroom CO2 concentration and airborne contamination. The findings showed that school-initiated COVID-19 measures had no additional effect on the incidence rate. Furthermore, the study found that the incidence rate decreased during the national lockdown and post-lockdown periods compared to the pre-lockdown period.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Seyyed Abbas Noorian Najafabadi, Er Ding, Nadine Hobeika, Philomena M. Bluyssen
Summary: Indoor air quality is crucial for human health and well-being, and wool carpets can potentially clean the air of odours in small-scale environments. However, the effectiveness is less conclusive in larger-scale scenarios.
INDOOR AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
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)