A review of critical residential buildings parameters and activities when investigating indoor air quality and pollutants

Baeza‐Romero, M. T.; Dudzińska, Marzenna R.; Torkmahalleh, Mehdi Amouei; Barros, Nelson; Coggins, Marie; Ruzgar, Duygu Gazioglu; Kildsgaard, Ivana; Naseri, Motahareh; Rong, Li; Saffell, John; Scutaru, Ana Maria; Staszowska, A.

doi:10.1111/ina.13144

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 191 publications

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“…63 Furthermore, when compared to natural ventilation, mechanical ventilation has demonstrated superior capability in reducing concentrations of specific VOCs. 64 The role of home renovation should not be ignored in the diagnosis of sleeping problems. Caregivers of children who have recently been exposed to home renovations should be alert to the possibility of subsequent sleeping problems.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association Between Home Renovation and Sleeping Problems Among Children Aged 6–18 Years: A Nationwide Survey in China

Wang,

Zhang,

et al. 2024

Epidemiology

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Background: Although indoor environment has been proposed to be associated with childhood sleep health, to our knowledge no study has investigated the association between home renovation and childhood sleep problems. Methods: The study included 186,470 children aged 6 to 18 years from the National Chinese Children Health Study (2012-2018). We measured childhood sleeping problems via the Chinese version of the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (C-SDSC). Information on home renovation exposure within recent two years was collected via parent report. We estimated associations between home renovation with various sleeping problems, defined using both continuous and categorized (binary) C-SDSC t-scores, using generalized mixed models. We fitted models with city as a random effect variable, and other covariates as fixed effects. Results: Out of the overall participants, 89,732 [48%] were exposed to recent home renovations. Compared to the unexposed group, children exposed to home renovations had higher odds of total sleep disorder [odd ratios (OR)=1.3, 95% CI: 1.2-1.4]. Associations varied when we considered different types of home renovation materials. Children exposed to multiple types of home renovation had higher odds of sleeping problems. We observed similar findings when considering continuous C-SDSC t-scores. Additionally, sex and age of children modified the associations of home renovation exposure with some of the sleeping problem subtypes. Conclusions: We found that home renovation was associated with higher odds of having sleeping problems, and that they varied when considering the type of renovation, cumulative exposure, sex, and age differences.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association Between Home Renovation and Sleeping Problems Among Children Aged 6–18 Years: A Nationwide Survey in China

Wang,

Zhang,

et al. 2024

Epidemiology

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“…2 Building ventilation, both natural and mechanical, is the primary method of air exchange in indoor space with outside air and an important modifier of human exposure to particles, chemicals, and microbes. 2 Well-working ventilation is extremely important not only in the industries that use clean production, 3 but in public or residential buildings (schools, hospitals, apartments). [4][5][6][7] Microbial contamination of an indoor spaces includes hundreds of species of bacteria and fungi that thrive indoors when sufficient humidity is available.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1 Indoor air quality problems are recognized as important risk factors for human health in socially and economically underdeveloped as well as advanced countries. 2 Building ventilation, both natural and mechanical, is the primary method of air exchange in indoor space with outside air and an important modifier of human exposure to particles, chemicals, and microbes. 2 Well-working ventilation is extremely important not only in the industries that use clean production, 3 but in public or residential buildings (schools, hospitals, apartments).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Culturable airborne fungi communities in naturally ventilated indoor spaces of old residential buildings in Poland

Kacprzak,

Stolarska,

Lis

2023

Building Services Engineering Research and Technology

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The fungal communities inhabiting apartments in multifamily buildings ( N = 33 apartments) with natural ventilation were determined during seasonal variation in the south part of Poland (Silesia region). It was found that the average level of CO2 concentration usually not exceeded 1000 ppm. The minimal value was noted in November – 402 ppm, however the maximal concentration was equal 6156 ppm and obtained in June. The average fungal colony forming units (CFU/m3) was calculated as follows: 1.06 × 102 (February), 1.17 × 102 (June) and 2.98 × 102 (November). The most frequently occurred species/genera: yeast and yeast-like fungi, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium spp., Cladosporium cladosporioides, Rhodotorula rubra; Culvaraia lunata, Dematiaceae family, Ulocladium consortiale, Verticillium spp.; Fusarium spp., Alternaria alternata; Oidiodendron griseum. The cluster analysis showed no mutual similarity between communities of air fungi isolated from bathrooms of all studied apartments as well as between communities isolated from other indoor spaces (rooms, kitchens, halls). This suggests that natural ventilation has no (or minimal effect) on the propagation of fungal spores between apartments. Statistically significant positive correlation between the concentration of fungi in the air and external humidity, carbon dioxide levels (February, November), and external temperature (November) were found. This study provides that natural ventilation has no effect on the spread of fungal spores inside the building and are not contributed to increase of fungal airborne health risk transmission. It also shows evidence of seasonal changes in carbon dioxide in multi-family homes with natural ventilation. This may give input to establish CO2 benchmark data in such type of buildings.

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“…Frequently dependent on the initiative of users to open windows or doors, effective natural ventilation requires these users to be aware of IAQ constraints and to have the necessary knowledge to act accordingly in different scenarios of indoor and outdoor conditions [ 10 , 11 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SchoolAIR: A Citizen Science IoT Framework Using Low-Cost Sensing for Indoor Air Quality Management

Barros,

Sobral,

Moreira

et al. 2023

Sensors

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Indoor air quality (IAQ) problems in school environments are very common and have significant impacts on students’ performance, development and health. Indoor air conditions depend on the adopted ventilation practices, which in Mediterranean countries are essentially based on natural ventilation controlled through manual window opening. Citizen science projects directed to school communities are effective strategies to promote awareness and knowledge acquirement on IAQ and adequate ventilation management. Our multidisciplinary research team has developed a framework—SchoolAIR—based on low-cost sensors and a scalable IoT system architecture to support the improvement of IAQ in schools. The SchoolAIR framework is based on do-it-yourself sensors that continuously monitor air temperature, relative humidity, concentrations of carbon dioxide and particulate matter in school environments. The framework was tested in the classrooms of University Fernando Pessoa, and its deployment and proof of concept took place in a high school in the north of Portugal. The results obtained reveal that CO2 concentrations frequently exceed reference values during classes, and that higher concentrations of particulate matter in the outdoor air affect IAQ. These results highlight the importance of real-time monitoring of IAQ and outdoor air pollution levels to support decision-making in ventilation management and assure adequate IAQ. The proposed approach encourages the transfer of scientific knowledge from universities to society in a dynamic and active process of social responsibility based on a citizen science approach, promoting scientific literacy of the younger generation and enhancing healthier, resilient and sustainable indoor environments.

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A review of critical residential buildings parameters and activities when investigating indoor air quality and pollutants

Cited by 9 publications

References 191 publications

Association Between Home Renovation and Sleeping Problems Among Children Aged 6–18 Years: A Nationwide Survey in China

Association Between Home Renovation and Sleeping Problems Among Children Aged 6–18 Years: A Nationwide Survey in China

Culturable airborne fungi communities in naturally ventilated indoor spaces of old residential buildings in Poland

SchoolAIR: A Citizen Science IoT Framework Using Low-Cost Sensing for Indoor Air Quality Management

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