Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Comfort Evaluation in Latvian Daycare Centers with Carbon Dioxide, Temperature and Humidity as Indicators

Abstract

Latvian children under the age of 7 can spend up to 60 hours per week in daycare centers and therefore it is very important to establish a healthy and comfortable daycare environment that children will find pleasant and stimulating to stay in. This study investigates indoor air quality and thermal comfort within six daycare centers (old, renovated and new-built) in moderate climate zone of Latvia. Measurements of carbon dioxide, air temperature and relative humidity were carried out, and data regarding daycare center characteristics and maintenance activities was collected via combination of field visits, record analysis and interviews. It was found that carbon dioxide concentrations exceeded 1000 ppm in 75% of daycare centers studied, with the highest (1356 ppm) measured in a renovated facility with the natural ventilation system. Thus installation of more efficient ventilation system (mechanical) is recommended to provide acceptable indoor air quality, since opening of windows itself cannot provide the optimal conditions indoors. In all facilities the temperature was kept above 20°C and the average relative humidity was 40±5%, creating comfortable thermal environment for children.

The Way of Usage and Location in a Big City Agglomeration as Impact Factors of the Nurseries Indoor Air Quality

“…Canha [26] obtained high levels of CO 2 (1200 ± 400 ppm) in studies carried out in France. According to research by Stankevic and Lesinskis [27], 75 percent of the educational institutions with natural ventilation (in Latvia) exceeded 1000 ppm carbon dioxide, with a maximum value of 1356 ppm. In other studies [24], the average concentration of CO 2 in 17 educational institutions was analyzed, the median was 1400 ppm, and the maximum concentration was 3613 ppm.…”

The Study of Co2 Concentration in A Classroom During The Covid-19 Safety Measures

“…Studies performed in Latvian education institutions [17], [18] have also shown that the indoor environment is critical in many classrooms. In 2015, the World Health Organization produced a document entitled "School environment: policies and current status" to draw the attention of school administration to indoor air quality [19].…”

What do we know about indoor air quality of nurseries? A review of the literature

“…Published results from several studies found 75% (out of 6 schools), 89.3% (out of 28 samples) and 90% (out of 91 schools) of measured indoor CO 2 concentrations exceeded 1000 ppm. 9,27,28 Across numerous studies measured indoor CO 2 concentrations ranged from 377 to 2750 ppm. 9,13,15,18,[27][28][29][30][31][32] However, as monitoring methods (e.g.…”

“…9,27,28 Across numerous studies measured indoor CO 2 concentrations ranged from 377 to 2750 ppm. 9,13,15,18,[27][28][29][30][31][32] However, as monitoring methods (e.g. monitoring periods) used in the studies was different, comparing the results is difficult.…”