Indoor Environmental Quality and Consumption Patterns before and during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Twelve Social Dwellings in Madrid, Spain

Abstract

This article analyses the situation that prevailed in 12 dwellings located on the outskirts of Madrid during Spain’s state of emergency. How did 24/7 occupation affect the quality of indoor air and power consumption patterns? The mixed method used (surveys and instrumental monitoring) pragmatically detected the variation in consumption, comfort and indoor air quality patterns before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The characteristics initially in place and household predisposition had a conclusive effect on such variations. The starting conditions, including household composition, habits and the way daily activities were performed, differed widely, logically affecting power consumption: 8/12 case studies increase occupancy density by more than 25 percent; 11/12 improve thermal comfort; 10/12 improve air quality but not necessarily translate in a sufficient ventilation practices; air quality was lower in the bedrooms on the whole; only 4/12 case studies use the potential of passive measures; only one household adopted energy savings strategies; 10/12 case studies increase electric power consumption but none of the dwellings was fitted with a renewable power generation system. The conclusion drawn is that, despite starting conditions differing widely, household composition, habits (including performance of daily activities performance) and power consumption also played an active role in the end result. This approach allowed to integrate qualitative and quantitative findings on indoor environmental quality (IEQ), energy use and households’ behavior. The objective data on the energy situation of the case studies not only is useful for the study, but also for potential enrollment in energy rehabilitation programs, such as the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Routines, Time Dedication and Habit Changes in Spanish Homes during the COVID-19 Lockdown. A Large Cross-Sectional Survey

“…The situation of uncertainty in the face of what is to come, the risks associated with the illness itself, isolation, or fear of change for oneself or for our loved ones in any of the areas of life have also generated unstable psychological states, anxiety, stress or depression [61][62][63]. Other impacts, related to the environment, have also been given by the way we behave, such as those derived from the use of energy in the home [40,64], or the environmental ones, which have been positive during this time for the planet, cleaning our cities of greenhouse gas emissions, for example [65].…”

“…However, studies where people reported general occupational engagement during lockdown, compared to the pre-pandemic situation, and their perception of altered habits, going out of the house, and changes in their daily life in which the home is the center of activity, were not common [38]. Other studies focused on socio-demographic characteristics such as gender [39], or household composition [40], without a generalized picture of Spanish households.…”

The COVID-19 Mortality Rate Is Associated with Illiteracy, Age, and Air Pollution in Urban Neighborhoods: A Spatiotemporal Cross-Sectional Analysis

“…AQI: the literature has shown a strong, positive relationship between air pollutants and COVID-19 transmission and mortality in several geographic regions [ 40 , 41 , 42 ]. The major air contaminants considered as initial independent variables in this study are NO, NO 2 , O 3 , CO, and particulate matter PM 2.5 and PM 10 (NO and NO 2 are collectively referred to as NO x ).…”

COVID-19 and the Additional Radiological Risk during the Lockdown Period in the Province of Naples City (South Italy)

“…Therefore, as a result of the lockdown and the stopping of most production and transport activities, the reduction of emissions improved the quality of the outdoor air [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] and water [17,18]. The study of indoor air quality (IAQ), which has increasingly attracted scientific interest due to its close correlation with human health [19][20][21][22][23][24], has also been deepened in relation to this pandemic [25][26][27][28][29][30][31], uniquely highlighting the worsening of IAQ. The results confirm that the lockdown has increased the concentration of indoor pollutants, especially chemicals such as CO 2 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO 2 , SO 2 , and volatile organic compounds (VOCs); otherwise, to date, there have been few evaluations on exposure to radioactive substances normally found indoors [32].…”