Monitoring summertime indoor overheating and pollutant risks and natural ventilation patterns of seniors in public housing

Abstract

Indoor heat and air pollution pose concurrent threats to human health and wellbeing, and their effects are more pronounced for vulnerable individuals. This study investigates exposures to summertime indoor overheating and airborne particulate matter (PM2.5) experienced by low-income seniors and explores the potential of natural ventilation on maintaining good indoor thermal conditions and air quality (IAQ). Environmental and behavioural monitoring and a series of interviews were conducted during summer 2017 in 24 senior apartments on three public housing sites in NJ, USA (1930s’ low-rise, 1960s’ high-rise and LEED-certified 2010s’ mid-rise). All sites had high exposures to overheating and PM2.5 concentrations during heat waves and on regular summer days, but with substantial between-site and between-apartment variability. Overheating was higher in the 30s’ low-rise site, while pollutant levels were higher in the 60s’ high-rise. Mixed linear models indicated a thermal and air quality trade-off with window opening (WO), especially in some ‘smoking’ units from the older sites, but also improved both thermal and PM2.5 concentration conditions in 20% of the apartments. Findings suggest that with warmer future summers, greater focus is needed on the interdependencies among (1) thermal and IAQ outcomes and (2) technological and behavioural dimensions of efforts to improve comfort for vulnerable occupants.

Experimental and Modeled Assessment of Interventions to Reduce PM2.5 in a Residence during a Wildfire Event

“…For each operation condition, the model RMSE and MAE were calculated to quantify the model performance. RMSE and MAE values are shown in Table 8 based on the calculations in Equations ( 9) and (10). For both RMSE and MAE, the lower the value, the better the model fit in general, but each is relative to the number of data points and the units of measure.…”

“…Prior studies have found that exposures to wildfire smoke increase mortality risk [4], respiratory illness, and cardiovascular mortality [5][6][7][8][9]. Like other types of pollutant exposures, vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, children, and the elderly [10] have higher risks for health effects [11,12]. Some studies have also found that low-income and indigenous populations are at greater risk of adverse effects from indoor exposures to wildfire pollutants [13][14][15].…”

Spatial distribution of PM2.5 concentration around high-rise residential buildings during peak traffic hours in autumn and winter seasons

“…Turbulence is formed when airflow is strongly cut on the surface of building walls and vegetation. ENVI-met employs a 1.5 order turbulence closure model to calculate the rate of atmospheric turbulence, by increasing turbulence kinetic energy and dissipation rate, 41,42 as expressed in equations ( 6) and (7).…”

“…6 At the same time, the selection of window opening and ventilation time for indoor personnel and the quality of fresh air also directly affect the livability and physical health of residents. 7 Therefore, studying the diffusion and distribution of PM 2.5 in high-density cities is crucial to controlling the harm of particulate matter to human health.…”

Indoor air quality in Saudi residential homes

“…23 Many recent studies indicated that outdoor air is the main source of particulate matter less than 10 microns in size (PM 10 ) in the internal home environment. [24][25][26] The TVOC are another common indoor air pollutants that originate from different internal and external sources. 27,28 The indoor sources of TVOC include smoking, cooking fumes, building materials, furnishers, paints and the use of solvents (such as varnishing), and other office materials (such as adhesives).…”