ABSTRACT
There is a growing concern about Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) in buildings as humans are spending longer in indoor environments, whether this is associated or not with climate change and vulnerability to extreme weather events. In the wake of the COVID pandemic, the need for indoor air quality control is likely to increase, the result of many adaptations in home environments to switch to remote work. In hot countries in the Global South, one of the alternatives is split A/C units with limited air renewal. While, odorless and colorless CO2, commonly generated by occupants through respiration, is among the relevant indoor air pollutants. The purpose of this study is to evaluate a low-cost, responsive air-renewal system in a climate chamber equipped with a standard split A/C unit. The results show the system's feasibility in curbing IAQ concerns and also highlight the risk of negative impacts on indoor thermal conditions and on energy consumption on using A/C. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
ABSTRACT
Since 2020, the rapid global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has generated unprecedented impacts on the management of hospital buildings, namely: (i) providing space for patients, medical staff, and equipment storage, (ii) imposition of limitations on access by the teams responsible for managing the building, (iii) adapting the space and its functionality quickly, (iv) ensuring continuous control of air quality and adequate ventilation of spaces, (v) development of digital tools for management, and (vi) assets monitoring in real-time. In addition, hospital buildings facilities' deterioration rate is typically higher than in other buildings, enhanced by the fact that these facilities are open 24 hours a day, year-round. Thus, facilities management (FM) assumes a vital role in the future of healthcare facilities. FM is expected to grow at a 5% annual rate for 2021-2028, representing an acceleration of the industry at a global level. Furthermore, Industry 4.0 may positively impact the FM processes. As a new industrial revolution, providing a set of new approaches and tools will increase the efficiency of operations, significantly impacting the potential of optimization. These trends can improve planning and management of scope, costs, environment, and safety in the value chain of projects and assets, thus creating a more resilient and sustainable industry. Based on a literature review, this paper contributes to the discussion of the questions: How can the digital transition improve the management of the operation and maintenance of infrastructure in healthcare facilities? What is the legacy for FM teams in this post-COVID-19 management of hospital buildings?
ABSTRACT
With the rapid growth of automobile numbers and the increased traffic congestion, traffic has increasingly significant effects on regional air quality and regional sustainable development in China. This study tried to quantify the effect of transportation operation on regional air quality based on MODIS AOD. This paper analyzed the space-time characteristics of air quality and traffic during the epidemic by series analysis and kernel density analysis, and quantified the relationship between air quality and traffic through a Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) model. The main research conclusions are as follows: The epidemic has a great impact on traffic and regional air quality. PM2.5 and NO2 had the same trend with traffic congestion delay index (CDI), but they were not as obvious as CDI. Both cities with traffic congestion and cities with the worst air quality showed strong spatial dependence. The concentration areas of high AOD value in the east areas of the Hu line were consistent with the two gathering centers formed by cities with traffic congestion in space, and also consistent with the gathering center of cities with poor air quality. The concentration area of AOD decline was consistent with the gathering center formed by cities with the worst air quality. AOD had a strong positive correlation with road network density, and its GWR correlation coefficient was 0.68, then These provinces suitable for GWR or not suitable were divided. This study has a great significance for the transportation planning, regional planning, air quality control strategies and regional sustainable development, etc.
ABSTRACT
This paper investigated the influence and interactions of air pollution concentrations by using the stochastic boosted regression trees between variables for each station and the impact of the COVID-19 Movement Control Order at Ipoh City air quality station. The one-hour data were gathered from the Department of Environment from January until June 2019 and 2020. Two thousand two hundred thirty-one data of particles, gases (Nitrogen oxides, Sulphur Dioxide, Ozone, Carbon Monoxide) concentrations and meteorological data (wind speed, wind directions, temperature, and relative humidity) were captured. The BRT model development process with an algorithm using a comprehensive package, R Software and its packages to understand the variability and trends. It was found that the relationship between the number of samples and number of trees (nt) of 4372 for oob were found the best iterations obtained. The performance of the boosting model was assessed and found that the FAC2 was 0.91, the R2 values were above 0.56 (R = 0.74), and the Index of Agreements (IOA) was 0.67, which fall ranges are within an acceptable for model performance. The Relative Variable Importance (RVI) that influenced PM2.5 for non-MCO data was CO (18.9% ), SO2 (14.6 %), O3 (12.9 %), and wd (10.66 %) while CO (22.6%), RH (13.4%), 14.7% and O3 (12.1%) were RVI factors influenced to PM2.5 concentrations during MCO periods. Estimating the strength of interaction effects (SIE) between variables was 0.24 for CO-wind directions, followed by 0.19 for ozone-wind speeds and 0.15 for NO2-CO. Results showed that the model developed was within the acceptable range and could be used to understand particles and identify important parameters that influence particle concentrations.
ABSTRACT
The stringent control measures in China to curb the spread of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have had profound societal and environmental impacts, including changes in energy consumption practices and thereby in air pollutant emissions. In this study, a suite of satellite and numerically assimilated air pollution and meteorological data combined with information on energy consumption practices and nighttime light (NTL) was used to evaluate the effects of these COVID-19 control measures on air quality. These data revealed that control measures reduced aerosols mostly over central and eastern parts of China by countering favorable meteorological conditions for increased aerosols. The control measures reduced short-lived nitrogen dioxide (NO2) with little influence on long-lived carbon monoxide (CO). Consistent with energy production and energy consumption statistics in different sectors, NTL data suggest that high human mobility within the residential sector and reduced activity in other sectors during the implementation of control measures explain small but significant decreases in black carbon and sulfate aerosols, respectively, during this period. Overall, these results provide useful information for policy makers and the scientific community by clarifying the contributions of meteorological factors and energy consumption to changes in air quality. This information can guide the development of air pollution mitigation strategies and provides insight into the air pollution status in China and the potential for long-distance transport.
ABSTRACT
The participants of "Air Protection 2021" presented their experiences and the issues they encounter in their work through the 54 presentations in following topics: * Topic 1 - Managing air quality - inspection and control * Topic 2 - Atmospheric emissions of pollutants * Topic 3 - Monitoring ambient air pollution * Topic 4 - Developing and testing measuring methods * Topic 5 - Estimating exposure to air pollutants and impact on health * Topic 6 - Air Protection in physical planning, construction, and environmental protection * Topic 7 - EFCA session "Air pollution from shipping emissions" * Topic 8 - IUAPPA and Global Forum special session: "Respiratory pandemics and air pollution: exploring the links" The conference started on 15th September with three introductory lectures: * Richard Mills (IUAPPA): GLOBAL AIR POLLUTION: LESSONS FROM THE LAST 20 YEARS * Sandra Krmpotić, Nina Zovko, Gordan Došen (Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Croatia): AN OVERVIEW OF LEGISLATION IN THE FIELD OF AIR QUALITY AT NATIONAL AND EU LEVEL * Vedranka Bobić (Expert witness for environmental protection, occupational safety and environmental accidents): EXPERT WITNESS EXAMINATION AND COURT PRACTICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS NOT REGULATED BY LAW- ODOURS Introductory lectures were followed by 17 presentations in Croatian on Topic 1, 2, and 3. Due to her effort CAPPA was first admitted to IUAPPA and then in 1998 to EFCA, where Vladimira Vaðić held its vice-presidency since 2020 until her retirement. Since 2019 she is a honorary member of CAPPA. [...]Andrzej Jagusiewicz held a presentation on the cost and environmental benefits of IMO regulations of shiporiginated SOx and NOx emissions, assessed for the case of the Baltic sea.
ABSTRACT
The poor quality of air is hazardous to human health as it causes numerous health problems. It results in heart strokes, increased levels of blood sugar causing diabetes and high blood pressure. These pre-existing medical conditions are identified as the root cause of the spread of coronavirus and raise the chances of death from COVID-19. Prominent research has proven that inhaling the polluted air worsens the impact of COVID-19. It suggests that air pollution is increasing COVID-19 mortality rate. It is evident from SARS like outbreaks and dangerous respiratory infections that breathing more polluted air increases the risks of death. This study proposes IoT-based smart air quality control system as a preventive measure to community spread of virus, i.e. COVID-19. It detects the quality of the air using multiple air pollution sensors. The installed sensors are capable to monitor the presence of air pollutants in the ambiance both indoor and outdoor environments. The objective of this study is to bring attention to environmental issues beyond the scope of the human eye and serve to prevent spread of COVID-19 disease. It stores the collected data on a cloud to monitor and control the quality of air. The accuracy of proposed smart unit is verified for the purpose of monitoring the air quality and the storing the data on cloud for applications. © 2022, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
ABSTRACT
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a new zoonotic agent that emerged in December 2019, causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This infection can be spread by asymptomatic, presymptomatic, and symptomatic carriers. SARS-CoV-2 spreads primarily via respiratory droplets during close person-to-person contact in a closed space, especially a building. This article summarizes the environmental factors involved in SARS-CoV-2 transmission, including a strategy to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission in a building environment. SARS-CoV-2 can persist on surfaces of fomites for at least 3 days depending on the conditions. If SARS-CoV-2 is aerosolized intentionally, it is stable for at least several hours. SARS-CoV-2 is inactivated rapidly on surfaces with sunlight. Close-contact aerosol transmission through smaller aerosolized particles is likely to be combined with respiratory droplets and contact transmission in a confined, crowded, and poorly ventilated indoor environment, as suggested by some cluster cases. Although evidence of the effect of aerosol transmission is limited and uncertainty remains, adequate preventive measures to control indoor environmental quality are required, based on a precautionary approach, because COVID-19 has caused serious global damages to public health, community, and the social economy. The expert panel for COVID-19 in Japan has focused on the "3 Cs," namely, "closed spaces with poor ventilation," "crowded spaces with many people," and "close contact." In addition, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan has been recommending adequate ventilation in all closed spaces in accordance with the existing standards of the Law for Maintenance of Sanitation in Buildings as one of the initial political actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, specific standards for indoor environmental quality control have not been recommended and many scientific uncertainties remain regarding the infection dynamics and mode of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in closed indoor spaces. Further research and evaluation are required regarding the effect and role of indoor environmental quality control, especially ventilation.