Student absenteeism and the comparisons of two sampling procedures for culturable bioaerosol measurement in classrooms with and without upper room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation devices
This study was carried out in an American elementary school in the Midwest. Two sampling procedures were carried out in six selected classrooms with similar dimensions that were separated into two groups: (1) UVGI exposure group and (2) non-UVGI control group. Two-stage Tisch culturable impactors were utilized to collect airborne culturable bacteria and fungi. Monthly samples were collected during unoccupied period in sampling Procedure A and during close-to-occupied periods in sampling Procedure B. Student absenteeism data were collected. Nonparametric statistical methods were applied. Neither analysis of microorganisms n...
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 10, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Su, C., Lau, J., Gibbs, S. G. Tags: Original Papers Source Type: research
Natural radioactivity levels and radiological assessment of decorative building materials in Bangladesh
The use of building covering media, largely for decorative purposes, presents an associated need for accurate evaluation of naturally occurring radioactive materials, crucial in assessing radiological risk. Radiological risks, assessed through investigation of decorative material samples, have been provided through key quantities, including radium equivalent activity (Raeq), external and internal hazard indices, gamma index, indoor and outdoor absorbed dose rates, as well as the corresponding annual effective doses. The concentrations of 232Th and 40K in all of the studied samples are higher than the respective world avera...
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 10, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Asaduzzaman, K., Khandaker, M. U., Amin, Y. M., Bradley, D. A. Tags: Original Papers Source Type: research
Microbial contamination in the indoor environment of tanneries in Leon, Mexico
This study has illustrated the presence of pathogens, hazardous to humans in indoor environments of tanneries. The identified bacteria by sequencing of 16S rDNA gene, belonged to families: Bacillaceae, Corynebacteriaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Moraxellaceae, Nocardiopsaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Staphylococcaceae. Some of which can be categorized as pathogens such as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Acinetobacter johnsonii, Nocardiopsis dassonvillei, Pantoea agglomerans, Pseudomonas putida and Staphylococcus gallinarum. In addition, Fungi genuses identified by microscopy were Aspergillus and Penicillium. The yeasts presumptively id...
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 10, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Castellanos-Arevalo, A. P., Camarena-Pozos, D. A., Castellanos-Arevalo, D. C., Rangel-Cordova, A. A., Pena-Cabriales, J. J., Arevalo-Rivas, B., de Pena, D. G., Maldonado-Vega, M. Tags: Original Papers Source Type: research
Re-conceiving building design quality: A review of building users in their social context
Considerable overlap exists between post-occupancy research evaluating building design quality and the concept of ‘social value’, popularised by its recent application to issues of the public realm. To outline this potential research agenda, the paper reviews design quality research on buildings in relation to users and their social context where the term ‘social context’ refers to building user group dynamics, a combination of organisational cultures, management strategies, and social norms and practices. The review is conducted across five key building types, namely housing, workplaces, healthcare...
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 10, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Watson, K. J., Evans, J., Karvonen, A., Whitley, T. Tags: Original Papers Source Type: research
The place-based impact of built environments: Diabetes, living conditions, homes and neighbourhoods
This study reports on the findings of surveys carried out on 76 diabetics who usually visit the King Fahd Teaching Hospital of the University of Dammam, Al-Khober in the Eastern province of KSA. It investigates the relationship between the place-based impact of the built environment, diabetes and living conditions. The working hypothesis is that: living conditions found in the homes and surrounding neighbourhoods of those suffering from diabetes do aggravate the symptoms of the disease, which in turn have an adverse impact on the medical condition. The study provides evidence to support this hypothesis as the findings reve...
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 10, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Sidawi, B., Deakin, M., Al-Hariri, M. T. A. Tags: Original Papers Source Type: research
Numerical analysis model to evaluate the agricultural solar right in rural area with a consideration of building and infrastructure constructions
The objective of this study is to develop a numerical analysis model to evaluate the infringement of agricultural solar right by the construction of infrastructure such as highway bridges. For this purpose, we have reviewed the general mediation process and proposed the numerical analysis model which is based on the WALDRAM diagram method. This model was integrated with the evaluation tool which quantitatively estimates the infringement of agricultural solar access due to the construction of building or infrastructure. And we verified the effectiveness of the proposed numerical model through the application to actual cases...
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 10, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Seong, Y.-B., Lim, J.-H. Tags: Original Papers Source Type: research
Potential of fibre optic daylighting systems in tropical Malaysia
This study examines the illumination levels obtained using a fibre optic daylighting system under various tropical climate conditions in Malaysia. A Parans SP3 fibre optic daylighting system with 10-m cable was used on a full-scale test bed model in Universiti Sains Malaysia as an empirical approach. The following results were obtained: (i) on sunny days with intermediate blue sky, the system worked at 79% and reached a maximum of 725 lx, an average of 457 lx, and a minimum of 98 lx; (ii) on moderately sunny days with intermediate mean sky, the system worked at 48.5% and reached a maximum 685 lx, an average of 439 lx, and ...
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 10, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Munaaim, M. A. C., Al-Obaidi, K. M., Ismail, M. R., Abdul Rahman, A. M. Tags: Original Papers Source Type: research
Research on the indoor environmental properties of Calamus manna rattan cane
In this paper, properties, such as colour and gloss, temperature and humidity conditioning and sound absorption of rattan cane were investigated to evaluate suitability of the material for use in interior decoration and furniture applications. The results showed that the chromatic index in both L*a*b* and Munsell colour space range was narrow, producing a colour space that was smaller than for timber. The surface gloss values were found to be bigger in the axial than in the radial direction, with ranges of 3.31–4.33% and 3.01–3.53%, respectively. The logarithm of humidity was represented by a linear equation of...
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 10, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Xu, B., Liu, X., Lv, H., Tian, G., Yan, S. Tags: Original Papers Source Type: research
An examination of facility management, customer satisfaction and service relationship in the Bangkok healthcare system
The main objective of this research paper is to primarily examine customer satisfaction towards facilities and service quality in two private hospitals in Bangkok. The relationship between healthcare services and physical facilities and the resultant effect on the level of patient satisfaction was explored. The samples of this research were based on the feedbacks of 400 in and out patients from two private hospitals in the east of Bangkok, Thailand, supported by a one-day survey for collecting data on patient satisfaction. Statistical analysis including frequencies, percentages and relationship was applied within the metho...
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 10, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Pitt, M., Chotipanich, S., Issarasak, S., Mulholland, K., Panupattanapong, P. Tags: Review Source Type: research
2015 IBE Papers of the Year
(Source: Indoor and Built Environment)
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 10, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Yu, C. Tags: Editorial Source Type: research
Surface charges on aerosol particles - Accelerating particle growth rate and atmospheric pollution
(Source: Indoor and Built Environment)
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 10, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Zhang, L., Gu, Z., Yu, C., Zhang, Y., Cheng, Y. Tags: Editorial Source Type: research
The guideline and target values for total volatile organic compound concentrations in industrial indoor environments in Finland
As an indicator of general indoor air quality in industrial facilities, the concentrations of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) were determined in the workplaces of 37 industry sectors during the years of 2006–2011. For comparison, the TVOC levels in office-type workplaces were also determined. Based on the results, the TVOC target and guideline values are proposed for industrial workplaces. The geometric mean and median concentrations in the industrial workplaces were 778 and 845 µg/m3, respectively, while the 90th, 25th percentiles were, respectively, 6616 and 270 µg/m3. In the office-type environ...
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 6, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Tuomi, T., Vainiotalo, S. Tags: Original Papers Source Type: research
Parametric regression model for lighting calibration
This article aims to assess some of the main lighting software programs currently available for architecture. It compares the daylight simulation results from programs, Flamingo nXt rendering, DIVA and Lightscape with the physical measurements carried out on a flat plate surface and in a model box. Identical parameters of geometry and lighting conditions were set. Two strategies were used to investigate the difference and correlation between the measurements and simulations. One test simulated several angles which were identical to the real-time sun position during daytime by rotating the box for both the simulation and fi...
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 6, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Sun, C., Giles, H., Lian, Z. Tags: Original Papers Source Type: research
Time series analysis and risk assessment of domestic radon: Data collected in dwellings along fault lines
Indoor radon-in-air (IR) concentrations in dwellings situated on a fault line passing underneath Muzaffarabad City were measured with a continuous radon monitor. Measurements were taken at half an hour intervals at 11 sites for 48 h. The values ranged from 14 ± 1 to 155 ± 4 Bq.m– 3 with an average value of 42 ± 2 Bq.m–3. The geometric mean (GM), standard deviation (STD) and geometric standard deviation (GSD) were 32 ± 2, 40.2 ± 0.8 and 1.5 Bq.m–3, respectively. Annual mean effective doses ranged between 0.35 ± 0.03 and 3.9 ± 0.1 mSv.y–1 with an overal...
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 6, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Shafique, B., Kearfott, K. J., Tareen, A. D. K., Rafique, M., Aziz, W., Naeem, S. F. Tags: Original Papers Source Type: research
Study of variation of 222Rn/220Rn and their progeny concentration in dwellings using single entry pin hole-based diffusion chambers
In the present study, newly designed single entry pin hole-based diffusion chambers were used for the first time in a study region to estimate exact 222Rn and 220Rn concentration. These diffusion chambers are independent of high turbulent environmental conditions as well as with same entry rate of 222Rn and 220Rn. The device was calibrated at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai following the standard procedures to correlate the number of tracks registered in the LR-115 detector placed in the two chambers to the 222Rn and 220Rn concentrations in the environment. The average values of 222Rn and 220Rn concentration in the i...
Source: Indoor and Built Environment - April 6, 2016 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Mehra, R., Kaur, K., Bangotra, P., Sahoo, B. K. Tags: Original Papers Source Type: research
