Attitude towards E-learning Technology -- A study in Kerala

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Volume-5, Issue-1, February-2015

International Journal of Engineering and Management Research

Page Number: 31-36

Indoor Air Quality in Schools –An Architectural Perspective

Dr.P.Padmavathi1, Ar.Sireesha2

1Associated as Professor in Architecture, JNAFAU, Hyderabad, INDIA 2Doctoral Studies from SPA, JNAFAU, Hyderabad, IDNIA

ABSTRACT

The primary most important goal in the design of educational spaces is to provide an environment that encourages learning achievement for students and teachers. Poor designed spaces with lack of good indoor air quality (IAQ) can negatively affect student health, comfort and performance that will eventually produce unacceptable learning environment. Poor IAQ can decrease a person’s ability to perform physical and mental tasks requiring strength, health, concentration, calculation and memory. Therefore, schools should be designed, built and maintained in away to minimize and control the source of pollution. Achieving healthy indoor air quality is a multifaceted a problem which can be arrived at by a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to the design, construction and operation of the school building. Research done so far in this aspects indicate that the schools designed so far did not take into consideration the indoor environmental factors as crucial issue in designing school buildings. This study intends to establish a baseline for indoor environmental parameters and catalogue characteristics of schools and give its implications in the form of conclusions and recommendations for further actions needed in this aspect. Air quality improvement represents an important measure for prevention of adverse health consequences in children and adults in schools.

Keywords--- Indoor air quality, Indoor air pollutants, ventilation, school buildings, Design

I. INTRODUCTION

The architectural design process is more about creating beautiful and functional spaces. Architecture is a balancing act that involves many factors like

functionality, practicality, occupant, safety, comfort and health. These factors are important in order to achieve successful and beautiful buildings. ASHRAE Standard 62.1, defines acceptable indoor air quality as air in which there are no known contaminants at harmful concentrations as determined by cognizant authorities, and with which a substantial majority (80% or more) of the people exposed do not express dissatisfaction. IAQ is characterized by focusing on chemicals, particles, and biological elements in the atmosphere and on surfaces immediately nearby the air in a space. There are a variety of causes of poor indoor air quality. A NISOH study based on over five hundred complaints found that inadequate ventilation and the release of contaminants from indoor and outdoor sources are the primary reasons for indoor air quality problems (see pie chart). Inadequate ventilation may be defined as insufficient air to remove pollutants that are degrading the quality of air. Thus, the air quality in a building is the result of a contest between the pollutants and the ventilation system. Other factors that can aggravate this situation are temperature, humidity, and microbial contamination14

Figure1: reasons for Indoor air Quality

(Source: Adopted from the National Institute of Occupational safety and health)

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(WHO) suggested that up to 30% of new and remodelled buildings may be the subjects of complaints that are related to indoor air quality (Arnold, 2001). It is apparent that there is a relation between illness complaints and building environments in a large number of problem building investigations.

Achieving healthy indoor air quality, involves the balancing of factors that are related with the site, pathway systems, building design, construction and occupants. The importance of creating and maintaining a clean and healthy indoor environment should be a part of the architect’s job, as a member of the design, construction, and operation team. There is an increase in public awareness in recent years about the environment and its effect on our health. The quality of indoor air has received considerable attention in the recent years. The main reasons for this interest are that the indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air1

II. INDOOR AIR QUALITY

IMPLICATION’S IN SCHOOL

. Many factors affect indoor air pollution levels such as maintenance activities, the presence of contaminant sources (e.g. building materials, furnishings and equipment), the levels of contamination outdoors, the season, indoor humidity and temperature, and ventilation rates (Hall et al. 1995). Concentrations of specific contaminants in indoor air can often be considerably higher than concentration levels outdoors (Research Triangle Institute 1995). Indoor contaminants include formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particles, pesticides, radon, fungi, bacteria, and nitrogen oxides. In addition to indoor air contaminants, occupants can experience similar discomfort and health symptoms similar to those attributed to indoor contaminants due to indoor environmental factors such as lighting levels, day lighting, and noise. Other causes of IAQ problems can be attributed to various phases of the building process including poor site selection, choice of materials, roof design, poor construction quality, improper installation or any number or combination of other factors.

"Indoor levels of air pollutants can be 2-5 times higher, and occasionally 100 times higher, than outdoor

levels. Nearly millions of people, and considerable amount of nation’s population, spend their days inside the schools. According to a 1995 federal government report released in USA, an estimated 50 percent of the nation’s schools have problems linked to poor indoor air quality."

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), IAQ is important for health, economic, and legal reasons. Indoor air pollutants can cause discomfort and reduce school attendance and productivity. Moreover, they can “cause or contribute to short- and long-term health problems, including asthma, respiratory tract infection and disease, allergic reactions, headaches, nasal congestion, eye and skin irritations, coughing, sneezing, fatigue, dizziness and nausea.”

A. Reasons why IAQ should be treated as a top priority in the school environment are listed below:

Poor indoor air quality can hasten building deterioration. Architect K.Cheong and H.Lan (2002) mentioned that good indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools provide a comfortable and healthy environment for students to learn in.

• One is that children are still developing physically and are more likely to suffer the consequences of indoor pollutants.

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• School facilities, by design, are densely populated, making the task of maintaining an acceptable IAQ more difficult than in many other types of facilities.

• Another consideration is that the sole purpose of a school facility is to foster the learning process, which is impacted directly by the quality of the indoor environment (HPAC 1990; Dozier 1992; Boone et al. 1997).

B. Common indoor air contaminants include the following:

• Volatile organic compounds (VOC), emitted by building and furniture materials, cleaning solvents, pesticides, and tobacco smoke

• Microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, molds, and fungi associated with improperly maintained HVAC systems or wetted building materials.

• Combustion products, such as carbon monoxide and particulates generated by both inside and outside sources or combustion.

• Ozone and odors from outside sources.

• Radon from the natural decay of uranium in soil

• Asbestos occurring in common building materials in older structures not previously surveyed and abated per the federal Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, AHERA

• Lead occurring in common materials in older facilities, especially paint, solders, water, and soil.

• Insect, animal, and bird infestations contributing to waste products, bacteria, and allergens

Health problems amongst pupils and teachers will only result in the spread of infection and days off sick, poor pupil engagement and achievement. In addition to affecting health of occupants these contaminants damage building components and contents, thereby increasing operation, maintenance and replacement costs. By implementing a high standard of design in school teaching spaces where fresh clean air is provided consistently and reliably in a flexible design, the lifetime value of school buildings will be vastly increased. If ventilation and air quality are not a key consideration, the building life could be considerably shorter and even worse it may result in the illness of its occupants.

C. Causes of Poor Indoor Air Quality to be as follows:

• inadequate fresh air supply and/or poor ventilation system maintenance

• pollutants given off by building or furnishing materials

• pollutants from processes occurring within the building, including cleaning products, office machines, pesticides, off gases from new materials

• micro-organismal contaminants, or, contaminants brought into the building from

outside.

When building ventilation is inadequate, the resulting low air-exchange rate is such that there is insufficient fresh air brought into the building to dilute or flush out contaminants and they can become concentrated within the building. Improving indoor air quality does not mean that the indoor air must become

pristine and pure, but rather that building occupants should not be subjected to air quality that is significantly worse than the air outside.

D. Types of diseases associated with poor Indoor air quality

Concern about the health effects associated with indoor air dates back several hundred years, and has increased dramatically in recent decades. This attention was partially the result of increased reporting by building occupants of complaints about poor health associated with exposure to indoor air. Since then, two types of diseases associated with exposure to indoor air have been identified: sick building syndrome (SBS) and building related illness (BRI).

Below figures represents the main symptoms of the “sick” building for their occupants and also the causes of it. The most common causes of the SBS are thermal comfort and inadequate air quality.

Figure 3: Causes of sick building Syndromes (Source: Olfactory Comfort Assurance in Buildings)

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III. INDIAN STATISTICS ON

EFFECTS OF POOR INDOOR AIR

QUALITY

India has an estimated 15-20 million asthmatics. In India, rough estimates indicate a prevalence of asthma is between 10% and 15% in 5-11 year old children.In a study carried out by Chhabra et al. they reported the prevalence of bronchial asthma 11.9% among Delhi school children. They quoted the reasons of higher prevalence in their study could be due to allergens or environmental pollution that precipitating development of asthma among susceptible children.

To understand the impact of indoor air pollution and its awareness levels in India and in Mumbai, Eureka Forbes and Brandscapes conducted a nationwide audit, aimed at mapping awareness levels of consumers on indoor air pollution and analyze the causes and reasons that were affecting families and individuals in Mumbai and in the most polluted cities across India due to increasing levels of air pollution, both outdoor and indoor.

The audit results demonstrated clearly that immediate effects of poor indoor air quality may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. The air quality was perceived as worse at higher levels of exposure to dust and dust mites, with 91% respondents attributing it to be the prime cause of indoor air pollution.

IV. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS TO

IMPROVE INDOOR AIR QUALITY

Well designed structures are environmental friendly, energy efficient, cost effective and emphasize on inhabitants health and comfort. Design considerations to be taken in improving the indoor air quality as designers are as follows:

Site Planning and selection

• Locate the facilities away from the sources of combustion, industrial plants and dust generators.

• Consider climatic data which will give guidance in locating buildings, provision of openings.

• Check building byelaws and codes for the optimum setbacks to be considered for the buildings to be free from vehicular areas. Architectural Design

• Poor designing can result in the problems of indoor air quality. A building's shape and size, orientation, layout, proximity to pollutant-generating activities, building materials, types of windows and doors, and ventilation system design can all affect indoor air quality. It is better if these items are considered at design phase rather than dealing with the problems resulting from poor designing of buildings at post occupation stage.

• Emission producing spaces have to be isolated from core areas for easy handling.

• Provision of openings such as windows and doors need to be away from pollutant generating sources allowing fresh and adequate air to flow through the designed spaces.

Selection and specification of Materials

• Selection of low pollutant emission building materials and finishes to be considered and adopted.

• Verification of material emissions data from the manufacturer to be done before approving the product.

• Low maintenance requirement materials to be selected as cleaning solvents are important sources of high VOC emissions.

• Selection of durable materials requires rare replacement which can help in improving air quality.

• Provide clear instructions and specifications on building systems in the construction drawings and documents.

• Specify continuous ventilation before occupying the spaces which minimises the occupant’s exposure and helps in flushing out the emissions from new building materials and furnishings, the period of super ventilation should last for minimum of 15 days.

• Specify and allow bake out procedures before occupancy.

• During construction and renovation work protect inhabitants from dust and fumes.

Designing of ventilation systems

• Adequate ventilation is essential to avoid all contaminant sources through design.

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• Location of air intakes need to be planned meticulously and should suggest cleaning and filtrations tasks as appropriate.

V. CONCLUSIONS

Architects and professional designers to give adequate significance and thought to indoor air quality .As there are no mandatory building codes and laws for enforcement which cover air quality requirements, building owners should insist the designers to follow the design procedures which will safeguard the occupants health from polluted environments. Proper communication between building owners, architects, engineers and consultants will give a start in laying down a foundation stone for improved air quality in the designed buildings rather than conflicting with their difference in opinions. The mission of providing safe and healthy environments for future generations is achievable through significant attention to building design and operation. Also by maintaining proper hygiene in schools and necessary actions taken on time we can minimize the risk and mitigate indoor air quality problems effectively. The apprehension for detail can result in structures which will enhance and encourage learning and safeguard the health of our most precious resource, our school kids. High performance buildings should provide better IAQ conditions than that exists in current buildings. As more experience and information is generated, the goal of truly high performance, sustainable and healthy buildings will be more fully realized in practice.

VI. RECOMMENDATIONS

• School Building location, orientation, external environment, location of pollutant generating activities, building materials, types of windows and doors, and general ventilation system are affecting indoor air quality. It is important to consider these items at the early phase of construction.

• No standards for indoor air contaminant levels have been established specifically for Indian school building. However, various international agencies and professional organizations have recommended concentration limits for various contaminants for affected populations. Hence it is high time for the Indian Standards on indoor air quality to be designed and come into enforcement at the earliest.

• Good indoor climate can be achieved not just by expensive concepts, but by developing a rationale approaches deal with fundamental needs like using natural ventilation flow within the building specially if we know that HVAC systems not used in the governmental schools in India, define a criteria to the school locations

that take in consideration nearby pollution sources ,traffic flow movements

• Moreover, to include provisions in the contract documents, that addresses indoor air quality issues. This will help to reduce any health problem associated with building design and construction.

• This research may give a base line to decision makers, architects, engineers and also educators that could be used later to create an efficient ‘environmental responsive buildings “.

Healthy school buildings = healthy Pupils =healthy worlds and productive environments

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Sarbu and Călin Sebarchievici