children

This paper compares the values used for the Griffiths constant (G=0.5) and the running mean constant (α=0.8) in adaptive comfort algorithms with the values calculated from thermal comfort field surveys in two naturally ventilated junior schools in Southampton, UK. The surveys were conducted outside the heating season in 2011 and 2012 respectively, including both questionnaire surveys and environmental monitoring. A total of 2693 pupil responses were used for this analysis.

This paper presents the first results of a field study on thermal comfort in school buildings that is been carried out in Chile, with the aim of determining comfort temperature of students in state-owned primary schools.  The paper presents the results of four schools located in Santiago, a city with low temperatures in winter and high temperatures in summer, which are typically free-running, as they have neither a heating nor a cooling system.

Describes a study conducted to determine whether indoor air pollution factors affected respiratory function and symptoms in 1357 non-smoking Caucasian children. The authors conducted interviews to find out about: exposure to pets and to gases, vapours and dusts from hobbies; the use of gas stoves; fireplaces, air conditioners and humidifiers; type of heating systems; and the number of residents, the number of smokers in the home.

A study was done to find a link between bronchial obstruction in infants under two years old and ventilation rate in residential buildings. A matched case control study was carried out in Oslo over two years. It was found that the risk of bronchial obstruction was not directly associated with the ventilation rate in litres per second and per person. Environmental tobacco smoke affected the incidence of bronchial obstruction, as well as dampness, presence of textile wallpaper and plasticiser-containing surfaces.

This paper summarizes baseline results from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) school demonstration studies. Indoor pollutants of concern were formaldehyde, sum of targeted volatile organic compounds o:VOC), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5), particulate matter less than 10 microns (PM10), and bioaerosols (bacteria, fungi, and thermophiles). The five schools presented here had no significant indoor air quality problems. Locations of these schools were distributed throughout various climate zones in the United States.

The aim of the study was to follow changes in allergens and airborne particles in the indoor environment during the first year in a newly started school. The building is from the sixties and was refurbished during the summer to be made suitable as a school. New internal walls and some new flooring were installed, and walls and ceilings were redecorated. Most of the furniture, textiles and lamps are new. Samples for allergen determination were collected by sampling settled dust with a vacuum cleaner. Airborne allergens were collected by a newly developed method involving an ionisator.