Architectural Design and Indoor Microbial Pollution

Architectural Design and Indoor Microbial Pollution PDF Author: Ruth B. Kundsin
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 9780195044362
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 338

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Book Description
Chemical contaminants and other forms of indoor pollution have recently raised serious concern among occupational and environmental health workers, architects and engineers, and the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Microbial pollutants in the home pose major health risks to adults, children, and particularly the immuno-suppressed, while "sick building syndrome" is a reality for many office workers. This timely book presents an interdisciplinary exploration of these problems by examining the effects of modern, energy-efficient architecture on levels of microbial contamination in air and water supplies. With the common goal of constructing a microbiologically safe environment, the contributors represent the disciplines upon whose combined efforts a solution depends: systems engineering, medicine, microbiology, environmental hygiene, and architecture. Among the topics considered are methods of contamination control in heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems; the microbiologist's role --and the techniques used-- in evaluating the hygienic environment; and assessment of water systems used in health care facilities. Proposing methods for the elimination of the health problems discussed, the contributors stress the need for assessment of architectural design and subsequent preventive maintenance of buildings and their intricate heating and ventilating systems; and they show how poor building design and location affects it occupants. Architectural Design and Indoor Microbial Pollution provides public health professionals, microbiologists, and architects with an authoritative resource for assuring our comfort and safety in the hospitals, homes, and workplaces we inhabit.

Architectural Design and Indoor Microbial Pollution

Architectural Design and Indoor Microbial Pollution PDF Author: Ruth B. Kundsin
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 9780195044362
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 338

Get Book Here

Book Description
Chemical contaminants and other forms of indoor pollution have recently raised serious concern among occupational and environmental health workers, architects and engineers, and the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Microbial pollutants in the home pose major health risks to adults, children, and particularly the immuno-suppressed, while "sick building syndrome" is a reality for many office workers. This timely book presents an interdisciplinary exploration of these problems by examining the effects of modern, energy-efficient architecture on levels of microbial contamination in air and water supplies. With the common goal of constructing a microbiologically safe environment, the contributors represent the disciplines upon whose combined efforts a solution depends: systems engineering, medicine, microbiology, environmental hygiene, and architecture. Among the topics considered are methods of contamination control in heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems; the microbiologist's role --and the techniques used-- in evaluating the hygienic environment; and assessment of water systems used in health care facilities. Proposing methods for the elimination of the health problems discussed, the contributors stress the need for assessment of architectural design and subsequent preventive maintenance of buildings and their intricate heating and ventilating systems; and they show how poor building design and location affects it occupants. Architectural Design and Indoor Microbial Pollution provides public health professionals, microbiologists, and architects with an authoritative resource for assuring our comfort and safety in the hospitals, homes, and workplaces we inhabit.

Microbiomes of the Built Environment

Microbiomes of the Built Environment PDF Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309449839
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 318

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Book Description
People's desire to understand the environments in which they live is a natural one. People spend most of their time in spaces and structures designed, built, and managed by humans, and it is estimated that people in developed countries now spend 90 percent of their lives indoors. As people move from homes to workplaces, traveling in cars and on transit systems, microorganisms are continually with and around them. The human-associated microbes that are shed, along with the human behaviors that affect their transport and removal, make significant contributions to the diversity of the indoor microbiome. The characteristics of "healthy" indoor environments cannot yet be defined, nor do microbial, clinical, and building researchers yet understand how to modify features of indoor environmentsâ€"such as building ventilation systems and the chemistry of building materialsâ€"in ways that would have predictable impacts on microbial communities to promote health and prevent disease. The factors that affect the environments within buildings, the ways in which building characteristics influence the composition and function of indoor microbial communities, and the ways in which these microbial communities relate to human health and well-being are extraordinarily complex and can be explored only as a dynamic, interconnected ecosystem by engaging the fields of microbial biology and ecology, chemistry, building science, and human physiology. This report reviews what is known about the intersection of these disciplines, and how new tools may facilitate advances in understanding the ecosystem of built environments, indoor microbiomes, and effects on human health and well-being. It offers a research agenda to generate the information needed so that stakeholders with an interest in understanding the impacts of built environments will be able to make more informed decisions.

Biological Contaminants in Indoor Environments

Biological Contaminants in Indoor Environments PDF Author: Philip R. Morey
Publisher: ASTM International
ISBN: 0803112904
Category : Air
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description


Health and Well-Being Considerations in the Design of Indoor Environments

Health and Well-Being Considerations in the Design of Indoor Environments PDF Author: González-Lezcano, Roberto A.
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 1799872815
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 286

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Book Description
Indoor residential environments have a direct influence on human health, both in developed and developing countries. Significant levels of indoor pollution can make housing unsafe and can negatively impact on human health. Housing, therefore, is a key health factor for people all over the world, and various parameters such as air quality, ventilation, hygrothermal comfort, lighting, physical environment, building efficiency, and others can contribute to healthy architecture and the conditions that can result from the poor application of these parameters. Health and Well-Being Considerations in the Design of Indoor Environments addresses issues concerning indoor environmental quality (IEQ), including air quality and ventilation, access to daylight and views, acoustic conditions, and control over lighting and thermal comfort, as well as the impact that this environment can have on human health and mental well-being. The book also investigates the functional aspects of interior design such as whether the layout provides easy access to tools and sufficient space for occupants. It also considers energy demand and building energy losses due to such issues as air renovations and enclosure infiltrations. Covering topics such as sustainable design, pollution, building materials, and lighting, this book is an effective resource for students, professors, academicians, researchers, architects, designers, planners, engineers, interior designers, building managers, construction companies, and other industry professionals looking to increase building occupant satisfaction by considering all aspects of IEQ.

Microorganisms in Home and Indoor Work Environments

Microorganisms in Home and Indoor Work Environments PDF Author: Brian Flannigan
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 0203302931
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 555

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Book Description
Despite the large amount of money spent on research into pollution of the indoor environment, the problem remains complex with major gaps in our knowledge of the identities and sources of pollutants and of the effects of prolonged exposure to indoor pollutants on health. Microorganisms in Home and Indoor Work Environments considers one such group o

Indoor Environmental Quality

Indoor Environmental Quality PDF Author: Thad Godish
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 9781420056747
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 482

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Book Description
When we think of indoor pollution, we usually think of conditions originating from faulty ventilation systems, second hand smoke, and other air borne pollutants. Taking an in-depth, hard science look at the problems of indoor environmental pollution, Indoor Environmental Quality covers all the major indoor contaminants - inorganic, organic, and bio

Indoor Air Quality in Healthcare Facilities

Indoor Air Quality in Healthcare Facilities PDF Author: Stefano Capolongo
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319491601
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 144

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Book Description
This interdisciplinary guide offers background, research findings, and practical strategies for assessing and improving air quality in hospitals and other healthcare settings. Positing good air quality as critical to patient and staff well-being, it identifies disease-carrying microbes, pollutants, and other airborne toxins and their health risks, and provides localized interventions for reducing transmission of pathogens. Effective large-scale approaches to air quality control are also outlined, from green building materials to hygienic HVAC and air treatment practices. Its thoroughness of coverage makes this book a vital resource for professionals involved in every aspect of health service facilities, from planning and construction to maintenance and management. Among the topics covered: Existing guidelines in indoor air quality: the case study of hospital environments Hospital environments and epidemiology of healthcare-associated infections Analysis of microorganisms in hospital environments and potential risks Legionella indoor air contamination in healthcare environments HVAC system design in healthcare facilities and control of aerosol contaminants Assessment of indoor air quality in inpatient wards Indoor Air Quality in Healthcare Facilities imparts up-to-date expertise to a variety of professional readers, including hospitals' technical and management departments, healthcare facilities' chief medical officers, hospital planners, sport and thermal building designers, public health departments, and students of universities and schools of hygiene.

Indoor Allergens

Indoor Allergens PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309048311
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 321

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Book Description
More than 50 million Americans, one out of five, suffer from hay fever, asthma, and other allergic diseases. Many of these conditions are caused by exposure to allergens in indoor environments such as the house, work, and schoolâ€"where we spend as much as 98 percent of our time. Developed by medical, public health, and engineering professionals working together, this unique volume summarizes what is known about indoor allergens, how they affect human health, the magnitude of their effect on various populations, and how they can be controlled. The book addresses controversies, recommends research directions, and suggests how to assist and educate allergy patients, as well as professionals. Indoor Allergens presents a wealth of information about common indoor allergens and their varying effects, from significant hay fever to life-threatening asthma. The volume discusses sources of allergens, from fungi and dust mites to allergenic chemicals, plants, and animals, and examines practical measures for their control. Indoor Allergens discusses how the human airway and immune system respond to inhaled allergens and assesses patient testing methods, covering the importance of the patient's medical history and outlining procedures and approaches to interpretation for skin tests, in vitro diagnostic tests, and tests of patients' pulmonary function. This comprehensive and practical volume will be important to allergists and other health care providers; public health professionals; specialists in building design, construction, and maintenance; faculty and students in public health; and interested allergy patients.

The Inside Story

The Inside Story PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Air quality
Languages : en
Pages : 40

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Book Description


Handbook of Modern Hospital Safety

Handbook of Modern Hospital Safety PDF Author: William Charney
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1420047868
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 1252

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Book Description
It is ironic that those whose job it is to save lives often find themselves injured in the course of performing their duties. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare workers have higher injury rates than agriculture workers, miners, and construction workers. The Handbook of Modern Hospital Safety, Second Edition covers expo