Sameh, R; Ismaeel, W S E and Othman, F (2021) Sustainable building renovation and indoor environmental quality. In: Scott, L and Neilson, C J (eds.) Proceedings of 37th Annual ARCOM Conference, 6-7 September 2021, Online Event, UK.
Abstract
Indoor environmental quality (IAQ) should be considered for any renovation process. This paper aims at identifying this link pointing out the health effects associated with the renovation process in an educational building. The study focused on four types of spaces; lecture halls, classrooms, laboratories, and staff rooms. This investigated the materials and finishes used during the renovation process for wall painting as well as floor and ceiling finishing. Then further investigation using lab tests were conducted for specimens of wall finishes. This was followed by structured questionnaires with full-time occupants such as staff members and lab engineers, as well as transient occupants such as labours and students to determine symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome. The results showed that wall painting had the greatest impact on IAQ and this corresponds to previous literature. Furthermore, it was found that high VOC was indicated; this was not the result of the material used for wall painting but due to the process undertaken. Also, the surveys enabled determining the short-term and long-term health hazards on different space users and how this varied according to space dimensions and ventilation system. Eventually, the study provides recommendations for proper planning for building occupancy during and after the renovation process.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | indoor air quality; material selection; building renovation practices; sick building syndrome |
| Index terms: | educational building, laboratory, health hazard, survey, ventilation, engineer, finishes, questionnaire, investigation, indoor environmental quality, classroom, sustainable building, renovation, building renovation, indoor air quality, sick building syndrome, dimension |
| Subjects: | environmental health, environmental hazards, asset management, research management, sustainable construction, renovation and retrofit, health monitoring assessment and metrics, building materials, data collection methods, profession, construction type, air quality |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Health and Safety, Business Strategy, Sustainability, Construction Technology, Roles and Professions, Design Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here