Assessing the impact of indoor plants towards physical indoor office building environment in hot and humid climates

Several studies have shown that plants with a variety of performance categories can improve indoor air quality (IAQ). In addition, it has positive impacts on occupants’ concentration ability, work efficiency, job satisfaction, mental health, stress reduction, and sense of well-being. However, there is few research that have focused on the impact of indoor plants towards physical indoor environment. Therefore, this study performs several experiments to examine the impacts of indoor plants on physical indoor environment in Malaysia. This study further observes the use of five different species of potted plants and its effects on the IAQ concerning the physical parameters of air temperature and relative humidity in a classroom and an office room setting environment. Moreover, this paper explores the function of plants as a natural air purifying agent and temperature regulation, as it helps to cool down the internal temperature of a building while providing areas of the building with an aesthetic element. This study involves the assessment of plant and indoor space benefit studies, as well as the description of plant varieties and characteristics. Finally, the overall findings from several experiments show significant differences in relative humidity and total target volatile organic compound (TVOC) in the room. With intervention, it can be concluded that the inclusion of potted plants in a room have improved all parameters measured compared with that in normal condition. For future works, it is proposed that further study is done on the form of species, including the importance of understanding the need for positioning the potted plants in indoor environments

Living walls and their effect on indoor environmental quality and occupant satisfaction in the workplace

Occupant health and comfort has suffered as a result of tightly sealed buildings and construction that divides humans from nature (Wolverton, Douglas, & Bounds, 1989). Biophilic design is a way of reconnecting occupants with nature. Integrating nature with the built environment is crucial to improve the occupants’ experience in a building. Applying plants to walls is a way to directly incorporate nature in an interior environment. Living walls have emerged as not only an aesthetic biophilic design solution, but a true representation of the benefits nature being utilized in the built environment. These planting systems enhance indoor environmental quality by way of natural processes of air filtration, acoustic attenuation, and even thermal control (Gunawardena & Steemers, 2019). A visual connection to nature also offers occupants mental restoration through fascination, or a gentle distraction that requires no effort or directed attention (R. Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989). The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact living walls have on indoor environmental quality and occupant satisfaction. After reviewing the literature surrounding the benefits of living walls, it can be hypothesized that living walls can improve indoor air quality, thermal comfort, acoustics, and even positively affect the lighting design in a space. A multiple case study approach was used to evaluate how living walls affect occupant satisfaction and indoor environmental quality. The following five commercial buildings were investigated: Nixon Peabody District of Columbia, OFS Corporate Headquarters, Toyota Motor North America, Etsy Headquarters, and Delos Headquarters. Each site houses a large-scale living wall system and is certified under either the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Living Building Challenge (LBC), or the WELL Building standards. The different strategies for data collection include online research, observational analysis and field measurements in each area of indoor environmental quality, and finally an occupant survey. Due to the current state of the workforce and fall out from the COVID-19 pandemic, the last two research strategies were not able to be completed and the online research and observational analysis was completed remotely. Due to the lack of deciding evidence and the need for verification, this data is intended to be used as a preliminary analysis of each site. Based on the information gathered, it can be expected that living walls are most effective when used in a common area in an office, and the plant composition has a lot to do with the success of the living wall. The living walls studied are expected to have the strongest impact on thermal comfort and the occupants’ access to natural daylight. The Delos headquarters’ living wall systems were the overall most effective because of the built-in mechanics making it an active air purifier and the number of them located around the office. Field measurements and an occupant survey are still needed to fully understand how living walls impact occupant satisfaction. The proposal for future study is developed to build on the foundation presented in this study and to ultimately produce results that could be a tool for evidence-based design in practice

Impact of indoor plants on work engagement and well-being perceptions

A research project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MA by coursework and Research Report in the field of Industrial Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. February/May 2017Much evidence exists with regard to indoor plants and their positive effect on psychological perceptions as well as environmental air quality. However, this type of research has only ever been conducted once in a South African setting, which can be argued, is different to international contexts, in terms of climate and financial status. Indoor plants and their positive effects may have monumental effects on employees. This research assessed the presence of plants, on a sample of 34 employees at Discovery VitalityLife, consisting of Human Resources workers and call centre agents, on psychological perceptions (work engagement; psychological well-being; physical well-being and aesthetics) and on environmental factors (Total Volatile Organic Compounds; Benzene; Xylene; Carbon Dioxide (CO2); temperature and relative humidity). This research was conducted over a period of approximately three months whereby at Time 1 plants were absent and Time 2 plants were present. The same questionnaires were administered at both times. So too were Volatile Organic Compounds measured weekly and three measurement devices were installed in the workplace taking measurements of CO2, humidity, and indoor temperature every hour. The results found were that there were no statistically significant differences for the psychological perceptions from Time 1 to Time 2. This was concluded to be a result of the context in which this research took place. Total Volatile Organic Compounds, Benzene and relative humidity levels statistically significantly decreased at Time 2. Xylene levels statistically significantly increased at Time 2. There was no evidence to suggest statistically significant differences for CO2 and temperature from Time 1 to Time 2.MT201

Understanding the Biophilia Hypothesis through a Comparative Analysis of Residential Typologies in Phoenix, São Paulo, and Tokyo

abstract: ABSTRACT Recent studies indicate that there is a positive influence of nature and nature integrated built environments on human health and wellness in various physical, physiological and social domains. This thesis critically reviews formally and contextually three distinct residential typologies designed by renowned architects Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), Lina Bo Bardi (1914-1992), and Ryue Nishizawa (1966-), in different periods and countries; the United States of America (USA), Brazil and Japan. Yet, the buildings analyzed in the research are relatively connected by means of nature and the natural elements in their constructed essence. This research focuses on the features of the buildings that characterize the Biophilic Design, along with theoretical and practical ideas of the architects behind each building in their own process of formation. The Biophilic Design Framework has been developed out of the Biophilia Hypothesis (Fromm, 1973; Wilson, 1984) which puts forward an explanatory suggestion that human affinity and affiliation with nature are based on genetic and environmental adaptation processes. This research is designed to display how specific natural phenomena apply to the built environment within the Framework of Biophilic Design (Kellert, & Calabrese, 2015) and how the Biophilia Hypothesis translates into the built environment. To accomplish this, two primary and three secondary research questions were developed for the study. The research will provide an understanding of the Biophilia Hypothesis and its impact on the built environment through the evaluation of research variables on the case studies using the ‘twenty-four attributes’ indicated in the ‘three experiences’ of Biophilic Design. These architects’ approaches and the methods applied theoretically and practically to these research sites were unveiled and analyzed through three case studies. A positive correlation regarding the success of the case studies and their Biophilic characteristics is found by analyzing the research sites and critiques from the authorities in written literature. The applicability of the ‘Biophilic Design Framework’ was found and evidenced by the findings from these case studies designed by master architects and located in different climates, regions and contexts.Dissertation/ThesisMasters Thesis Architecture 201

Toxicological profile for chlorpyrifos

prepared by Research Triangle Institute.Prepared for the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry."September 1997.""Contract no. 205-93-0606.""This edition supersedes any previously released draft or final profile"--p. iii.Chemical manager(s)/author(s): John F. Risher, Hernan A. Navarro.Also available via the World Wide Web (last viewed 2005 April 05).Bibliographical references: p. 153-176

Natural ventilation : an evaluation of strategies for improving indoor air quality in hospitals located in semi-arid climates

PhD ThesisThis thesis is an investigation into improving natural ventilation in low rise hospital wards in Northern Nigeria. The climate of this region is semi-arid, during the dry season, sub-Saharan fine dust (Harmattan dust) is blown into the region from the North East and during the wet season, Mosquitos are prevalent. The energy infrastructure in the whole of Nigeria is under resourced; hence ventilation strategies’ based on mechanical extraction are not possible. Five wards within low rise hospital buildings were studied; these were purpose designed hospital buildings, not converted buildings. Questionnaire surveys of health care workers in the hospitals was conducted and revealed dissatisfaction with the buildings’ ventilation and Indoor Air Quality. The questionnaires were then followed up by Tracer Gas measurements and during the period of measurement there was only one occasion when a ward achieved an air change rate of 6-ach-1, the ASHREA Standard requirement for hospital buildings. To investigate methods of improving natural ventilation in these wards, a CFD model was developed of a representative ward, the model was validated against the Tracer Gas measurements; with an acceptable agreement of ≤ 15%. Using the CFD model, achievable ventilation strategies within the context of the location, were investigated, and a combination of cross ventilation utilizing windows on the windward and leeward sides of the ward together with a roof ventilator on the leeward side proved the most successful. All openings were screened to prevent the entry of mosquitos. This best case was further investigated with the wind direction at an oblique angle to the ward side. The oblique angle of wind attack reduced the air change rates but improved air circulation/mixing within the ward. With the exception when the wind direction was parallel to the ward side. To reduce the ingress of Harmattan Dust, was problematic given the energy restrictions, a low energy solution of introducing screened plenums on both the windward and leeward sides of the building proved successful. Larger dust particles were detained within the windward plenum and the smaller dust particles were exhausted into the leeward plenum. With the mosquito screens located on the large surface area of the plenum, the window screens were removed resulting in higher air change rates. Thus, it is recommended that, openings should be provided on the windward and leeward walls and on the roof toward the leeward side for efficient ventilation and airflow circulation at the occupancy level. The longer sides of the wards should be oriented toward the North-South to capture the North-East trade winds and South-West monsoon winds with oblique angle of attack. Plenums should be incorporated to the windward and leeward facades and Insect screen should be installed on the plenums instead of the wards’ openings to increase ventilation rates while excluding mosquitoes and decreasing dust particle concentration in the hospital wards. Openings should be at the middle of the windward and leeward walls and on the roof toward the leeward to avoid airflow short-circuiting. It is recommended to use insect screen with the porosity of 0.2 and when the outdoor local wind speed is ≤ 1.26 m/s (2 m/s: airport value), the ventilation should be supplemented with fan.Ramat Polytechnic Maiduguri, Borno State Government and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND

Toxicological profile for hydrogen sulfide (update)

prepared by Syracuse Research Corporation ; prepared for U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry."Chemical manager(s)/author(s): Selene Chou"--P. ix."A Toxicological Profile for Hydrogen Sulfide, Draft for Public Comment was released in September, 2004. This edition supersedes any previously released draft or final profile."--p. iii"July 2006""Under Contract No. 200-2004-09793"Also available via the World Wide Web.Includes bibliographical references (p. 159-199) and index

Draft toxicological profile for trichloroethylene

***DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT***2014CURREN

Toxicological profile for trichloroethylene (TCE)

cdc:63617CAS#: 79-01-6A Toxicological Profile for Trichloroethylene, Draft for Public Comment was released in October 2014. This edition supersedes any previously released draft or final profile.CS274127-Atp19.pdf2019642

PCBs

"November 2000.""Under contract no. 205-1999-00024."Chemical manager(s)/author(s): Obaid Faroon, James Olson--P. ix."A Toxicological profile for PCBs, draft for public comment, was released in December 1998. This edition supersedes any previously released draft or final profile"--P. iii."This toxicological profile is prepared in accordance with guidelines developed by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The original guidelines were published in the Federal Register on April 17, 1987"--P. v.Also available via the World Wide Web (accessed 2003 July 3).Includes bibliographic references (p. 627-758) and index