Indoor air quality (how fresh the indoor air is) and thermal comfort (how comfortable a room feels) are important to you and our tamariki. Why? In today's society, it's estimated that children spend up to 85% of their time indoors (Lum, Jenkins, & Shimer, 2013), and this was before all the lockdowns began. With the recent lockdowns, this will likely be up to 95%, leaving 5% outdoor time – the equivalent of an hour's walk a day. Younger children are more vulnerable than adults to indoor environments effects. This is due to their faster breathing rates and their larger lungs in proportion to their body sizes as well as their rapid growth and undeveloped bodies including their immune systems, eyes and ears (Bennett, Zeman, & Jarabek, 2008; Fuentes-Leonarte, Ballester, & Tenias, 2009; Tomita, Shichida, Takeshita, & Takashima, 1989). In New Zealand, one in seven children (14%) are reported to be on asthma medication (Telfar Barnard & Zhang, 2018), and now we have seen increased cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and facing the rapid spread of COVID-19. Indoor air quality and thermal comfort are important issues that affect occupants' short-term and long-term health (Wargocki et al., 2002). The World Health Organisation estimates that poor indoor air quality contributes 2.7% to the burden of disease (World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, 2010). Inadequate indoor air quality and thermal control increase the airborne transmission and survival rates of respiratory and gastric bacteria and viruses, as well as the growth of mould (Coates, Davis, & Andersen, 2019; Prussin II et al., 2018). This may be exacerbated in the bathroom due to toilet flushing and vomiting, which can aerosolise viral contamination (Taptiklis, Phipps, & Plagmann, 2017). Research into poor indoor air quality has shown that long-term exposure relates to the increase in chronic and acute respiratory diseases, gastric bacteria transmission and infection (Anderson, Thundiyil, & Stolbach, 2012; Carreiro-Martins et al., 2014; Lin et al., 2016; Phipatanakul et al., 2017), atopic dermatitis and chronic inflammatory skin disease (Ahn, 2014). Studies worldwide have analysed building-related illness and sick building syndrome, where the occupant's exposure to poor indoor air quality caused various non-specific neurological and respiratory symptoms (Howden-Chapman et al., 2008; Salleh, Salim, Kamaruzzaman, Mahyuddin, & Darus, 2016). Historically the most common indoor air pollutant relating to cancer and the primary cause of lung disease was cigarette smoke (Anderson et al., 2012; World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, 2010), though more recent research has seen a link between indoor air pollutants and non-respiratory cancers, particularly in children. Other causes of lung disease being researched include environmental factors, e.g., exposure to low temperatures and particulate matter (Abramson, Koplin, Hoy, & Dharmage, 2015). This included a study in New Zealand that found an increase of heart diseases with an increase in particulate matter suspended in the air (Hales, Blakely, & Woodward, 2012). Exposure to mould, particulates and dampness is associated with airway inflammation, nasal congestion, coughing, wheezing, throat irritation, hay fever and eczema (Ahn, 2014; Lin et al., 2016). It is also likely that increased exposure to dust increases susceptibility to the development of allergies and asthma panorama (AlvarezChavez et al., 2016). The correlation is strong between allergic sensitisation and allergen exposure, particularly in school children and children under five years old (Anderson et al., 2012; Mendell, 2007; Phipatanakul et al., 2017). Research indicates that children are more sensitive to higher temperatures than adults and are better suited to temperatures a few degrees cooler (Edwards et al., 2015). This is due to their higher metabolic rates and overall level of activity (The New Zealand Ministry of Education, 2017). Available research also indicates that, while the building up of carbon dioxide in a room from breathing would not cause health issues, it would cause a temporary impediment to cognitive performance. However, the implications in terms of development for those under five years of age is not well understood (Branco, AlvimFerraz, Martins, & Sousa, 2015). So what can be done to improve indoor air quality and thermal comfort? Ventilation is a key tool. What is ventilation? It is simply the Ventilation – a tool to stop the spread of COVID-19 By Phil and Tiffany Smith, Collingridge and Smith Architects When indoors, good ventilation can significantly help prevent the rapid spread of bacteria and viruses such as COVID-19 and RSV. In this article, you will find out why ventilation is so important and how to improve it in your centre. December 2021 { 30 }
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