Skip to main content

No Impacts on Users’ Health: How Indoor Air Quality Assessments Can Promote Health and Prevent Disease

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Integrating IoT and AI for Indoor Air Quality Assessment

Part of the book series: Internet of Things ((ITTCC))

Abstract

Despite being an active topic of discussion since the 1980s, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) remains an emerging public health topic, with increasing recognition of dangerous health consequences for individuals in confined spaces affected by poor IAQ. IAQ is defined within the broader Scientific Community as the sum of the outdoor air quality and the contaminants emitted from internal sources affecting indoor environments. Because of these dual influences on IAQ, monitoring activities of IAQ should consider the indoor air, the outdoor air, and the interaction between them. Although there are several trends that emphasize actions such as “zero pollution” in outdoor and confined spaces, the main scope of the IAQ assessments should guarantee zero impacts on users’ health. The aim of the chapter is to highlight the user-centrality and to argue how users can live in healthy spaces and the best practices for guaranteeing adequate performances of the indoor spaces, as well as the key role of indoor air assessments and how the user can understand the risks. For this reason, the authors involved in the contribution have multidisciplinary backgrounds referring to air quality in confined spaces, public health, how living and working spaces can influence health status, and building hygiene.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Italian Ministry of Environment: Criteria for the elaboration of regional plans for the renovation and protection of air quality. Ministry of Environment, Italy (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  2. World Health Organization: Indoor air pollutants exposure and health effects report on a WHO meeting. WHO EURO reports and studies Geneva, No. 78 (1982)

    Google Scholar 

  3. World Health Organization: WHO releases country estimates on air pollution exposure and health impact. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2016/air-pollution-estimates/en/. Accessed 18 March 2018

  4. C. Gautier, D. Charpin, Environmental triggers and avoidance in the management of asthma. J. Asthma Allergy 7(10), 47–56 (2017). https://doi.org/10.2147/JAA.S121276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. S. Capolongo, M. Buffoli, A. Oppio, M. Petronio, Sustainability and hygiene of building: Future perspectives. Epidemiol. Prev. 38(6), 46–50 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  6. G. Settimo, M. Manigrasso, P. Avino, Indoor air quality: A focus on the european legislation and state-of-the-art research in Italy. Atmosphere 11(4), 370 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11040370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. M. Gola, G. Settimo, S. Capolongo, Indoor air quality in inpatient environments: A systematic review on factors that influence chemical pollution in inpatient wards. J. Healthc. Eng. 2019, 8358306 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/8358306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. U. Moscato, A. Borghini, A.A. Teleman, HVAC management in health facilities, in Indoor Air Quality in Healthcare Facilities, ed. by S. Capolongo, G. Settimo, M. Gola, (Springer Public Health, New York City, 2017), pp. 95–106. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49160-8_9

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  9. G. Settimo, M. Gola, S. Capolongo, The relevance of indoor air quality in hospital settings: From an exclusively biological issue to a global approach in the Italian context. Atmosphere 11(4), 361 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11040361

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. M. Gola, G. Settimo, S. Capolongo, Indoor air in healing environments: Monitoring chemical pollution in inpatient rooms. Facilities 37(9/10), 600–623 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1108/F-01-2018-0008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. M. Leung, A.H.S. Chan, Control and management of hospital indoor air quality. Med. Sci. Monit. 12(3), SR17–SR23 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  12. World Health Organization, Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality: Selected Pollutants (World Health Organization, 2010)

    Google Scholar 

  13. G. Settimo, Existing guidelines in indoor air quality: The case study of hospital environments, in Indoor Air Quality in Healthcare Facilities, ed. by S. Capolongo, G. Settimo, M. Gola, (Springer Public Health, New York City, 2017), pp. 13–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49160-8_2

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  14. S. Fuselli, A. Pilozzi, A. Santarsiero, G. Settimo, S. Brini, A. Lepore, et al., Monitoring strategies for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in an indoor environment (Strategie di monitoraggio dei composti organici volatili (COV) in ambiente indoor). Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISTISAN Report, vol. 13/4 (2013). http://www.iss.it/binary/publ/cont/13_4_web.pdf

  15. M. Gola, G. Settimo, S. Capolongo, How can design features and other factors affect the indoor air quality in inpatient rooms? Check-lists for the design phase, daily procedures and maintenance activities for reducing the air concentrations of chemical pollution. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 17(12), 4280 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124280

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. M. Buffoli, A. Rebecchi, M. Gola, A. Favotto, G.P. Procopio, S. Capolongo, Green soap. A calculation model for improving outdoor air quality in urban contexts and evaluating the benefits to the population’s health status, in Integrated Evaluation for the Management of Contemporary Cities, ed. by G. Mondini, E. Fattinnanzi, A. Oppio, M. Bottero, S. Stanghellini, (Green Energy and Technology, Cham, 2018), pp. 453–467. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78271-3_36

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  17. A. Baccarelli, I. Martinelli, V. Pegoraro, S. Melly, P. Grillo, A. Zanobetti, L. Hou, P.A. Bertazzi, P.M. Mannucci, J. Schwartz, Living near major traffic roads and risk of deep vein thrombosis. Circulation 119(24), 3118–3124 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.108.836163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. H.K. Jo, E.G. McPherson, Carbon storage and flux in urban residential greenspace. J. Environ. Manag. 45, 109–133 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. T.A.M. Pugh, A.R. MacKenzie, J.D. Wyatt, C.N. Hewitt, Effectiveness of green infrastructure for improvement of air quality in urban street canyons. Environ. Sci. Technol. 46, 7692–7699 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1021/es300826w

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. M. R. Vittadini, D. Bolla, A. Barp (eds.), Living green spaces. Green is good for health (Spazi verdi da vivere. Il verde fa bene alla salute) (Il Prato, 2015)

    Google Scholar 

  21. A. Aliverti, Wearable technology: Role in respiratory health and disease. Breathe (Sheff) 13, e27–e36 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1183/20734735.008417

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. I.G. Trindade, J. Machado da Silva, R. Miguel, M. Pereira, J. Lucas, L. Oliveira, B. Valentim, J. Barreto, M. Santos Silva, Design and evaluation of novel textile wearable systems for the surveillance of vital signals. Sensors (Basel) 16(10), E1573 (2016). https://doi.org/10.3390/s16101573

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. L. Appolloni, M. Dettori, M.G. Petronio, M. Raffo, G. Settimo, A. Rebecchi, M. Buffoli, S. Capolongo, D. D’Alessandro, A proposal of hygienic and sanitary standards for the new Building Code in Italy. Ann. Ig. 32(5 Suppl. 1), 85–109 (2020). https://doi.org/10.7416/ai.2020.3396

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. M. Gola, L. Capasso, G. Mondoni, M. Petronio, A. Rebecchi, M. Buffoli, L. Appolloni, S. Capolongo, From building regulations and local health rules to the new local building codes: a national survey in Italy on the prescriptive and performance requirements for a new performance approach. Ann. Ig. 32(5 Suppl. 1), 36–51 (2020). https://doi.org/10.7416/ai.2020.3393

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. C. Signorelli, A. Odone, M. Buffoli, S. Capolongo, Building codes and public health on both sides of the Atlantic. J. Public Health Policy 37(3), 385–387 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41271-016-0010-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. M. Gola, G. Settimo, S. Capolongo, Chemical pollution in healing spaces: The decalogue of the best practices for adequate indoor air quality in inpatient rooms. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 16(22), 4388 (2019). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16224388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. M. Smiełowska, M. Marc, B. Zabiegała, Indoor air quality in public utility environments—a review. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 24(12), 11166 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8567-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. M. Gola, G. Caggiano, O. De Giglio, C. Napoli, G. Diella, M. Carlucci, L.F. Carpagnano, D. D’Alessandro, C.M. Joppolo, S. Capolongo, M.T. Montagna, SARS-CoV-2 indoor contamination: Considerations on anti-COVID-19 management of ventilation systems, and finishing materials in healthcare facilities. Ann. Ig. 33(4), 381–392 (2021). https://doi.org/10.7416/ai.2020.2396

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. G. Settimo, L. Indinnimeo, M. Inglessis, M. De Felice, R. Morlino, A. di Coste, A. Fratianni, P. Avino, Indoor air quality levels in schools: Role of student activities and no activities. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 17(18), 6695 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186695

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. G. Settimo, P. Avino, The dichotomy between indoor air quality and energy efficiency in light of the onset of the covid-19 pandemic. Atmosphere 12(6), 791 (2021). https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12060791

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. C. Signorelli, S. Capolongo, D. D’Alessandro, G.M. Fara, The homes in the COVID-19 era. How their use and values are changing. Acta. Biomed. 91, 92–94 (2020). https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v91i9-S.10125

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marco Gola .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Gola, M., Settimo, G., Capolongo, S. (2022). No Impacts on Users’ Health: How Indoor Air Quality Assessments Can Promote Health and Prevent Disease. In: Saini, J., Dutta, M., Marques, G., Halgamuge, M.N. (eds) Integrating IoT and AI for Indoor Air Quality Assessment. Internet of Things. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96486-3_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96486-3_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-96485-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-96486-3

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics