INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Suarez-Lopez, J. R., Cairns, M. R., Sripada, K., Quiros-Alcala, L., Mielke, H. W., Eskenazi, B., Etzel, R. A., & Kordas, K. (2021). COVID-19 and children’s health in the United States: Consideration of physical and social environments during the pandemic. Environmental Research, 197(December 2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.111160
This paper examines five topics that affect children development and health during the pandemic. These five topics are: exposures to environmental contaminants and the built environment, changes in food environments, limited access to educational resources, changes in social environments and family stressors, and finally, social justice and racism. Among built environment and environmental pollutant effects, the article mentions how by staying more time in unhealthy homes, children may be exposed to more allergens and indoor air pollutants. Similarly, the article touches on the fact that school closures and isolation measures may have impacted children’s physical health through reducing the opportunities to play outside and develop physical activity. 144 Publication type: Journal Article Study type: Literature review Morawska, L., Tang, J. W., Bahnfleth, W., Bluyssen, P. M., Boerstra, A., Buonanno, G., Cao, J., Dancer, S., Floto, A., Franchimon, F., Haworth, C., Hogeling, J., Isaxon, C., Jimenez, J. L., Kurnitski, J., Li, Y., Loomans, M., Marks, G., Marr, L. C., … Yao, M. (2020). How can airborne transmission of COVID-19 indoors be minimised? Environment International (Vol. 142, p. 105832). Elsevier Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.105832
In this paper from 2020 the authors argued that at the time there was sufficient evidence to support the idea that engineering controls, such as enhanced ventilation and filtration are a key element to limit the spread of the virus that caused the Covid-19 pandemic. They argued that public buildings such as hospitals, offices and schools can use engineering controls along with administrative and controls and personal protective equipment can use this kind of strategies to limit the spread of the virus. Among their recommendations are increasing outdoor air exchanges, eliminating air recirculation, supplementing ventilation with portable air cleaners, and avoiding overcrowding. 145 Publication type: Journal Article Study type: Literature review
Thermal Comfort and IAQ Mendell, M. J., & Heath, G. A. (2005). Do indoor pollutants and thermal conditions in schools influence student performance? A critical review of the literature. Indoor Air, 15(1), 27–52. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0668.2004.00320.x
In this review from 2005, Mendell et al. studied the associations between HVAC system and building characteristics, and indoor pollutants and thermal
76
NetZED Case Study Lab netzedlab.uoregon.edu
