The Influence of Transient Changes in Indoor and Outdoor Thermal Comfort on the Use of Outdoor Space by Older Adults in the Nursing Home

TiO2-Ag-NP adhesive photocatalytic films able to disinfect living indoor spaces with a straightforward approach

TiO₂-Ag doped nanoparticulate (TiO₂-Ag-NP) adhesive photocatalytic films were used to assess the ability in dropping down the burden of indoor microbial particles. The application of an easy-to use photocatalytic adhesive film to cleanse indoor living spaces from microbial pollution, represents a novelty in the field of photocatalytic devices. Reduction was attained by photocatalysis in selected spaces, usually with overcrowding (≥ 3 individuals) in the common working daily hours, and upon indoor microclimate monitoring. TiO₂-Ag doped nanoparticulate (TiO₂-Ag-NP) adhesive photocatalytic films were applied within five types of living spaces, including schools and job places. The microbial pollution was assessed at time 0 (far from routine clean, ≥ 9 h) and throughout 2-4 weeks following the photocatalyst application by relative light unit (RLU) luminometry and microbial indirect assessment (colony forming units per cubic meter, CFU/m³). TiO₂-Ag-NP photocatalyst reduced RLU and CFU/m³ by rates higher than 70% leading to RLU ≤ 20 and microbial presence ≤ 35 CFU/m³. The described TiO₂-Ag-NP is able to reduce microbial pollution to the lowest RLU threshold (≤ 20) within 60 min in open daylight in a standardized test room of 100 m². The correlation between RLU and CFU/m³ was positive (r = 0.5545, p < 0.05), assessing that the microbial reduction of indoor areas by the TiO₂-Ag-NP adhesive film was real. Titania photocatalysts represent promising tools to ensure air cleaning and sanitization in living indoor microclimates with a low cost, feasible and straightforward approach. This approach represents an easy to handle, cost effective, feasible and efficacious approach to reduce microbial pollution in indoor spaces, by simply attaching a TiO₂-Ag-NP adhesive film on the wall.

Indoor thermal comfort in a rural dwelling in southwest China

Recently, indoor thermal comfort has received more scholarly attention than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic and global warming. However, most studies on indoor thermal comfort in China concentrated on urban buildings in the east and north. The indoor thermal comfort of rural dwellers in southwest China is insufficiently investigated. Hence, this study assesses residents' indoor thermal comfort in a rural dwelling in Linshui, obtains the thermal neutral temperature of the rural area, and analyzes the thermal adaptation behavior of rural dwellers. The results reveal that the thermal neutral temperature of rural dwellers is 29.33°C (operative temperature), higher than that presented in previous studies based on the same climate region. Indoor thermal conditions in rural dwellings are relatively harsh, but various thermal adaptation behavior of rural dwellers significantly improve their ability to withstand the harsh conditions. When people live in an environment with a (relatively) constant climate parameter (e.g., humidity), their perception of that parameter seems compromised. Most rural dwellers are unwilling to use cooling equipment with high energy consumption. Therefore, more passive cooling measures are recommended in the design and renovation of rural dwellings.