Indoor Environment and Physiological Responses of Young Children and Nursery Teachers in Nursery Rooms Focused on Ventilation during Summer of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in ventilation through window opening in various facilities. However, there are concerns that thermal comfort may be impaired during summer and winter. From the author's research findings, it has been indicated that nursery facilities have insufficient ventilation rates and that metabolic equivalents (METs) during childcare activities must be clarified for appropriate ventilation design. This study aims to clarify the indoor environments and physiological responses of young children and nursery teachers in nursery rooms during the summer of the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted field surveys at two nursery facilities in Yokohama. As a result, compared with previous surveys, the temperature and CO₂ concentration in nursery rooms were found to be satisfactory due to increased ventilation and the use of air conditioners. Moreover, both young children and nursery teachers had tympanic temperatures of around 37°C, indicating a low risk of heatstroke. It was confirmed that the mean METs values during childcare activities were above 1.7 METs for both young children and nursery teachers. Furthermore, the measured METs values were higher than those assumed for the current ventilation standards. We also calculated the required ventilation rates for nursery facilities based on these values.