Abstract
We aimed to examine a method for maintaining a sanitary and healthy air environment at welfare facilities for the aged. Four welfare facilities were considered for summer and two facilities were considered for winter. The seven parameters influencing the indoor air quality, namely, air temperature, relative humidity, air flow rate (velocity), and carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, particulate matter, and microbial concentrations, were measured in accordance with the legal and academic standard method. The results were as follows: (1) It was clear that the temperatures inside the rooms were quite high in summer and the relative humidity inside the rooms was quite low in winter. (2) The carbon dioxide concentration increased considerably when the population density inside the room became very high. (3) The microbial concentration was quite high in almost all the facilities and rooms. It appeared that the filters installed in the ventilation systems influenced the microbial concentration. (4) It is important for the HVAC system designer to grasp the actual operating conditions of the welfare facilities for aged and adopt the most appropriate HVAC system.
