Hospital outdoor spaces play an important role for the safety and well-being of users (patients, visitors, and staff), particularly during a pandemic. However, the actual needs of these spaces are often overlooked due to the design and management process. This study investigates the perceptions of the public and occupants on the functional settings of outdoor spaces, and provides evidence for building a safe and resilient hospital during (and after) COVID-19. A multi-method approach of web content analysis (WCA) and a web-based survey was employed. Reports were collected from three mainstream websites; keywords were extracted and then categorized, pertaining to the functional settings of outdoor spaces. Three groups of occupants from Southwest Hospital (staff n = 47, patients n = 64, visitors n = 73) participated in the survey to identify their perceptions of these functional settings. Based on the 657 reports and 33 keywords selected, 7 functional settings were identified: health check (HC), quarantine and observation (QO), food and delivery (FD), healing and restoration (HR), waiting and rest (WR), transportation and parking (TP), load and unload (LU). From all users, HC (4.13) was thought to be the most expected function setting while FD (2.61) was the least. Regarding the satisfaction level, most users were satisfied with HC (3.22) while WR (2.16) was the least satisfying. The users also showed significant differences regarding expectation and satisfaction pertaining to their groups. The results indicate that the current outdoor space could not fully meet the needs of users, regarding the emerging functional setting, due to the pandemic. Users showed significant different perceptions on the functional setting due to their roles. The mismatch between the outdoor space and the users’ needs on emerging functional settings resulted in low satisfaction and high expectation in the survey. Environmental interventions with adaptive and flexible strategies should be adapted for these functional settings. The differences of users should be fully recognized by administrators, decision-makers, and designers.

The role played by urban greenways in supporting physical activity (PA) for public health benefits has been receiving increasing attention. Most studies on this topic have been conducted in plains, whereas studies in mountainous regions have been limited as a result of the complexity of these areas. To address this knowledge gap, this article aims to analyze the effects of the environmental features for a mountainous urban greenway (MUG) on PA, leading to better support for greenway practice in mountainous areas. A volunteered geographic information (VGI) method was applied through the mobile app KEEP to collect 1314 valid records of PA including its density (total PA distance per unit area within the buffer zone) and attributes (distance, duration and speed) in the Yuzhong Peninsula, Chongqing, China. Similar to those of the studies conducted in the plains, our results showed that PA density was affected by the MUG and its surrounding environment. The key environmental features included residential density, open-space POI, the slope, the transportation-MUG (T-MUG) ratio and the recreational-MUG (R-MUG) ratio. For the PA attributes, the MUG showed stronger effects than the surrounding environment. The key environmental features included the slope and type of MUG, of which the former was negatively associated with distance and speed. The T-MUG ratio was positively related to duration and speed, while the R-MUG ratio was positively related to duration and distance. No association was found between livelihood (L-MUG) and PA. Hence, to support both the PA density and attributes, the environmental qualities for recreation and the types of R-MUGs should be given more consideration in practice.

Monitoring of IAQ is one of the foundations of the preventative actions prompted by the worldwide recognition of COVID-19 transmission. The measurement of CO₂ has emerged as one of the most popular, dependable, and easy ways to indirectly evaluate the state of indoor air renewal. Reducing the risk of respiratory diseases transmitted by aerosols is attainable through implementing and validating prevention measures made possible by CO₂ control. Isolation centers are like health facilities in that they are linked to IAQ, and the presence of natural ventilation can significantly improve the circulation of fresh air, which speeds up the removal of contaminants. This is true even though healthcare facilities are among the environments with the highest rate of COVID-19 propagation. Our investigation revealed, however, that no substantial critical data on air quality in Tanzanian isolation centers is presently available. The process of metabolic CO₂ creation and accumulation within health isolation center cubicles was investigated in this study. Crucially, we suggest comparing settings under various conditions using the indicator ppm/patient. In this research, we experimentally assessed the value of changing a few HVAC system characteristics. We looked at the data to see how well the filtration system worked concerning the submicron particle concentration. Study recommendations for CO₂ detectors and ways to reduce infection risk in shared isolation center cubicles are provided. We also show the correlation between particle size and CO₂ concentration, the correlation between CO₂ concentration derivatives and air volume presented per patient in isolation cubicles, the correlation between patient occupancy and CO₂ concentration levels in isolation cubicles, and how to improve air quality by adjusting the patient’s bed position. The study also found that for exposure lengths of two to three hours, a typical hospital cubicle with fifty to one hundred people should have an average interior CO₂ value of less than 900 ppm. Carers’ length of stay in the hospital substantially impacted the permissible CO₂ concentration. By establishing a connection between indoor air monitoring and healthcare goals, this study will aid in determining the feasibility of establishing regulations for interior CO₂ content depending on occupancy settings, strengthening preventive efforts against COVID-19. In the post-pandemic era, it will be essential to find ways to make health facilities air cleaner so that infectious diseases cannot spread in the future.

Evaluating embodied perception, the interaction between body movement, sensory input, and the environment, is crucial for addressing diverse needs in mountainous historic districts. Unlike flat districts, where research has explored how spatial elements affect different population groups, perception differences across age groups in mountainous areas remain understudied. This pilot study investigated these differences between younger and older participants in various alley types within Chongqing’s Ciqikou historic district, identifying the spatial factors influencing their perceptions. Data were collected from 46 participants using wearable equipment to monitor real-time psychological and physiological responses. Compound box plots, two-way repeated-measures ANOVA, and Spearman’s correlation were applied to analyze perception differences and the relationships between spatial elements and both physiological and psychological perceptions. Significant physiological differences were found between age groups. The stair alley had a stronger impact on perception than flat alleys. Younger participants exhibited higher stress but more positive emotional feedback compared to older participants. Key factors of mountainous environments, such as slope, spatial openness, and specific sounds, primarily influenced physiological changes. A high degree of coherence between auditory and visual landscape elements was observed across the district, with consistent correlations between spatial characteristics and physiological perception and the correlation between physiological and psychological perceptions. The study recommends improving dynamic and static zoning, lookout spaces, and multi-sensory experiences to enhance spatial quality and preserve the historical identity of mountainous cities.

Against the backdrop of global population aging and adjustments in health policies, the fair and efficient allocation of urban health resources for older a