The prevention of airborne infections in emergency departments is a very important issue. This study investigated the effects of architectural features on airborne pathogen dispersion in emergency departments by using a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulation tool. The study included three architectural features as the major variables: increased ventilation rate, inlet and outlet diffuser positions, and partitions between beds. The most effective method for preventing pathogen dispersion and reducing the pathogen concentration was found to be increasing the ventilation rate. Installing partitions between the beds and changing the ventilation system’s inlet and outlet diffuser positions contributed only minimally to reducing the concentration of airborne pathogens.

Cooling load in highly glazed residential building can be excessively large due to uncontrolled solar energy entering the indoor space. This study focuses on the cooling load reduction and changes in the daylighting properties via the application of a double window system (DWS) with shading with various surface reflectivities in highly glazed residential buildings. Evaluation of thermal and daylighting performances is carried out using simulation tools. The reductions in cooling load and energy cost through the use of DWS are evaluated through a comparative simulation considering conventional windows: a single window and a double window. Three variables of window types, natural ventilation, and shading reflectivity are reflected in the study. According to our results, implementation of DWS reduced cooling load by 43%–61%. Electricity cost during the cooling period was reduced by a maximum of 24%. However, a shading device setting that prioritizes effective cooling load reduction can greatly decrease the daylighting factor and luminance level of indoor space. A DWS implementing shading device with highly reflective at all surfaces is appropriate option for the more comfortable thermal and visual environment, while a shading device with low reflectivity at rear of the surface can contribute an additional 4% cooling load reduction.

In this paper, a novel combined radiation-convection floor heating system is shown. This study uses practice-based learning and investigated the thermal performance of a combined radiation-convection floor heating system with a water heat pump system by evaluating the thermal environment and energy consumption in an experimental test. A new method that analyzed the thermal performance of four different controls was developed and applied. The results of the surface temperature distributions demonstrated that Mode 1, which uses only convection, had the lowest floor temperature and was thus considered inappropriate for occupants who sleep on the floor. By contrast, Modes 2, 3, and 4 showed high floor surface temperatures as hot water was supplied to the radiant heating panel. The predicted mean vote (PMV) results suggest that radiant floor heating is not appropriate for intermittent heating. In other words, occupants of single residences who return home at night will experience a long period of discomfort if they heat their room using floor heating. In this case, Mode 1, which is convection heating, and Modes 3 and 4, which represent mixed modes provide a more comfortable environment. The difference between this experimental study and previous research is that four different control modes for a combined radiation-convection system were evaluated based on the same location of the equipment in a laboratory. Furthermore, we studied the long-term real-scale thermal performance using panel and energy consumption.

Background: The increasing number of elderly citizens due to changes in the social structure is of national interest. This study aimed to provide basic data for devising policies to promote the quality of life of elderly National Basic Livelihood Security System (NBLSS) beneficiaries in South Korea by identifying the effects of their general characteristics and physical environment on their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods: Using the 2013 Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS) raw data, we analyzed 3537 NBLSS beneficiaries aged 65 yr and older. HRQoL was measured using the Euro QoL five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to predict the EQ-5D scores. Results: The explanatory power for HRQoL increased to 21.4% when the general characteristics and physical environment were included. HRQoL showed statistically significant differences in the environmental variable, level of safety (P=0.001), natural environment (P=0.001), living environment (P=0.001), traffic condition (P<0.001), and access to health services (P<0.001). Physical environment positively correlated with HRQoL(r=.119, P<0.001), thus confirming its influence (beta=.092, P<0.001). Conclusion: We should strive to manage the physical environment to improve the quality of life of elderly NBLSS beneficiaries.

Background: International cooperation for infection control is important to prevent global pandemics. University students were difficult groups to manage of infection control measures. They often had overconfidence to their health, ineffective personal hygiene, and active social activities. Their misperceptions and inappropriate preventive behaviors increase the infection risks to university and community. Understanding university students’ perceptions of airborne infection management will contribute to the establishment of relevant policies and health education programs. Method: This study explored subjective perceptions of airborne infection among university students in South Korea using Q-methodology. Forty university students representing different majors ranked a set of 33 statements reflecting their perceptions of airborne infection. They sorted the statements into a distribution on seven scales ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.” Collected data were analyzed by the PC-QUANL program. The subjective perception types were extracted by using the principal component analysis. Results: Four type are derived regardingperception of airborne infection: Type I (Government responsibility), Type II (Personal responsibility in self-management), Type III (Strict external management) and Type IV (Comprehensive countermeasures management). Thesefour types accounted for 45.6% of the total variance, and the individual contributions of Types I, II, III, and IV were 27.7, 7.6, 6.2, and 4.1%, respectively. Conclusion: The major contribution of this study is to clarify university students’ perceptions of airborne infection. These findings can be used in formulating effective strategies for health education, media reporting, and public health policy to improve airborne infection management.

This study investigated lifecycle CO₂ (LCCO₂) emission reductions through application of double-window casement systems (DWCS) in residential units in Korea, compared with conventional single windows (SWs). The DWCS is a double window system that is energy-efficient, reducing energy consumption during operation. However, this system incorporates increased embodied CO₂ emissions. We evaluated LCCO₂ reductions associated with use of the DWCS by calculating CO₂ emissions during space conditioning as well as the embodied CO₂ emissions of the DWCS. The results showed that use of DWCS in a residential unit during the cooling season had 26.2 and 27.4 t CO₂ fewer emissions than SWs in the natural ventilation and minimum ventilation modes, respectively. Although implementation of DWCS is expected to substantially reduce LCCO₂ emissions, the large embodied CO₂ emissions of the aluminum frame reduce the benefits of the DWCS.