Effect of Occupant Activity on Indoor Particle Concentrations in Korean Residential Buildings

Hyungkeun Kim, Kyungmo Kang and Taeyeon Kim
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Hyungkeun Kim: Department of Architectural Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
Kyungmo Kang: Department of Architectural Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
Taeyeon Kim: Department of Architectural Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 21, 1-19

Abstract: Due to the recent industrial development and COVID-19 pandemic, people are spending more time indoors. Therefore, indoor air quality is becoming more important for the health of occupants. Indoor fine particles are increased by outdoor air pollution and indoor occupant activities. In particular, smoking, cooking, cleaning, and ventilation are occupant activities that have the largest impact on indoor particle concentrations. In this study, indoor and outdoor particle concentrations were measured in ten apartment houses in South Korea for 24 h. Indoor particle concentrations were measured in the kitchen and living room to evaluate the impact of cooking, one of the most important sources of indoor particles. An occupant survey was also conducted to analyze the influence of occupant activities. It was found that the impact of outdoor particles on indoor particle concentrations in winter was not significant. The largest particle source was cooking. In particular, a large amount of particles was generated by broiling and frying. In addition, cooking-generated particles are rapidly dispersed to the living room, and this was more obvious for small particles. It is expected that this result will be statistically generalized if the particle concentration of more houses is analyzed in the future.

Keywords: indoor air quality; fine particle; occupant activity; cooking-generated particle; ventilation; range hood (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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