Understanding indoor environmental conditions and occupant's responses in houses of older people

Abstract

In Australia, the vast majority of older people, those aged 65 years and over, want to live at their own homes for as long as possible. Older people are, however, vulnerable to extreme conditions, hot or cold, and therefore it is crucial to ensure that the home's indoor environmental conditions are conducive to their health and well-being. The first step to do this is by understanding the existing conditions in homes of older people so that appropriate steps for improvements can be taken. This paper presents an on-going study to understand the indoor environmental conditions and occupant's responses in homes of older people in South Australia. The study is conducted using a robust indoor environmental monitoring system that is integrated with a user-friendly occupant survey system using an electronic tablet, allowing the occupants to reflect on their "right here right now" experience over different seasons in a year. The paper discusses the development of this integrated system and reports some preliminary data. Preliminary results showing the associations between measured environmental data, such as dry bulb temperature, radiant temperature, air velocity, and CO2 level, and thermal sensation, comfort, perception of indoor quality and self-reported health/well-being will also be presented.