Management situation of indoor environment & HVAC system in facilities for the elderly

Abstract

Japan has been well on the way to an aging society and entered a super-Aged society at 21.5 percent aging rate in 2007, and the facility demand for the elderly is increasing rapidly. However, the actual situation of indoor environment had not been clear because there is not a regulation and control law at all. It is critical to understand the facility managing system and the actual condition of indoor environment in order to improve quality of life such as health and comfort and to prevent infectious diseases in care welfare facilities for the elderly. Cross-sectional study utilizing the questionnaire survey on special nursing homes all over the country was conducted to clarify the management, maintenance and actual condition of indoor environment and building equipment in 2013. As a result, the installation of individual air conditioning equipment expanded countrywide due to benefits such as initial / operating costs and high energy performance. the control criteria of air temperature were set in about 60 percent of the facilities, while those for relative humidity and ventilation were less. Most of the facilities set control criteria for indoor environment factors within commonly-Accepted levels, but a problem also was seen in knowledge and recognition of facility managers for HVAC and ventilation system. In order to secure and maintain the favorable indoor environment and hygiene in the elderly facilities, it seems appropriate to remark that a professional administrator should be employed as a facility manager, and they should be educated and provided with the related knowledge and techniques.