van J Joost Hoof

Forty years of Fanger’s model of thermal comfort: comfort for all?

UNLABELLED The predicted mean vote (PMV) model of thermal comfort, created by Fanger in the late 1960s, is used worldwide to assess thermal comfort. Fanger based his model on college-aged students for use in invariant environmental conditions in air-conditioned buildings in moderate thermal climate zones. Environmental engineering practice calls for a predictive method that is applicable to all types of people in any kind of building in every climate zone. In this publication, existing support and criticism, as well as modifications to the PMV model are discussed in light of the requirements by environmental engineering practice in the 21st century in order to move from a predicted mean vote to comfort for all. Improved prediction of thermal comfort can be achieved through improving the validity of the PMV model, better specification of the models input parameters, and accounting for outdoor thermal conditions and special groups. The application range of the PMV model can be enlarged, for instance, by using the model to assess the effects of the thermal environment on productivity and behavior, and interactions with other indoor environmental parameters, and the use of information and communication technologies. Even with such modifications to thermal comfort evaluation, thermal comfort for all can only be achieved when occupants have effective control over their own thermal environment. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS The paper treats the assessment of thermal comfort using the PMV model of Fanger, and deals with the strengths and limitations of this model. Readers are made familiar to some opportunities for use in the 21st-century information society.

Ageing-in-place with the use of ambient intelligence technology: Perspectives of older users

INTRODUCTION Ambient intelligence technologies are a means to support ageing-in-place by monitoring clients in the home. In this study, monitoring is applied for the purpose of raising an alarm in an emergency situation, and thereby, providing an increased sense of safety and security. Apart from these technological solutions, there are numerous environmental interventions in the home environment that can support people to age-in-place. The aim of this study was to investigate the needs and motives, related to ageing-in-place, of the respondents receiving ambient intelligence technologies, and to investigate whether, and how, these technologies contributed to aspects of ageing-in-place. METHODOLOGY This paper presents the results of a qualitative study comprised of interviews and observations of technology and environmental interventions in the home environment among 18 community-dwelling older adults with a complex demand for care. These respondents had a prototype of the Unattended Autonomous Surveillance system, an example of ambient intelligence technology, installed in their homes as a means to age-in-place. The UAS-system offers a large range of functionalities, including mobility monitoring, voice response, fire detection, as well as wandering detection and prevention, which can be installed in different configurations. RESULTS The respondents had various motives to use ambient intelligence technologies to support ageing-in-place. The most prominent reason was to improve the sense of safety and security, in particular, in case of fall incidents, when people were afraid not to be able to use their existing emergency response systems. The ambient intelligence technologies were initially seen as a welcome addition to strategies already adopted by the respondents, including a variety of home modifications and assistive devices. The systems tested increased the sense of safety and security and helped to postpone institutionalisation. Respondents came up with a set of specifications in terms of the operation and the design of the technology. False alarms were also regarded as a sign that the ambient intelligence technology is functioning. Moreover, a good integration of the new technologies in the provision of health care is indispensable, and installation should be done in an acceptable and unobtrusive manner. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Ambient intelligence technologies can contribute to an increased safety and security at home. The technologies alone offer no all encompassing solution as home care and additional environmental interventions are still needed to support ageing-in-place. Results of the study are used to further improve the ambient intelligence technologies and their implementation.

Environmental Interventions and the Design of Homes for Older Adults With Dementia: An Overview

In Western societies, the vast majority of people with dementia live at home and wish to remain doing so for as long as possible. Aging in place can be facilitated through a variety of environmental interventions, including home modifications. This article provides an overview of existing design principles and design goals, and environmental interventions implemented at home, based on literature study and additional focus group sessions. There is a multitude of design principles, design goals, and environmental interventions available to assist with activities of daily living and functions, although few systematic studies have been conducted on the efficacy of these goals and interventions. The own home seems to be a largely ignored territory in research and government policies, which implies that many problems concerning aging in place and environmental interventions for dementia are not adequately dealt with.

Thermal comfort: research and practice.

Thermal comfort--the state of mind, which expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment--is an important aspect of the building design process as modern man spends most of the day indoors. This paper reviews the developments in indoor thermal comfort research and practice since the second half of the 1990s, and groups these developments around two main themes; (i) thermal comfort models and standards, and (ii) advances in computerization. Within the first theme, the PMV-model (Predicted Mean Vote), created by Fanger in the late 1960s is discussed in the light of the emergence of models of adaptive thermal comfort. The adaptive models are based on adaptive opportunities of occupants and are related to options of personal control of the indoor climate and psychology and performance. Both models have been considered in the latest round of thermal comfort standard revisions. The second theme focuses on the ever increasing role played by computerization in thermal comfort research and practice, including sophisticated multi-segmental modeling and building performance simulation, transient thermal conditions and interactions, thermal manikins.

Daylight and health: A review of the evidence and consequences for the built environment:

Daylight has been associated with multiple health advantages. Some of these claims are associations, hypotheses or beliefs. This review presents an overview of a scientific literature search on the proven effects of daylight exposure on human health. Studies were identified with a search strategy across two main databases. Additionally, a search was performed based on specific health effects. The results are diverse and either physiological or psychological. A rather limited statistically significant and well-documented scientific proof for the association between daylight and its potential health consequences was found. However, the search based on specific health terms made it possible to create a first subdivision of associations with daylight, leading to the first practical implementations for building design.

Light therapy: Methodological issues from an engineering perspective

Light therapy is increasingly administered and studied as a non-pharmacologic treatment for a variety of health-related problems, including treatment of people with dementia. Light therapy comes in a variety of ways, ranging from being exposed to daylight, to being exposed to light emitted by light boxes and ambient bright light. Light therapy is an area in medicine where medical sciences meet the realms of physics, engineering and technology. Therefore, it is paramount that attention is paid in the methodology of studies to the technical aspects in their full breadth. This paper provides an extensive introduction for non-technical researchers on how to describe and adjust their methodology when involved in lighting therapy research. A specific focus in this manuscript is on ambient bright light, as it is an emerging field within the domain of light therapy. The paper deals with how to (i) describe the lighting equipment, (ii) describe the light measurements, (iii) describe the building and interaction with daylight. Moreover, attention is paid to the uncertainty in standards and guidelines regarding light and lighting for older adults.

Telehomecare in The Netherlands: Barriers to Implementation

Telehomecare is one of the technological solutions used by older persons to remain living at home in their own community. A selection of 85 Dutch telehomecare projects was examined in terms of the barriers to their implementation. Three categories of telehomecare technologies were distinguished: i remote telecare, ii activity monitoring, and iii a category comprising telemedicine and e-health solutions and services. There are numerous barriers to the implementation of telehomecare technologies. In the majority of the Dutch telehomecare projects, the needs of both care recipients and family carers are addressed. The integration of needs derived from ones health condition and the requirements set to technology are not always a match. Some projects give consideration to how to get commitment of the care professionals and their managers. Only a few projects consider economic aspects, for instance by the development of a social business case. To lift the barriers to the implementation of telehomecare, a better exchange of knowledge and experiences related to functionalities and user needs, the use of home modifications and assistive technologies, as well as the available care support should be considered.

Air-conditioned deployable force infrastructure as a strategy to combat sleep deprivation among troops in hot countries

High-tech peacekeeping and humanitarian interventions form an increasing part of the range of duties of the military, dispatching troops to all parts of the world, with emphasis on hot climate area...High-tech peacekeeping and humanitarian interventions form an increasing part of the range of duties of the military, dispatching troops to all parts of the world, with emphasis on hot climate areas. These missions call for fewer soldiers but with a more thorough, detailed and timely awareness level to reach predetermined goals. High ambient temperatures in the operational environment have a deleterious effect on performance, which is aggravated by poor sleep. Current deployable force infrastructure is often unable to support the restoration of body and brain sufficiently, while troop fitness is essential to the success of the mission. Supplying the peacekeepers with air-conditioned housing is becoming an increasingly important non-pharmacological strategy to counter the negative effects of heat. This paper investigates the influence of the military field environment, and high temperatures in particular, on sleep, comfort and performance of personnel and equipment, and looks at the benefits of installing air-conditioning systems and future trends in deployable force infrastructure. Practical application: Results of this study can be used for innovations in designing comfortable mission housing and accompanying building services that do not only offer comfort to military personnel in field settings, but also provide better conditions for sleep. Improved comfort and sleep can in turn benefit operational performance. The results can also be used for a large range of civilian purposes, for instance, the creation of comfortable bedrooms and hotel rooms.

The meaning of physical environmental factors on patient, family, carers and staff outcomes

The architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector can make an essential contribution to needed breakthroughs and provide new solutions for the improvement of independent and active living in the built environment, including for older adults. This is related to (i) reducing impediments of immobility and maintaining autonomy at home, (ii) reducing the number of accidents and increasing health, (iii) developing integrated care and cure of disabled and aging people, (iv) providing a setting that enables physical, environmental, and social integration, and (v) meeting personal needs, e.g. by realizing new forms of living arrangements that reduce loneliness and improve communication and social expectations in the built environment.