PERTANIKA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

e-ISSN 2231-8526
ISSN 0128-7680

Home / Regular Issue / JST Vol. 30 (2) Apr. 2022 / JST-3193-2021

 

Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality in Densely Populated Areas: Case Studies of High-Rise Social Housing in Kuala Lumpur

Mohd Firrdhaus Mohd Sahabuddin, Asrul Aminuddin, Firdaus Muhammad-Sukki and Sharyzee Mohmad Shukri

Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology, Volume 30, Issue 2, April 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47836/pjst.30.2.42

Keywords: Atriums, light-wells, particulate matter, poor indoor quality, tropical, urban areas

Published on: 1 April 2022

Air pollution is one factor that contributes to serious health issues in developing countries. The Malaysian Environmental Department has measured that particulate matter in urban areas is significantly higher than other parts of the country. Thus, this study aims to assess the current level of indoor and outdoor air quality in a tropical city—Kuala Lumpur; and to understand the relationship between these two environments in high-rise buildings. Through a fieldwork study on two typologies of social housing in the city, particulate matters of PM10 and PM2.5 were found to be the most common substances in indoor and outdoor spaces. The first typology, which employs a compact design with light-wells, recorded a decrease in particulate matter concentrations, whereas the second, which employs atriums in its design, recorded an increase for the same substance. Therefore, a change in the ventilation concept should be implemented to address the problem of indoor air pollution using an integrated hybrid strategy of passive and low energy consumption techniques that should be explored in greater detail in the future.

  • Abdel-Salam, M. M. M. (2021). Outdoor and indoor factors influencing particulate matter and carbon dioxide levels in naturally ventilated urban homes. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (1995), 71(1), 60-69. https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2020.1834009

  • ASHRAE. (2010). Standard 62.1-2016, ventilation for acceptable indoor air quality. American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Inc.

  • Aung, W. Y., Noguchi, M., Yi, E. E. P. N., Thant, Z., Uchiyama, S., Win-Shwe, T. T., Kunugita, N., & Mar, O. (2019). Preliminary assessment of outdoor and indoor air quality in Yangon city, Myanmar. Atmospheric Pollution Research, 10(3), 722-730. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2018.11.011

  • Binyehmed, F. M., Abdullah, A. M., Zainal, Z., Zawawi, R. M., & Elawad, R. E. E. (2016). Trend and status of SO2 pollution as a corrosive agent at four different monitoring stations in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. International Journal of Advanced Scientific and Technical Research, 3(6), 302-316.

  • Charles, K. E., Magee, R. J., Won, D., & Lusztyk, E. (2005). Indoor air quality guidelines and standards. Institute for Research in Construction, National Research Council Canada.

  • CIBSE. (2012). CIBSE Knowledge Series KS17: Indoor Air Quality and Ventilation. The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers.

  • Clancy, E. (2011). Indoor air quality and ventilation. The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers.

  • Colls, J. (1998). Air pollution, an introduction. In Atmospheric Environment (Vol. 2, p. 261). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1352-2310(97)88431-2

  • DOE. (2014). New Malaysia ambient air quality standard. Department of Environment. http://www.doe.gov.my/portalv1/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Air-Quality-Standard-BI.pdf

  • DOE. (2019). Chapter 1: Air quality monitoring. Department of Environment. https://enviro2.doe.gov.my/ekmc/digital-content/laporan-kualiti-alam-sekeliling-2018-environmental-quality-report-2018/

  • DOE. (2020). Chapter 1: Air quality monitoring. Department of Environment. https://enviro2.doe.gov.my/ekmc/digital-content/laporan-kualiti-alam-sekeliling-environmental-quality-report-2020/

  • DOSH. (2010). Industry code of practice on indoor air quality. Department of Occupational Safety & Health, Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia.

  • DOSH. (2010). Industry code of practice on indoor air quality 2010 (ICOP IAQ 2010). Department of Occupational Safety and Health. https://www.dosh.gov.my/index.php/chemical-management-v/indoor-air-quality

  • European Parliament. (2019). Endocrine disruptors: From scientific evidence to human health protection. European Union. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2019/608866/IPOL_STU(2019)608866_EN.pdf

  • Gonzalez-Longo, C., & Sahabuddin, M. F. M. (2019). High-rise social housing in hot-humid climates: Towards an “Airhouse” standard for comfort. Applied Sciences (Switzerland), 9(23), Article 4985. https://doi.org/10.3390/app9234985

  • Grandjean, P., & Bellanger, M. (2017). Calculation of the disease burden associated with environmental chemical exposures: Application of toxicological information in health economic estimation. Environmental Health, 16, Article 123. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-017-0340-3

  • Hess-Kosa, K. (2018). Indoor air quality: The latest sampling and analytical methods. CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315098180

  • Hofflinger, Á., Boso, À., & Oltra, C. (2019). The home halo effect: How air quality perception is influenced by place attachment. Human Ecology, 47(4), 589-600. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-019-00100-z

  • Khan, F., Latif, M. T., Juneng, L., Amil, N., Nadzir, M. S. M., & Hoque, H. M. S. (2015). Physicochemical factors and sources of particulate matter at residential urban environment in Kuala Lumpur. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (1995), 65(8), 958-969. https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2015.1042094

  • Lee, H. D., Lee, G. H., Kim, I. D., Kang, J. S., & Oh, K. J. (2013). The influences of concentration distribution and movement of air pollutants by sea breeze and mist around Onsan industrial complex. Clean Technology, 19(2), 95-104. https://doi.org/10.7464/ksct.2013.19.2.095

  • Leh, O. L. H., Ahmad, S., Aiyub, K., Jani, Y. M., & Hwa, T. K. (2012). Urban air environmental health indicators for Kuala Lumpur city. Sains Malaysiana, 41(2), 179-191.

  • Loo, S. H., Lim, P. I., & Lim, B. H. (2021). Passive design of buildings: A review of configuration features for natural ventilation and daylighting. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 2053, No. 1, p. 012009). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2053/1/012009

  • Meng, X., Liu, C., Chen, R., Sera, F., Vicedo-Cabrera, A. M., Milojevic, A., Guo, Y., Tong, S., De Sousa Zanotti Stagliorio Coelho, M., Saldiva, P. H. N., Lavigne, E., Correa, P. M., Ortega, N. V., Garcia, S. O., Kyselý, J., Urban, A., Orru, H., Maasikmets, M., … & Kan, H. (2021). Short term associations of ambient nitrogen dioxide with daily total, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality: Multilocation analysis in 398 cities. The BMJ, 372, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n534

  • KPKT. (2016). Laporan tahunan KPKT 2016 [KPKT annual report 2016]. Ministry of Housing & Local Government. https://www.kpkt.gov.my/kpkt/resources/user_1/GALERI/PDF_PENERBITAN/BUKU_LAPORAN_TAHUNAN/KPKT_ANNUAL_REPORT_2016.pdf

  • OECD. (2016). The Economic consequences of outdoor air pollution. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

  • Osseiran, N., & Lindmeier, C. (2018). 9 out of 10 people worldwide breathe polluted air, but more countries are taking action. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/02-05-2018-9-out-of-10-people-worldwide-breathe-polluted-air-but-more-countries-are-taking-action

  • Payus, C., Abdullah, N., & Sulaiman, N. (2013). Airborne particulate matter and meteorological interactions during the haze period in Malaysia. International Journal of Environmental Science and Development, 4(4), 398-402. https://doi.org/10.7763/IJESD.2013.V4.380

  • Prajongsan, P., & Sharples, S. (2012). Enhancing natural ventilation, thermal comfort and energy savings in high-rise residential buildings in Bangkok through the use of ventilation shafts. Building and Environment, 50, 104-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2011.10.020

  • Rahman, S. A., Hamzah, M. S., Elias, M. S., Salim, N. A. A., Hashim, A., Shukor, S., Siong, W. B., & Wood, A. K. (2015). A long term study on characterization and source apportionment of particulate pollution in Klang Valley, Kuala Lumpur. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 15(6), 2291-2304. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2015.03.0188

  • Reuben, S. H. (2010). Reducing environmental cancer risk: What we can do now. DIANE Publishing.

  • Sahabuddin, M. F. M., & Gonzalez-Longo, C. (2017). Natural ventilation potential in Kuala Lumpur: Assumptions, realities and future. PLEA 2017 Edinburgh Publishing.

  • Sahabuddin, M. F. M., & Gonzalez-Longo, C. (2018, April 12-13). Assessing the indoor comfort and carbon dioxide concentration in high-rise residential buildings in Kuala Lumpur: The people’s housing programme. In CIBSE Technical Symposium 2018 (pp. 1-15). London, UK.

  • Sahabuddin, M. F. M., & Gonzalez-Longo, C. (2019). Achieving health and comfort in high-rise residential buildings by using a dynamic-hybrid air permeable ceiling (DHAPC). ASHRAE Transactions, 125(2), 1-13.

  • Sahabuddin, M. F. M., & Howieson, S. (2020). Improving indoor air quality using dynamic insulation and activated carbon in an air permeable ceiling. Building Services Engineering Research and Technology, 41(4), 441-453. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143624419872390

  • Ścibor, M., Balcerzak, B., Galbarczyk, A., Targosz, N., & Jasienska, G. (2019). Are we safe inside? Indoor air quality in relation to outdoor concentration of PM10 and PM2.5 and to characteristics of homes. Sustainable Cities and Society, 48, Article 101537. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2019.101537

  • Shi, Y., Zhao, A., Matsunaga, T., Yamaguchi, Y., Zang, S., Li, Z., Yu, T., & Gu, X. (2018). Underlying causes of PM2. 5-induced premature mortality and potential health benefits of air pollution control in South and Southeast Asia from 1999 to 2014. Environment International, 121, 814-823. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2018.10.019

  • Taghizadeh-Hesary, F., & Taghizadeh-Hesary, F. (2020). The impacts of air pollution on health and economy in Southeast Asia. Energies, 13(7), Article 1812. https://doi.org/10.3390/en13071812

  • Tobin, R. S., Bourgeau, M., Otson, R., & Wood, G. C. (1993). Residential indoor air quality guidelines. Indoor Environment, 2(5-6), 267-275. https://doi.org/10.1177/1420326X9300200503

  • Tofful, L., Canepari, S., Sargolini, T., & Perrino, C. (2021). Indoor air quality in a domestic environment: Combined contribution of indoor and outdoor PM sources. Building and Environment, 202, Article 108050. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108050

  • Vogel, S. A. (2009). The politics of plastics: The making and unmaking of bisphenol a “safety”. American Journal of Public Health, 99(S3), S559-S566. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2008.159228

  • Wang, P., Wang, X., Chen, K., Wei, H., Feng, Q., Xie, Y., He, X., & Chen, Y. (2021). Influence of opening ratios and directions of windows on natural smoke exhaust effect in atrium buildings. In Building Simulation (Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 571-582). Tsinghua University Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-021-0800-0

  • Watkins, L. H. (1991). Air pollution from road vehicles. U.S. Department of Energy.

  • WHO. (2006). Air quality guidelines for particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide: Global update 2005. World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/69477

  • WHO. (2010). WHO guidelines for indoor air quality: Selected pollutants. World Health Organization. https://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/128169/e94535.pdf

  • WHO. (2011). Methods for monitoring indoor air quality in schools: Report of a meeting, Bonn, Germany, 4-5 April 2011. World Health Organization.

  • WHO. (2018a). Air pollution. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/airpollution/en/

  • WHO. (2018b). Exposure to ambient air pollution from particulate matter for 2016. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/airpollution/data/AAP_exposure_Apr2018_final.pdf?ua= 1

ISSN 0128-7680

e-ISSN 2231-8526

Article ID

JST-3193-2021

Download Full Article PDF

Share this article

Recent Articles