Health promotion in healing environments: the application of a sampling methodology for testing VOCs’ annual values in inpatient rooms

Introduction. Indoor Air Quality is one the main issue in which
governments is focusing. In healing spaces, several researches are
reporting a growing number of data analysis and research works
in order to better health of users and workers. Currently the main
investigations are about biological and physical risks, otherwise
chemical ones are less investigated. Several countries are carried
out air quality monitoring in those professional workplaces in which
chemicals are used, but also in some typically indoor spaces for
the building hygiene evaluations. Therefore it determinated the
definition and adoption of limits or guidelines and values, although
the Italian context lacks of specific norms. Starting from these
considerations, a research group has launched an investigation
and detection of air quality in inpatient rooms. The analysis
examines VOCs, and the relative influence of thermo-hygrometric,
ventilation and concentration of pollutants’ parameters. The paper
reports the results obtained from the indoor air monitoring in some
inpatient rooms. Each survey, done every month, lasted between 5
and 7 days in relation to the real function use of the rooms, which
considers all the activities, users and processes that influence
the indoor air quality. The analysis is work in progress on several
inpatient rooms for controlling the indoor air values even during the
year, and it is expanding to more health facilities. Those data will
be useful for the definition of design guidelines for healthy inpatient
wards.