IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i22p9808-d1518007.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Influence of Subjective Factors on Window Use in Maternity Hospitals in Spring

Author

Listed:
  • Manxuan Xiao

    (School of Civil Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjing 300350, China
    Faculty of Design and Architecture, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, China
    Tongzhou International Engineering Management Co., Ltd., Ningbo 315100, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Wu Deng

    (Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo 315100, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Haipeng Ma

    (Tongzhou International Engineering Management Co., Ltd., Ningbo 315100, China)

  • Jinshun Wu

    (Architectural Engineering College, North China Institute of Science and Technology, Beijing 101601, China)

  • Tongyu Zhou

    (Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo 315100, China)

  • Jinsong Zhu

    (School of Civil Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjing 300350, China)

  • Yasha Wang

    (Faculty of Design and Architecture, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, China)

  • Song Pan

    (Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Built Environment and Energy Efficient Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China)

Abstract

Poor indoor air quality in maternity hospitals can spread respiratory diseases; however, limited research exists on modifiable factors like occupant behavior. This study explores subjective drivers of window-opening in maternity wards, using surveys and on-site measurements. Results show 71.4% of respondents stay less than 14 days, leading to dynamic and irregular window behavior. Comfort, particularly thermal comfort, air quality, and circulation, is the main driver for window operations. Especially at low temperatures, pregnant women’s comfort plays a critical role, while other factors increase in importance as temperatures rise. The results show that environmental factors drive window-opening, while indoor comfort drives closing. Occupants are more tolerant to humidity than thermal discomfort, but window adjustments are random. Moreover, respondents prioritize others’ needs in closing windows, where outdoor noise often serves as a key factor. The time also had a greater impact on both window opening and closing decisions, while field measurements confirm that time influences window-opening more than closing. A Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) analysis of the questionnaire data for ‘comfortable sensation’ showed that only ‘air circulation’ and ‘air humidity’ were correlated with comfort, whilst ‘heat sensation’ was the least correlated. The possible reason is that the questionnaire was conducted in the spring, when temperatures were within the comfort range, and therefore, occupants were more concerned with other factors. Window operations in maternity wards are a collective strategy for natural ventilation. This study shows that the factors affecting window use in maternity hospitals are different from other buildings, providing useful ideas for improving maternity ward design.

Suggested Citation

  • Manxuan Xiao & Wu Deng & Haipeng Ma & Jinshun Wu & Tongyu Zhou & Jinsong Zhu & Yasha Wang & Song Pan, 2024. "Influence of Subjective Factors on Window Use in Maternity Hospitals in Spring," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-29, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:22:p:9808-:d:1518007
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/22/9808/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/22/9808/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Li, Nan & Li, Juncheng & Fan, Ruijuan & Jia, Hongyuan, 2015. "Probability of occupant operation of windows during transition seasons in office buildings," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 84-91.
    2. Rouleau, Jean & Gosselin, Louis, 2020. "Probabilistic window opening model considering occupant behavior diversity: A data-driven case study of Canadian residential buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    3. Ornaghi, Carmine & Costanza, Enrico & Kittley-Davies, Jacob & Bourikas, Leonidas & Aragon, Victoria & James, Patrick A.B., 2018. "The effect of behavioural interventions on energy conservation in naturally ventilated offices," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 582-591.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Marta Gangolells & Miquel Casals & Núria Forcada & Marcel Macarulla, 2020. "Life Cycle Analysis of a Game-Based Solution for Domestic Energy Saving," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-18, August.
    2. Halil Alibaba, 2016. "Determination of Optimum Window to External Wall Ratio for Offices in a Hot and Humid Climate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-21, February.
    3. Rebecca Afua Klege & Martine Visser & Saugato Datta & Matthew Darling, 2022. "The Power of Nudging: Using Feedback, Competition, and Responsibility Assignment to Save Electricity in a Non-residential Setting," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 81(3), pages 573-589, March.
    4. Małgorzata Fedorczak-Cisak & Katarzyna Nowak & Marcin Furtak, 2019. "Analysis of the Effect of Using External Venetian Blinds on the Thermal Comfort of Users of Highly Glazed Office Rooms in a Transition Season of Temperate Climate—Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-18, December.
    5. Shen, Meng & Li, Xiang & Lu, Yujie & Cui, Qingbin & Wei, Yi-Ming, 2021. "Personality-based normative feedback intervention for energy conservation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    6. Rouleau, Jean & Gosselin, Louis, 2020. "Probabilistic window opening model considering occupant behavior diversity: A data-driven case study of Canadian residential buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    7. Tien, Paige Wenbin & Wei, Shuangyu & Liu, Tianshu & Calautit, John & Darkwa, Jo & Wood, Christopher, 2021. "A deep learning approach towards the detection and recognition of opening of windows for effective management of building ventilation heat losses and reducing space heating demand," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 603-625.
    8. Uzziah Mutumbi & Gladman Thondhlana & Sheunesu Ruwanza, 2022. "Co-Designed Interventions Yield Significant Electricity Savings among Low-Income Households in Makhanda South Africa," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-17, March.
    9. Louise Sawyer & Simon Kemp & Patrick James & Michael Harper, 2021. "Assessment of a Nurse Led Energy Behavior Change Intervention in an NHS Community Hospital Ward," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-17, October.
    10. Jeong, Bongchan & Kim, Jungsoo & Chen, Dong & de Dear, Richard, 2023. "Development of a probabilistic behavioural model creating diverse A/C operation patterns of households," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PB).
    11. Anand, Prashant & Cheong, David & Sekhar, Chandra & Santamouris, Mattheos & Kondepudi, Sekhar, 2019. "Energy saving estimation for plug and lighting load using occupancy analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 1143-1161.
    12. Boqiang Lin & Huanyu Jia, 2023. "The role of peers in promoting energy conservation among Chinese university students," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    13. Wang, Qinpeng & Augenbroe, Godfried & Kim, Ji-Hyun & Gu, Li, 2016. "Meta-modeling of occupancy variables and analysis of their impact on energy outcomes of office buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 166-180.
    14. Beilei Qin & Xi Xu & Takashi Asawa & Lulu Zhang, 2022. "Experimental and Numerical Analysis on Effect of Passive Cooling Methods on an Indoor Thermal Environment Having Floor-Level Windows," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-24, June.
    15. Reihaneh Aram & Halil Zafer Alibaba, 2019. "Thermal Comfort and Energy Performance of Atrium in Mediterranean Climate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-29, February.
    16. Li, Tao & Liu, Xiangyu & Li, Guannan & Wang, Xing & Ma, Jiangqiaoyu & Xu, Chengliang & Mao, Qianjun, 2024. "A systematic review and comprehensive analysis of building occupancy prediction," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    17. Jia, Mengda & Srinivasan, Ravi S. & Raheem, Adeeba A., 2017. "From occupancy to occupant behavior: An analytical survey of data acquisition technologies, modeling methodologies and simulation coupling mechanisms for building energy efficiency," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 68(P1), pages 525-540.
    18. Zhang, Chaoqun & Zha, Donglan & Jiang, Pansong & Wang, Fu & Yang, Guanglei & Salman, Muhammad & Wu, Qing, 2023. "The effect of customized information feedback on individual electricity saving behavior: Evidence from a field experiment in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    19. Llerena, D. & Roussillon, B. & Teyssier, S. & Buckley, P. & Delinchant, B. & Ferrari, J. & Laranjeira, T. & Wurtz, F., 2021. "Demand response in the workplace: A field experiment," Working Papers 2021-01, Grenoble Applied Economics Laboratory (GAEL).
    20. Hong, Juwon & Kang, Hyuna & Hong, Taehoon, 2020. "Oversampling-based prediction of environmental complaints related to construction projects with imbalanced empirical-data learning," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:22:p:9808-:d:1518007. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.