Indoor Air Quality
Through designing a Dementia semi-residential care center, an understanding of the indoor air quality must be acquired. Through accommodating to indoor air quality, the user’s experience within the space is simplified and with no unnecessary complications that can affect the dementia diagnosed elderly’s quality of life. For Dementia diagnosed elderly, the importance is of indoor air quality is essential as since with their aging there is a decline in their physical health immunity. This makes them prone to more respiratory infections. 53 To ensure a successful and comfortable space for Dementia diagnosed elderly, sources of air pollution must be looked at, as well as how indoor air quality affects the user experience, and strategies to improve IAQ. Since the Mohammad bin Jassim building is located across from a main vehicular road and tram route, the effects of these factors affect the IAQ of the building (fig. 55). The space is exposed to the active nature of vehicles which affects the indoor air quality of the space. This increases pollutants that are of major public health concerns. Some pollutants include PM, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide. PM is the most harmful as it is small, increasing easy penetration to the respiratory tract. This causes a decline in cognitive performance as it triggers health problems for the elderly that trigger behavioral and psychological outbursts. 54 Another source of air pollution is the humidity and hot weather (fig. 56). This triggers a bad state of indoor air temperature. Improper use of cooling/heating systems within the space impact the health and well-being of the dementia elderly, which increases agitation and behavioral outbursts. Improper indoor air temperature increases risks of illnesses such as hypothermia and hyperthermia. Factors of the building envelope, such as wall, windows, floor, and ceiling/roof, affect the conditions of poor indoor air temperature.
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