Abstract
The elderly population is vulnerable to air pollution due to low mobility and high prevalence of chronic disorders. There is an urgent need to improve air quality of elderly care centres (ECCs), yet quantitative research on this topic is limited. This thesis aims to find appropriate solutions to mitigate exposure to air pollution in and around ECCs by: (1) synthesising potential air pollution mitigation options to improve air quality inside and outside ECCs; (2) examining the role of roadside green infrastructure in improving air quality in and around ECCs in heavily-trafficked cities; (3) evaluating effective ventilation design measures to improve air quality in ECC two-bed bedrooms; (4) assessing ventilation and air quality of densely occupied multi-purpose rooms; (5) exploring the cooperation of cooker hood and baffle designs to reduce pollutant build-up in elderly’s kitchens. This study used portable monitors to collect air quality data and proposed various models for computational fluid dynamics simulations. It quantitatively analysed airflow, air pollutant distribution, pollutant removal effectiveness, air change efficiency, mean age of air, predicted mean vote, capture efficiency, intake fraction, hazard ratio, and energy saving. The key findings are: (1) ECC should be located away from busy roads and near green areas to reduce exposure to vehicle emissions; (2) Implementing air outlets near pillows, inlets on the wall opposite beds, and installing curtains between beds enhances air quality in two-bed bedrooms while preserving resident’s privacy; (3) In densely occupied multi-purpose rooms, placing air outlets on both sides of walls at sitting breathing height and inlets evenly distributed on ceiling significantly enhances air quality without disrupting residents' activities or work of staff; (4) Installing at least 100 mm baffles on cooker hood both sides and front can greatly reduce elderly's air pollution exposure, without hindering cooking activities. This is the first study to examine ECC air quality improvement, considering characteristics of the elderly and their living environment. The thesis provided a comprehensive air pollution exposure assessment for elderly people living in ECCs across multiple environments (cooking, sleeping, event areas, and outdoors).