Search

The air quality in classrooms significantly impacts school children's health and learning performance. It has been reported worldwide that classroom air quality does not meet the required standard and actions are pledged for improvement. However, it poses a challenge for decision-making in terms of prioritising taking-up measures. The aim of this study is to propose a method of identifying the action measures for improving classroom air quality and prioritising them. Case studies in the UK and China were conducted, and the key measures were identified through literature studies, open-ended questionnaire surveys, and workshop discussions, which are classified into three categories: B1, policy; B2, technology; and B3, information sharing. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is applied in the prioritisation of the action measures. A total of 138 teachers and parents from China and the UK participated in this case study. The genetic algorithm-optimised Hadamard product (GAOHP) method is applied to justify the consistency ratio (CR) within the required threshold value in order to ensure the consistency of the subjective perception and the accuracy of comparative weights. The results show that item B2, technology, is the most desired measure by both Chinese and British parents and teachers, despite the deviation from the optimal choice in China and the UK. Among the proposed action measures, the UK respondents strongly expected air purifiers with natural ventilation as opposed to their Chinese counterparts preferring to share the real-time status of classroom air quality. Our work will provide strong support for the subsequent selection of indoor air quality improvement strategies for schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retrofit of urban residential buildings (RURB) has great potential for improving energy conservation and sustainability, but it encounters challenges due to the lack of incentive policy and the unwillingness of residents. The RURB retrofitting process is a complex system involving anthropic factors such as proper definition, components, and unclear problems. This study aims to clarify its complex nature concerning the cognition and interactions of the RURB system so to develop a theoretical framework by applying the system thinking approach of System Player Analysis (SPA) with realistic qualitative data collected from four defined main players in the RURB system. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaire surveys were conducted to collect information from RURB policymakers, designers and engineers, scholars, and residents. The Hot Summer and Cold Winter climate zone (HSCW) in China was selected as the case study area. Roles, outputs, issues, demands, and features of individual RURB system players are revealed with unique local retrofit preferences whilst system cognition is clearly defined to create Causal Loop Diagrams (CLD) for RURB to help understand the interactions between system variables. The discussion based on SPA and CLD results provides valuable suggestions for addressing the identified systemic problems of RURB and an extensive theoretical basis for future retrofitting of residential buildings. • An adapted system thinking method is developed for urban residential building retrofitting. • Qualitative information from different system players is used to analyze the retrofitting of urban residential buildings. • The causal layer analysis method is used for the process of retrofitting urban residential buildings. • A qualitative framework is synthesized using system player analysis. • Causal loop diagrams reveal complex system interactions and hidden systemic problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]