Grantee Research Project Results
2015 Progress Report: Determinants of Indoor and Outdoor Exposure to Ozone and Extreme Heat in a Warming Climate and the Health Risks for an Aging Population
EPA Grant Number: R835754Title: Determinants of Indoor and Outdoor Exposure to Ozone and Extreme Heat in a Warming Climate and the Health Risks for an Aging Population
Investigators: Sailor, David J , Wiedinmyer, Christine , Banerjee, Deborah , Nichka, Doug , Hayden, Mary , Wilhelmi, Olga , Nepal, Vishnu
Current Investigators: Sailor, David J , Wiedinmyer, Christine , Banerjee, Deborah , Nichka, Doug , Hu, Huafen , Hayden, Mary , Wilhelmi, Olga , Nepal, Vishnu
Institution: Arizona State University , City of Houston Department of Health and Human Services , National Center for Atmospheric Research
Current Institution: Portland State University , City of Houston Department of Health and Human Services , National Center for Atmospheric Research
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: January 15, 2015 through January 1, 2018 (Extended to January 1, 2019)
Project Period Covered by this Report: January 15, 2015 through January 14,2016
Project Amount: $999,635
RFA: Indoor Air and Climate Change (2014) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air Quality and Air Toxics , Climate Change , Air
Objective:
The overall goals of this proposed project are to: (1) develop an integrated modeling framework to characterize current and future health risks of an older population to urban ozone and extreme heat, indoors and outdoors; (2) improve understanding of how emerging trends in building design and management practices affect indoor air quality; and (3) build local capacity in reducing negative health outcomes during episodes of high ozone and extreme heat.
Progress Summary:
The project tasks revolve around three key elements: (1) develop scenarios for future climate, air pollution, building management/operations, and system failures; (2) conduct measurements in the laboratory and in occupied residences (initially Assisted Living Facilities) to characterize air quality/exposure-related interactions among building materials, management practices, occupant behavior, and ambient conditions; and (3) use results from (2) in conjunction with data gathered from phone and in-person surveys to develop exposure and health outcomes models for scenarios developed in (1).
In this first year of the project, our focus has been on the second element described above. Specifically, we have initiated an extensive suite of laboratory measurements to explore the air quality interactions associated with different materials found in residences. This has included experiments with different carpet fiber materials, paints (during first weeks after application), indoor vegetation, and other materials. Data from these measurements will supplement data available in the literature to characterize emissions of volatile organic compounds and secondary reactions with indoor ozone that may produce various harmful compounds in indoor air. We also have purchased all equipment for measurements to be made in Assisted Living Facilities in the summer of 2016 and developed our field measurement protocols. These protocols include measurements to determine building leakage and outdoor air pollutant penetration characteristics. Most importantly, we have conducted our initial Stakeholder Workshop (February 10, 2016) in which we sought input on research questions and methods from a variety of academic, government, and private sector stakeholders, and also initiated the process of recruiting Assisted Living Facilities for our measurement campaign.
Future Activities:
In this next project year, we will conduct summer air quality measurements in Assisted Living Facilities and in private residences in Houston. These measurements will be combined with results from a scenario development effort to provide input data for computer models that we will develop to explore variations in building materials, occupant behavior, management practices, and ambient climate and air quality conditions. We also will initiate the development and deployment of a household survey instrument to gather data on housing conditions and exposure characteristics for the elderly population across the city.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 13 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Ozone, heat, vulnerability, elderly, GIS, surveys, buildings, relative riskRelevant Websites:
Workshop on Extreme Heat and Ozone | Assessing Health Risks of Older Houstonians ExitSailor Research Group | Arizona State University Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.