Browsing by Author "Schweiker, Marcel"

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Citation - WoS: 3
Citation - Scopus: 3
Examining Disparities in Energy Poverty and Indoor Environmental Quality Satisfaction Among Canadian Households
(Elsevier Sci Ltd, 2024) Nojedehi, Pedram; Gunay, Burak; O'Brien, William; Papineau, Maya; Azar, Elie; Schweiker, Marcel; Saglam, Nese Ganic; 01. Çankaya Üniversitesi
This study explores the relationship between income, dwelling quality, and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) perceptions. We conducted a survey of approximately 1100 Canadian residents from a variety of socioeconomic groups capturing a representative sample of Canadian society. It employs new thresholds to align the subjective perceptions of energy poverty with objective measures. Statistical analyses reveal notable differences in IEQ perceptions among income groups. While high-income respondents consistently express higher satisfaction levels across multiple IEQ domains than middle-income ones, the latter report higher satisfaction levels than those with lower incomes. Wealthier households typically have more rooms, with all income groups reporting a median of three bedrooms. Lower-income respondents tend to spend a larger proportion of their income on energy bills per capita, despite consuming less energy per capita. Around 41% of lower-income respondents report facing challenges in paying utility bills, compared to 24% and 16% in middle- and upper-income groups, respectively. We present energy poverty thresholds that are customized based on survey responses from the different income groups, informing policymakers to consider downward revisions of thresholds to address the subjective aspect of energy poverty better. The unequal IEQ and energy poverty perceptions we document across income groups highlight the need for targeted interventions to improve welfare among vulnerable households.
Citation - WoS: 14
Citation - Scopus: 15
Reflections on the Evidentiary Basis of Indoor Air Quality Standards
(Mdpi, 2022) Mahdavi, Ardeshir; Azar, Elie; Bandurski, Karol; Bourikas, Leonidas; Harputlugil, Timucin; Schweiker, Marcel; Berger, Christiane; 40295; 05.02. Mimarlık; 05. Mimarlık Fakültesi; 01. Çankaya Üniversitesi
Buildings are expected to provide healthy and comfortable indoor environmental conditions for their users. Such conditions have diverse dimensions, including thermal, visual, air quality, auditory, and olfactory aspects. Indoor environmental quality standards, guidelines, and codes typically inform professionals in the building design and operation phase in view of procedural, contractual, and legal boundary conditions. Given this critical role of standards, it seems significant to examine the applicability and scientific validity on a regular basis. In this context, the present paper focuses on the standard-based definition of indoor air quality (IAQ) indicators and their respective values. Hence, the main aim of this effort is to study several common national and international IAQ standards in view of the scope to which they include direct or indirect evidence for the validity and applicability of their mandates and requirements. To this end, selected IAQ standards were assessed via a structured schema that includes not only basic information, quality indicators, and suggested and recommended value ranges, but also any reference to scientific studies. The findings of this effort identify certain issues with the transparency of the chain of evidence from the results of technical literature and standard-based IAQ recommendations. Moreover, recommendations are made for the development of future transparent and evidence-based IAQ standards and guidelines.