Pedestrian flow and environmental pollutants distribution in apartment stairwells: Strategies for sustainable indoor environment management
This study explores pedestrian flow and indoor pollutant distribution in apartment stairwells, a key but underexplored vertical space in high-density housing. Calibrated air quality sensors were used to monitor PM2.5, PM10, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), formaldehyde, ozone, carbon monoxid...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-12-01
|
| Series: | Sustainable Futures |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825005064 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1839631240026652672 |
|---|---|
| author | Xiaodong Wang Yang Lv Liu Tang |
| author_facet | Xiaodong Wang Yang Lv Liu Tang |
| author_sort | Xiaodong Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study explores pedestrian flow and indoor pollutant distribution in apartment stairwells, a key but underexplored vertical space in high-density housing. Calibrated air quality sensors were used to monitor PM2.5, PM10, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), formaldehyde, ozone, carbon monoxide, and noise, while infrared pedestrian counters recorded pedestrian flow. Results showed that peak pedestrian flow accounted for 62.0 % of total usage, concentrated mainly during morning, noon, and evening rush hours. Stairwell use declined by approximately 50 % with each additional floor. Aligning elevator stop strategies with residents’ stairwell usage patterns can help improve operational efficiency and reduce energy consumption. Environmental monitoring revealed that TVOC and noise levels frequently exceeded recommended indoor standards during peak periods. TVOC concentrations reached as high as 4.6 mg/m³ on the 3rd floor, exceeding threshold levels for 70.8 % of the 24-hour cycle. A strong correlation was observed between indoor and outdoor ozone concentrations, with indoor levels remaining below 49 % of the outdoor maximum. Correlation analysis revealed that PM2.5 and PM10 levels were mainly influenced by outdoor factors, while noise emerged as a strong predictor of TVOC fluctuations. Additionally, reducing TVOC levels was associated with suppressed ozone formation and limited inter-floor diffusion, offering insights for targeted pollutant control. By integrating behavioral patterns with environmental data, this study proposes practical strategies for optimizing elevator scheduling and mitigating pollutant exposure in stairwells. These strategies not only enhance the environmental sustainability of stairwells as transitional spaces but also reduce residents’ exposure to indoor pollutants and promote environmental health equity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f17ef1a2bdc5404f94e268228f6a07f8 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2666-1888 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sustainable Futures |
| spelling | doaj-art-f17ef1a2bdc5404f94e268228f6a07f82025-07-12T04:46:46ZengElsevierSustainable Futures2666-18882025-12-0110100941Pedestrian flow and environmental pollutants distribution in apartment stairwells: Strategies for sustainable indoor environment managementXiaodong Wang0Yang Lv1Liu Tang2School of Infrastructure Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, PR ChinaSchool of Infrastructure Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, PR China; Corresponding author at: School of Infrastructure Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, PR China; Sichuan Province Engineering Technology Research Center of Healthy Human Settlement, Chengdu, 130012, PR China.Sichuan Province Engineering Technology Research Center of Healthy Human Settlement, Chengdu, 130012, PR China; Sichuan University Engineering Design & Research Institute Co. Ltd, Chengdu, 130012, PR China; Corresponding author at: School of Infrastructure Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, PR China; Sichuan Province Engineering Technology Research Center of Healthy Human Settlement, Chengdu, 130012, PR China.This study explores pedestrian flow and indoor pollutant distribution in apartment stairwells, a key but underexplored vertical space in high-density housing. Calibrated air quality sensors were used to monitor PM2.5, PM10, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), formaldehyde, ozone, carbon monoxide, and noise, while infrared pedestrian counters recorded pedestrian flow. Results showed that peak pedestrian flow accounted for 62.0 % of total usage, concentrated mainly during morning, noon, and evening rush hours. Stairwell use declined by approximately 50 % with each additional floor. Aligning elevator stop strategies with residents’ stairwell usage patterns can help improve operational efficiency and reduce energy consumption. Environmental monitoring revealed that TVOC and noise levels frequently exceeded recommended indoor standards during peak periods. TVOC concentrations reached as high as 4.6 mg/m³ on the 3rd floor, exceeding threshold levels for 70.8 % of the 24-hour cycle. A strong correlation was observed between indoor and outdoor ozone concentrations, with indoor levels remaining below 49 % of the outdoor maximum. Correlation analysis revealed that PM2.5 and PM10 levels were mainly influenced by outdoor factors, while noise emerged as a strong predictor of TVOC fluctuations. Additionally, reducing TVOC levels was associated with suppressed ozone formation and limited inter-floor diffusion, offering insights for targeted pollutant control. By integrating behavioral patterns with environmental data, this study proposes practical strategies for optimizing elevator scheduling and mitigating pollutant exposure in stairwells. These strategies not only enhance the environmental sustainability of stairwells as transitional spaces but also reduce residents’ exposure to indoor pollutants and promote environmental health equity.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825005064StairwellsPedestrian flowEnvironmental pollutantsSpatial-temporal distributionCorrelation analysis |
| spellingShingle | Xiaodong Wang Yang Lv Liu Tang Pedestrian flow and environmental pollutants distribution in apartment stairwells: Strategies for sustainable indoor environment management Sustainable Futures Stairwells Pedestrian flow Environmental pollutants Spatial-temporal distribution Correlation analysis |
| title | Pedestrian flow and environmental pollutants distribution in apartment stairwells: Strategies for sustainable indoor environment management |
| title_full | Pedestrian flow and environmental pollutants distribution in apartment stairwells: Strategies for sustainable indoor environment management |
| title_fullStr | Pedestrian flow and environmental pollutants distribution in apartment stairwells: Strategies for sustainable indoor environment management |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pedestrian flow and environmental pollutants distribution in apartment stairwells: Strategies for sustainable indoor environment management |
| title_short | Pedestrian flow and environmental pollutants distribution in apartment stairwells: Strategies for sustainable indoor environment management |
| title_sort | pedestrian flow and environmental pollutants distribution in apartment stairwells strategies for sustainable indoor environment management |
| topic | Stairwells Pedestrian flow Environmental pollutants Spatial-temporal distribution Correlation analysis |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825005064 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xiaodongwang pedestrianflowandenvironmentalpollutantsdistributioninapartmentstairwellsstrategiesforsustainableindoorenvironmentmanagement AT yanglv pedestrianflowandenvironmentalpollutantsdistributioninapartmentstairwellsstrategiesforsustainableindoorenvironmentmanagement AT liutang pedestrianflowandenvironmentalpollutantsdistributioninapartmentstairwellsstrategiesforsustainableindoorenvironmentmanagement |