Document Type : Original Research Paper

Author

• Matin Bastanfard

Instructor, Faculty of Architectural Engineering and Urbanism, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran.

Abstract

Extended Abstract
Background and Objectives: Research has shown that there is a strong connection between people’s health and the physical environment in which they work, live, or treated. Sick building syndrome is an illness caused by the building itself, leading individuals in the environment to suffer from inadequate physical and mental well-being, often resulting in symptoms such as nervousness, mucous membrane irritation, respiratory problems, and skin irritations. This situation can arise from various reasons such as cold air blast, very high or very low room temperature, heavy air, smoke and smell caused by people smoking, static electricity, poor condition of lighting in the room, unpleasant smell, dust, noise, etc. Such a situation can occur in any enclosed space where people spend a significant amount of time. Student dormitories exemplify such environments, as students inhabit them for several years. Hence, this study was carried out to investigate the symptoms and reasons for this sick building syndrome, specifically within student dormitories.
Methods: The current investigation is a cross-sectional, descriptive - analytical study carried out over a two-month period, specifically in November and December of 2019. It focused on 325 university students residing in the men’s and women’s dormitories of Shahrood University of Technology, with the exclusion of 3 special patients and 20 incomplete questionnaires from the research sample. For data collection, MM040EA standard questionnaires were administered to the university students in an online form and the required data was subsequently collected. Data was analyzed through binomial test and chi-square test.
Findings: According to the surveys, fatigue (64.24%), difficulty concentrating (58.28%), and headaches (53.48%) are the predominant symptoms of sick building syndrome. Additionally, significant contributing factors to this syndrome encompass noise, poor air quality, excessively high room temperatures, and dry air, with the study also highlighting the impact of neuro lighting on its prevalence. Among the various factors outlined in this article, severe weather conditions and exceptionally high room temperatures during the study period in the student dormitory stand out as the primary culprits for inadequate room ventilation. In this research, there is a significant relationship between the prevalence of building syndrome and all the factors related to the comfortable conditions of the dormitory and the physical environment and psychosocial conditions of the dormitory. 
Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest that the prevalence of sick building syndrome, at 80%, surpasses both the figures reported in prior research and the author’s initial expectations. This discrepancy is viewed as unfavorable and assessed as concerning. Since these symptoms are related to the physical condition of the room where people stay, it is necessary to review the conditions of students’ presence in the dormitory, to reduce this problem by reducing people’s attendance and increasing the per capita accommodation space. When it is impossible to solve the students’ dissatisfaction completely and eliminate the issue of sick building syndrome, identifying the causes of the problem instead of focusing on the symptoms is essential. Undoubtedly, the interior design of any structure holds significant importance in the overall design process. Consequently, designers and architects should enhance their consideration of interior environment design and increase their awareness of its impact on occupant health, particularly in spaces like student dormitories where occupants spend a substantial amount of time. In a broader effort to reduce the prevalence of sick building syndrome in student dormitories, it should be recognized that the improvement of dormitory facilities and the renovation of older structures will prove highly beneficial in addressing this issue.

Graphical Abstract

Highlights

- Defining the causes and symptoms of building disease syndrome.
- Evaluation of building disease syndrome in student dormitories.
- Using MM040EA standard questionnaires to determine the condition of the building disease syndrome.

Keywords

• Sick Building Syndrome
• University Student Dormitory
• Architecture
• Environmental Factors