Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Materials Today: Proceedings

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/matpr

Technological interventions, material recognition and policy checks for

dwelling spaces amid COVID-19 pandemic
Shubham Kumar Verma, Vibhushit Gupta , Sahil Thappa , Navin Gupta , Sanjeev Anand *,
Yatheshth Anand *
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Kakryal, J&K 182320, India

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: People spend 80–90% of their total time inside their dwelling spaces which is further increased during the
Dwelling spaces COVID-19 pandemic. Considering this, the important question here is to assert whether the dwelling spaces are
SARS-CoV-2 ready/safe for their occupants. With the prevailing conditions, it becomes necessary to devise some measures/
Ventilation systems
strategies for restricting the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the buildings. So, this communication is an attempt to
Indoor temperature & humidity
Policies
understand the present status of COVID-19 and to see the various engineering measures which can minimize/
control the virus. This is further related by establishing some policy checks for developing healthy and safe
dwelling spaces. The present study also brings forth insights about the existing technologies and various policy
checks that need to be administered to create congenient inhabitation to abate the extrapolatory effects of
COVID-19 and related diseases. As a result, it can be stated that indoor temperature should be kept between 280
and 301 K for healthy and comfortable dwellings.

1. Introduction
The novel Coronavirus (n-CoV) also known as severe acute respira­
tory syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an infectious virus that
causes various ailments. It is amongst the group of viruses that belong to
the Coronaviridae family. They found attention after the SARS outbreak
in 2002–03 which affected 8096 lives [1]. Similarly, a related strain
responsible for causing Middle East respiratory syndrome was found in
Saudi Arabia. The epidemic spread to 27 countries and affected 2,494
lives with a fatality rate of 34% [2]. Another novel strain of coronavirus
known as COVID-19 whose first case was found in Wuhan in November
2020 caused a pandemic. As of now, globally, more than 65 crore in­
dividuals were affected across 225 nations with a fatality rate of 1.45%
[3].
The virus has such an impact that most of nations observed a
shortage of hospitals in starting phase. This has led them to use com­
mercial buildings, stadiums, etc. as makeshift hospitals. However, the
ventilation rate in makeshift hospitals is a point of concern. The con­
cerns are even more severe in developing economies like India and its
states, where the second largest population and lower health care per
capita expenditure are big problems. The urban sector in some places is
so densely populated that many of the measures can’t be administered
in-depth. In this context, the indoor environment conditions become one
of the most prompting area which can minimize the spread.
The transmission of this deadly virus takes place through the respi­
ratory droplets via three major modes viz. direct (person to person),
indirect (surface transmission), and airborne transmission (infectious
particles in form of droplet nuclei that travel and stay in the air for time)
(Fig. 1) [4]. Other than this secondary transmission of virus is also
highlighted by Thakur et al.[5] & Kuppusamy et al.[6]. Direct and in­
direct transmission can be minimized by adopting precautionary mea­
sures. However, considering air-borne transmission, the concern
towards augmenting the wellness of internal surroundings becomes even
more necessary [7]. In enclosed spaces (building) people generally stay
in close range and the infection probability of the n-CoV directly rely on
the distance between the susceptible person and infectious source, thus
increases the risk of getting infected indoors [8]. There are a number of
studies that evidently demonstrated the possibility of airborne trans­
mission in indoor environment[9,10]. This makes the buildings even
riskier places (if not dealt with properly e.g., Poorly ventilated space) for
healthy dwellings and transmission of n-CoV can be seen as a major
concern.
The US center for disease control (CDC) has recommended a con­
ventional four-way hierarchal strategy (Fig. 2) for mitigating the

* Corresponding authors.
E-mail addresses: sanjeev.anand@smvdu.ac.in (S. Anand), y.anand@smvdu.ac.in (Y. Anand).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2023.08.274
Received 26 March 2023; Received in revised form 17 August 2023; Accepted 23 August 2023
2214-7853/Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 2nd International
Conference on Sustainable Materials and Practices for Built Environment.

Please cite this article as: Shubham Kumar Verma et al., Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2023.08.274
S.K. Verma et al. Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

contamination, according to which elimination can be considered as the

most effective while using protective equipment is effective very mini­
mally. However, practically, it isn’t feasible for us to eliminate the virus
from the body. Therefore, the intervention of engineering practices (role
of temperature [11], humidity [12] ventilation [13], architecture [14]
could be intricated to provide a plausible solution for controlling the
transmission. In this regard, the present study is attempted to review the
various factors that influence the spread of COVID-19 in buildings and to
explore the role of technological interventions to equip the spaces
making them more hospitable and healthier. The prime focused objec­
tives for the discussions in the manuscript are:

• To review the various factors (temperature, humidity & airflow) and

related engineering interventions (ventilation & architects) for con­
trolling the transmission of viruses and minimize their impact inside
the buildings.
• To discuss the need for administrative policy checks for developing
healthy and safe buildings.
2. Role and impact of temperature & relative humidity (TAH)
The transmission rate of COVID-19 increased gradually in the initial
phase. Later on, most countries are able to get the stagnant curve of daily
cases. However, still there is a fear that infection might increase again.
Earlier, most of the nations had implemented total lockdown in a phased
manner to reduce the impact; however, it has impacted the economy and
resulted in economic instability. The recommencement of economic
activity amid the pandemic had set forth the economic recovery, how­
ever, the economic modeling highlighted that the average monetary
value per human life lost from COVID-19 in India translates to 7.09–8.22
fold of the country’s GDP per capita [15].
Earlier there was a thinking that the warm environment will fade the
virus’s existence. The thought is right up to some extent as the SARS-
CoV, MERS and SARS-CoV-2 belong to the same family. Previously,
the influence of SARS-CoV diminished gradually during summers. Also,
Fig. 2. The US CDC Infection control Pyramid.
Pyankov et al.[16] reported that the survival of MERS aerosol at 298 K
with a relative humidity of 79 % is 60 min. They reported that 64 % of
the infectious are still able to survive after that exposure. However, only
5 % of aerosols can survive when exposed to 308 K temperature and
relative humidity of 24 %. So, the notion about the influence of TAH on
COVID-19 might not be incorrect. Meanwhile, considering the impor­
tance of TAH, several recent studies related n-CoV viability with varia­
tions in TAH. Among these, Chin et al. [17] evaluated the COVID-19
stability in the laboratory and revealed virus can sustain for 14 days
at 277 K, 1 day at 310 K, and 30 min at 329 K. In another study, Dor­
emalen et al. [18] evaluated virus stability on different surfaces viz.
plastic, stainless steel, copper, and cardboard, after exposing them at
294–296 K temperature and 40 % RH for 7 days. They generated
Aerosols containing SARS-CoV-2 by using a three-jet Collison nebulizer
and fed into a Goldberg drum to create an aerosolized environment.
Further, the decay rates of virus are evaluated using a Bayesian
regression model. Results revealed that the SAR-CoV-2 virus was much
more stable on steel and plastic, common household materials than that
on cardboard and copper as shown in Fig. 3. Meanwhile, many other
researchers related the impact of temperature on the persistence of n-
CoV. Bukhari and Jameel [19] reported that 90 % of the cases that tested

Fig. 1. Modes of Transmission for COVID-19 [4].

2
S.K. Verma et al.
Fig. 3. Viability of COVID-19 particles in Aerosols on various Surfaces[18].
positive till 22nd March 2020 belonged to nations having low TAH.
While Liu et al. [20] evaluated the spread across 30 cities in China as a
function of TAH and reflected that lower TAH is having a major role in
enhancing contamination. Further, data of 50 cities worldwide from
January 2020 to 10th March 2020 was analyzed by Sajadi et al. [21].
They reported TAH ranging from 278 to 284 K and 44–84 % provide
suitable conditions for n-CoV existence. Moreover, Bu et al. [22] found
temperatures ranging from 286 to 295 K and RH of 50–80 % as suitable
for the survival of n-CoV. However, Chen et al. [23] reported 281.07 K as
the optimal temperature with RH ranging from 60 to 90 % as responsible
for the spread of the virus. In another study, Wu et al. [24] assessed the
data of 166 COVID-19-affected countries (excluding China) till 27th
March 2020. They reported that with the increase in 1 K temperature, a
reduction of 3.08 % and 1.19 % in daily cases and deaths was found.
Similarly, the increment of 1 % RH led to a reduction of 0.85 % in daily
cases and 0.51 % in daily deaths. Further, Qi et al. [25] reported a
36–57% decrement in daily confirmed cases with every 1 K increment in
atmospheric temperature at 67–85.5 % RH. While an 11–22 % reduction
in daily new cases was found with each 1 % increment in the RH with
temperature ranging between 278 and 281 K. Recently, Wang et al. [26]
reported an association of a 1 K increment in temperature with 0.026 &
0.020 reductions in the R-value in China and the USA respectively.
While they associated a 1 % increase in RH with 0.0076 & 0.0080 re­
ductions in the R-value in China and the USA respectively.
Further, Cai et al. [27] are one among those early-stage studies which
don’t find any significant relationship between n-CoV transmission and
temperature. Similarly, Kassem [28] also stated that temperature alone
doesn’t have much influence on daily cases. Subsequently, Sahoo et al.
[29] in their letter to the editor rejected the claims about the de­
pendency of n-CoV transmission on temperature. They also cited their
two studies [30,31] which claimed temperature and RH are having a
positive association with daily n-CoV incidences. Further, Ma et al. [32]
also reported a positive correlation between diurnal temperature range
and mortality rates whereas a negative association of mortality has been
found with relative humidity. Further, Xie & Zhu [33] also reported a
4.861 % increment in daily cases with a 1 K temperature rise. So,
considering this, it seems decreasing temperature during winters is
resulting in decreased infection. However, it is important to enlist that
transmission of COVID-19 infection is not dependent on temperature or
humidity alone. There are many other factors like occupant density,
their activity, wearing a mask, maintaining social distancing, proper
sanitization of workplaces, IAQ, ACH etc. which were not in complete
effect in the area under investigation. One could easily find local dis­
obedia which are having a great influence on transmission. Dong et al.
[34] also enlisted uncertainties in the COVID-19 infection rate, inap­
propriate controlling for confounding parameters, problems with data
processing for temperature, etc. as a few of the main shortcomings which
didn’t allow to state about the such association between temperature
and n-CoV incidences. Therefore, it seems difficult to conclude that
higher/lower temperatures can control/increase its spread alone.
Although the inclusion of factors like occupant density, schedule,
occupant activity, social distancing, strict lockdown, wearing a face
mask, etc. are considered as having a major role in reducing the spread
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of n-CoV. Further, inappropriate airflow distribution inside and across
the structure forms temperature and humidity gradients, thus forms the
basis for unhealthy dwelling spaces. Hence, the role of airflow in con­
trolling the virus impact is discussed in the subsequent heading.
3. Role and impact of airflow distributions
Airflow inside/across an enclosed space is considered one of the
major factors responsible for controlling/spreading of such viral
airborne infections [35]. Transmission of viruses can take place during
breathing, talking, coughing, or sneezing. One such incidence of super-
spreading COVID-19 infection through singing is reported by Hamner
et al. [36]. They reported 87% infection rate following a 2.5-hour choir
practice attended by 61 persons included a symptomatic patient. The
Association of COVID-19 with the airflow was also highlighted by Lu
et al.[37]. They stated improper airflow as main reason for the spread in
enclosed spaces. Although there are number of studies dictating distinct
results. As, Ong et al. [38] claimed that they hadn’t found any positive
sample of the genome in the air while Guo et al. [39] reported a very
small percentage of a positive sample. On the contrary, few studies re­
ported the presence of several positive genome samples in the air.
However, later, WHO clarifies that airborne particles are responsible for
the spreading of n-CoV. Further, studies highlighted that the larger
particles are not influenced by airflow much [35]. They don’t have
enough capability to sustain as gravity pulls the droplets and are
absorbed or broken up in smaller particles within 1–2 m of travel [40].
Furthermore, it is evidently reported that smaller particles (less than 10
µm) can greatly infect the secondary hosts by traveling larger distances.
Such relation between particle size, number and the floating time of
particles while sneezing, coughing, and talking has been reported in
Fig. 4.
Although, the velocity of particles exhaled from the mouth is also an
important parameter as it will decide how much it can travel. Table 1
highlights the velocity of air and number of particles exhaled from the
mouth under different circumstances. Further, considering the fact, that
airflow is having a huge influence on the virus spread, modeling airflow
inside the enclosed cavities is having extreme importance. If the flow of
air is not properly planned, it can enhance the risks of virus spread. So,
this can be improved by using either mechanical means or passive design
concepts which are elaborated in the subsequent sections.
4. Role and impact of ventilation systems
Ventilation, a technique by which stale/contaminated air is replaced
or diluted by inducting fresh air. There are two basic categories of
ventilation viz. natural and forced. Natural ventilation (NV) involves the
utilization of natural resources, passive means, etc. while forced venti­
lation (FV) uses mechanical means for enhanced comfort. NV is energy
efficient while FV is energy intensive. NV improves dwelling conditions
by supplying external fresh, however, it can result in increased con­
centration of pollutants. Meanwhile, FV is generally furnished with fil­
ters which resists the infiltration of pollutants. So based on comparison,
it can be stated that each of the ventilation is having some benefits as
S.K. Verma et al. Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

Fig. 4. Relation between (a) size and no. of particles during activities [41] (b) particle size and floating time [42].

and improving IAQ. However, its utilization is energy intensive and

Table 1
cannot be afforded by common people.
Droplets/particles released during various activities.
During the COVID-19 outbreak, various researchers and scientific
Activity Exhaled particles velocity [43] Particles exhaled [44,45] communities worked to provide cost-effective measures for minimizing
Breethe 1 m/s 98 particles/litre the spread in dwelling spaces. There are some ways like using airtight
Talking 5 m/s 36 particles/100 words enclosures, multiple layers of different materials, etc. however have
Coughing 10 m/s 710 particles/cough some limitations. COVID-19 being an airborne disease, its transmission
Sneezing 20–50 m/s 40,000 particles/sneeze
enables aerosols to spread which makes ventilation an important aspect
[46]. WHO in their document also reported that understanding and
well as limitations. However, instead of the benefits of NV, the utiliza­ controlling building ventilation have ability to improve the air quality
tion of FV is increasing drastically. Among the various FV systems, and reduce the risk of COVID-19 indoors. So, this leads us to focus on
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC) are consid­ studying standardized ventilation systems concerning these diseases.
ered as one of the most utilized mechanical means for providing comfort The ventilation systems of dwelling spaces should be designed to

Fig. 5. Contaminant’s behavior inside the space with and without a proper ventilation system.

4
S.K. Verma et al.
maintain adequate indoor temperature, relative humidity and airflow
range. If ventilation techniques are adopted properly, they can dilute the
contaminants adequately, Fig. 5 [47,48]. However, there is a risk asso­
ciated with the re-entry of contaminants in the case of centralize HVAC
systems. Sometimes pathogens get stuck and/or pass to the return grill
of HVAC systems and due to this, the particles get into the ducts and
through ducts, thus infecting other people in different spaces.
Further, the utilization of recirculation devices like a fan is also very
common in tropical countries like India [49]. However, recirculation
inside the space can increase the risk of getting affected by viruses if
windows are not periodically opened. Dilution of indoor air is an
effective way to reduce viral infections, however; it needs a higher air
change rate per hour (ACH). This can be done by using either mechan­
ical means or passive concepts. It will not make us free from viruses
however can dilute the pathogens present inside the built environment
[50]. Adhikari et al. [51] also reported an increment in ACH can
somehow facilitate the reduction of risks by 58%. Although there are
certain limitations concerning ACH which people need to consider [52].
• Increasing ACH using HVAC can result in higher energy
consumption.
• All air conditioners (AC) cannot adjust ACH as per the requirement as
a separate air handling unit is required for controlling ACH, so the
role of cleaning filters at regular intervals becomes important.
• At last, one important notion is that increasing airflow reduces the
spread of virus. Although if there isn’t any air exchange, then this
may lead to an increment of virus transmission potential only.
Further, air stratification/stagnation is another problem being faced
in dwelling spaces [53]. It is the formation of voids in certain areas of a
confined space that led to the accumulation of viruses/contaminants.
This mainly results from the improper air flow inside the space that may
be due to the under-capacity HVAC Systems. Further, there are certain
measures whose incorporation can reduce the spread. These methods
are:
(i) Single Pass HVAC System: Various air-handling concepts have
been developed in recent years to supply and recirculate the air in
Fig. 6. Single Pass HVAC system [57].
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dwelling spaces. In the recirculation case, air taken from the
contaminated space can act as a medium for spreading airborne
particles across different rooms [54]. Hence, for reducing
contamination, it is important to block the recirculating passage
of the ventilation system [55]. The utilization of a single-pass
system with negative pressure difference (NPD) is a useful strat­
egy for lessening the contamination as shown in Fig. 6 [56]. One
such study highlighting an improved ventilation strategy using
NPD is presented by Cho et al. [57].
(ii) Use of efficient Filters: Outside air being introduced in the
controlled space needs to be filtered first. Elias [58] speculated
air filtration near a corona-infected patient has the potential to
reduce the spread of infection. However, the smaller the size of
the contaminant particle, the denser the filter media required to
capture it. For COVID-19, the size of the virus was reported as
80–160 nm [59]. So, filters like High-efficiency particulate air
(HEPA) can be useful.
(iii) Ultraviolet Disinfectant Systems (UVDS): In UVDS, electro­
magnetic radiation of short wavelength is used to deactivate
microorganisms. This can be produced by using pulse xenon
lamps, mercury-based lamps, and UV light-emitting diodes. The
maximum of the nucleic acids absorbs energy. This absorbed
energy prevents the replication of the micro-organisms and can
make UVDS a useful measure for decreasing the spread of
airborne contamination.
(iv) Exhaust fans: Nowadays, the need of the time is energy efficiency
by considering comfort and health alongside. However, to
accomplish comfortable dwelling, people generally use an HVAC
system which not only adds the cost of installment, although also
involves investments associated with huge energy requirements.
This makes HVAC systems unaffordable for the common masses
and hence demands alternatives. The utilization of exhaust fans is
considered as a best alternative which involves fewer investments
for attaining good IAQ. It creates an NPD and allows the stale air
to get out of the space. It comes under the category of spot
ventilation which draws the indoor air and throws it outside. So,
using an exhaust fan in close space dwelling spaces can be a
useful option.
S.K. Verma et al.
Above discussed methods are very useful in diluting the viruses and
can reduce the risk of getting infected significantly. Although utilizing
portable air-cleaning units is an another useful way to reduce the risk of
getting infected. Further Blocken et al. [60] reported that using air
cleaning units in combination with properly oriented air conditioners
can minimize aerosol concentration by achieving energy efficiency.
Considering all this, the involvement of a proper and efficient ventila­
tion system/scheme which includes the effective placement of the ceil­
ing fan, efficient HVAC system, the proper layout of the enclosure to
ensure adequate TAH inside the envelope is dependent hugely on the
participation of architect/design engineer which is detailed in the sub­
sequent heading.
5. Role of architects/ design engineers
The role of architects and design engineers is of utmost importance as
they are going to utilize the discussed HVAC to maintain the airflow and
adequate dwelling conditions (TAH). For developing a healthier space,
one should need to ask professionals, however, on the contrary, most
people utilize “Do it yourself” strategies for residential buildings. Also,
few who seek professional services, their focus is on developing an
aesthetically pleasing design. In this view, Elvis Garcia stated that
globally more than a billion of the population is residing in an unregu­
lated and unplanned atmosphere which is expectedly going to double
itself by 2030 [61]. Unplanned and haphazard construction is having a
higher risk of getting prone to viral infections. Also, it is not difficult to
say that the initiation of COVID-19 has been possibly started from one
such unplanned market [62]. This signifies the requirement of architects
for controlling the spreading of the pandemic attack of such deadly
viruses.
Also, it has been reported by WHO that the n-CoV can survive on a
surface for hours. One of the best ways considered for controlling such
contamination is facilitating the regular cleanliness drive. However,
structures designed are generally made complex to enhance their aes­
thetics. This complexity sometimes results in the inability of people to
clean complex voids [62]. Cleaning a flat and accessible surface is much
easier than a complex one. Also, use of anti-microbial paints, putty on
Fig. 7. Impact of sunlight on n-CoV transmission, mortality & recovery [68].
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surfaces is an effective way to mitigate the spread. Meanwhile utilization
of nanomaterials in buildings can make a way towards healthier and
sustainable buildings.[63] So, it is much better if dwelling spaces were
designed by thinking about health rather than aesthetics only.
Meanwhile, adopting passive designing concepts (PDC) can be
considered a game-changer for architects. Adopting PDC’s are consid­
ered as best way to attain energy efficiency and sustainability by
ensuring healthy structures. The two basic techniques for controlling
viruses through passive means are increasing ACH and exposure of
sunlight. If buildings were not properly designed for external exposure i.
e. lighting and ventilation, it may be lead us to sick building syndromes
(SBS) [64]. Among these, opening windows are having prime impor­
tance in increasing the ACH and hence reducing the transmission risk.
Further, the induction of daylight in dwelling spaces is another
effective way to mitigate the spread of pathogens. Following conven­
tional approaches can make it difficult to maintain a low skin-to-volume
ratio inside the buildings and resulted in uncomfortable dwelling con­
ditions. So, there is a need to classify some strategies which allow the
sunlight to come deeper inside the dwelling spaces. Architects consider
sunlight as a major component while design dwelling spaces [65]. Many
studies stated that controlling/inactivation of pathogens can be done by
exposing them to light [66]. Recently, Dabisch et al. [67] highlighted the
role of sunlight in reducing the decay time of n-CoV. Further, Sharun
et al.[68] also related the impact of COVID-19 morbidity, trans­
missibility, and mortality with the sunlight as shown in Fig. 7. Mean­
while, Thakur et al.[5] also stressed on the importance of solar assisted
technologies as sustainable solution. So, it seems much easier to state
that the utilization of sunlight is having the potential to reduce the
spread of such viruses. However, it should be planned adequately,
otherwise can act as source for uncomfortable dwellings[69].
Further, considering the demands of energy efficiency, sustainability
& healthy indoor environment, the building design plays an important
role. Health Optimization Protocol for Energy-efficient buildings,
defined healthy, sustainable and energy-efficient building as a structure
which doesn’t cause/worsen illnesses among building occupants; ensure
high level of comfort and minimize the energy usage. Considering this, it
is required to optimize the thermo-visual comfort and energy
S.K. Verma et al.
consumption for developing energy efficient, sustainable & healthy in­
door environment [70]. Also, the principal of adaptation (adaptive
comfort) is equally important, thus studying human factors is also a
crucial step [71]. However conventional approaches don’t focus on the
multiple aspects, thus moving towards more integrative approaches can
be potentially best way to enhance energy efficiency, thus resulting in
sustainable and healthy structures. Subsequently, this demands collab­
orative efforts of various interdisciplinary streams for developing such
building envelopes. This involves the inclusion of architect, building
engineer, HVAC engineers, owner, and many more. Further, it is also
required to focus on adhering to the policies developed for ensuring a
healthy, energy-efficient and sustainable environment which are
detailed in the subsequent heading.
6. Policy checks
Most of the nation’s experience weather fluctuations throughout the
year and only buildings protect their occupants from the adverse im­
pacts of these fluctuations. However, generally, buildings were not
developed as per the standards for a healthy indoor environment. Lack
of awareness in the common masses about the concepts; regarding
thermal comfort, utilizing various technologies to their best for estab­
lishing comfortable dwelling conditions, misinformation about archi­
tectural designs and lack of strict adherence to guidelines makes the
situation even worse in the present pandemic. Considering this, a public
opinion-based survey was conducted. This survey included the opinions
of people from varying professions like, architects, design engineers,
healthcare employees, etc. The respondents were a good blend of
various domains, however, the mix contained more from the technical
background. From the obtained results, it is evident that it’s the right
time for the authorities to intervene at various levels. So, a few of such
basic, required, and prominent interventions are discussed as under:
(i) Sick building syndrome (SBS): One of the most critical aspects
associated with building occupants is SBS. In general, people
experience acute discomfort and health issues and can be linked
with the time spent inside a dwelling space. However, no specific
illness or cause can be identified. Further, considering the survey
report, the majority of respondents don’t know about SBS,
although those who know pressed on the need for strict SBS
policies. Hence, the authorities must take stock of the spaces from
time to time (every 5 years) and take necessary steps to curb
them.
(ii) Passive concepts: Utilizing PDC could make people comfortable,
reduce energy consumption and develop healthier structures. In
this concern, using suitable vernacular materials can also be
beneficial for energy-efficient and healthier construction how­
ever, people are generally focused on using mechanical systems
to comply with comfort. There is a need to formulate a strict
mandate for using a fixed percentage of passive strategies along
with conventional approaches in buildings. This has been sug­
gested based on responses collected from more than 90 % of the
respondents.
(iii) Building Information modeling (BIM): BIM is a process that
ensures energy-conservative and sustainable structures by
implementing the proper strategies from preprocessing to the
post-processing phase of construction. Most of the respondents to
the questionnaire were unaware of BIM however, approximately
80 % of respondents (who were aware (architects)) showed in­
terest towards mandating it.
(iv) Air conditioner settings: Considering the variations in climatic
conditions, it is required to formulate policy checks regarding the
set point of air conditioners. Generally, the setpoint given by most
of the manufacturers is 289–306 K however, availing comfort
doesn’t require a thermostat temperature below 293 K. Consid­
ering the questionnaire responses, approximately 50 % of the
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Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx
respondents from the technical field highlighted the need for
changing setpoint settings to the suggested range i.e., 293–303 K,
for improved energy efficiency & hence sustainability. Further,
most air conditioners being used in residential spaces control the
temperature only. However, involving humidity controllers
should be made mandatory to improve the IAQ as reported by
more than 60 % of building experts.
(v) Government subsidies: Most important point that can enhance
the development of sustainable/healthier buildings is by
providing subsidies. Generally, higher cost associated with
development is a major constraint in developing nations which
has to be faced by the common masses. More than 80 % of re­
spondents specified that providing subsidies and developing
awareness about futuristics benefits will encourage them to move
towards developing sustainable/ healthy structures. So,
providing subsidies can somehow beneficial for people with
lower incomes.
(vi) Public Awareness programs: Last, but most important check is
related to developing awareness among masses. Conducting
awareness programs to make people aware of the indoor envi­
ronment and its role in minimizing virus growth is the most
crucial. Generating awareness will make the common people
conscious about the importance of “Do it yourself” strategies like
using exhaust fans, opening windows, cleaning surroundings etc.
which will not incur much investment and make people sensibly
use the technology.
7. Conclusions
The present communication gives the considerations for the built
environment amid COVID-19 in Developing Nations. This involves
various factors and related engineering interventions that can minimize
the transmission of viruses. Further, based on the literature review, a
few of the major conclusions made are:
• Virus viability is low at higher temperature and intermediate RH,
however relying only on these parameters will not diminish the
transmission.
• Utilization of circulation devices like fan inside the closed space can
raise the risk associated with transmission
• Utilizing vernacular material during building construction can
minimize the irregular fluctuations in indoor environment, thus
provide healthier/sustainable structures.
• Natural ventilation, landscaping by vegetation, developing blue-
green infrastructure can play an important role in developing
healthy and sustainable building.
• Copper and paper are the two materials with least survival time of
the virus, thus can replace other materials.
• It has been observed that virus diminishes in nearly 15 min above
323 K. However human survival at such higher temperature is
infeasible. So, it is advised to keep the temperature and relative
humidity between 290 and 301 K, and 40–60 % for optimized
dwellings.
• There is a dire need for administrative interventions that may
develop the building’s future-ready to cope up with such viruses.
• The study also highlighted the importance of the collaborative effort
for healthy and sustainable dwellings. However, there is a reasonable
knowledge gap between the user and the service provider (archi­
tects/engineers) which needs to be bridged.
Similarly, BIM and data interoperability are much-needed factors
that need to be formalized for moving towards sustainable, healthy and
energy-efficient designs. These two approaches can help to bridge the
gap between different stakeholders which will ultimately result in a low-
energy building. If these policies are implemented properly, then we can
surely tackle the transmission of such virus attacks within building
S.K. Verma et al.
envelopes up to some extent.
Additional measures considering COVID-19
Along with technological interventions, there are some other factors
that need to be taken care of, with immediate effect to ensure minimal
virus transmission are:
• Surface transmission is considered as one of the major modes of virus
transmission, hence the use of automatic controls, voice recognition,
etc. can aid in mitigating the transmission of viruses.
• Coughing/sneezing etiquettes should be followed to reduce aerial
transmissions.
• Maintaining physical distancing.
• Routine cleanliness drives and personal hygiene.
• Reducing the use of steel and plastic belongings by moving towards
copper and cardboard can minimise the spread.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
V. Gupta: Writing – original draft. S. Thappa: Writing – review &
editing. N. Gupta: Supervision, Writing – review & editing. S. Anand:
Supervision, Writing – review & editing. Y. Anand: Conceptualization,
Data curation, Supervision, Writing – original draft, Writing – review &
editing.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial
interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence
the work reported in this paper.
Data availability
No data was used for the research described in the article.
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