Evaluation of Ventilation Quality and Indoor Environmental Quality in Teaching Hospitals’ Orthopaedic Sections

Abstract

Ventilation has been widely identified in literature as a critical determinant of occupant health, comfort, and environmental performance, particularly in healthcare facilities where patients are highly vulnerable to airborne infections and prolonged exposure to indoor pollutants. Studies such as ASHRAE (2016) establish carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration as a key indicator of ventilation effectiveness, with levels above 1000 ppm signifying poor air quality. In hospital environments, Ventilation is influenced by a complex interaction of climatic conditions, building design, ventilation systems, and occupant activities. Despite this, limited empirical studies in Southwest Nigeria quantify Ventilation performance in specialized hospital units such as orthopaedic facilities. This study therefore evaluates Ventilation conditions and ventilation effectiveness to inform climate-responsive hospital design. The study adopts a mixed-method research approach involving field measurements, architectural assessment, and occupant perception surveys. Primary data were collected through in-situ monitoring of environmental parameters including CO₂ concentration, temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity across selected orthopaedic wards and clinical spaces. Structured questionnaires were used to assess occupants’ perception of air quality and associated health conditions. In addition, building design variables such as orientation, spatial configuration, ventilation openings, and material characteristics were analysed. The collected data were benchmarked against ASHRAE standards and analysed using descriptive statistics, including mean weighted values (MWV), frequency distribution, and comparative assessment. Results from environmental measurements indicate that indoor CO₂ concentrations ranged between 980 ppm and 1,920 ppm, with approximately 68% of sampled spaces exceeding the recommended 1000 ppm threshold, reflecting poor ventilation effectiveness (MWV ≈ 3.72 – indicating poor–moderate performance). Indoor temperature values ranged from 27.8°C to 31.5°C (MWV ≈ 3.95), while relative humidity levels were consistently high between 70% and 86% (MWV ≈ 4.10), reinforcing the dominance of hot-humid climatic influence. Air velocity values were low, ranging from 0.1 m/s to 0.45 m/s (MWV ≈ 2.40), indicating inadequate air movement across most spaces. Furthermore, over 72% of respondents reported dissatisfaction with indoor air conditions, with perceived Ventilation rated at an average MWV of 2.65 (fair to poor). The study concludes that Ventilation performance in the selected hospital environments is largely inadequate and strongly influenced by poor ventilation design, suboptimal building orientation, and climatic conditions. It recommends the integration of passive design strategies such as cross-ventilation, increased window-to-wall ratios, and hybrid ventilation systems to enhance airflow and pollutant dilution. These findings provide a data-driven basis for the design of the proposed Orthopaedic hospital at Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu, and highlight the importance of climate-responsive architectural solutions in improving occupant health, comfort, and overall building performance in hot-humid regions.