Mateja Dovjak

• PhD
• University of Ljubljana

Background: Incorporating greenery into hospital environment contributes to the sustainable development goals by mitigating health, environmental and economic problems. Despite the increasing interest in plants, gardens and green roofs in general built environments, the benefits of greenery in hospital environment are still under-researched. The ai...

The present research investigates the active–passive system for cooling application. The Phase Change Material (PCM) plates are applied to the internal wall and ceiling of the PCM modified test cell forming an airgap with its original wall and ceiling which is nocturnally ventilated to decrease the PCM solidification time. The Active–Passive System...

Upgrades in building energy efficiency codes led to differences between buildings designed according to outdated codes and those with most recent requirements. In this context, our study investigates the influence of external wall thermal transmittance, thermal inertia, and orientation on energy demand (heating, cooling) and occupant thermal comfor...

Due to the consequences of global warming, cooling of lightweight buildings is one of the main future challenges. The study presents an active-passive system (APS) with phase change material (PCM) plates integrated into the internal wall and ceiling substructure which during the day cools the indoor space passively. During the night, the air gap is...

The present literature review addresses how to enhance the overall performance of phase change material (PCM) integrated into building elements for cooling with nighttime ventilation. The review consists of the introduction describing the issue of overheating of buildings in summer with possible solutions. The second section gathers the improved PC...

In a larger educational building in Slovenia, we examined the efficiency of ventilation systems by analysing the operation of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in several classrooms. Using the Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA) COVID-19 ventilation calculator, the probabi...

The impact of ventilation efficiency on radon (222Rn) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the indoor air of a residential building was studied by applying transient data analysis within the CONTAM 3.4 program. Continuous measurements of 222Rn and CO2 concentrations, together with basic meteorological parameters, were carried out in an apartm...

The hospital setting is among the more complex and challenging indoor environments with its different users and risk factors. The sick building syndrome (SBS) in association with environmental risk factors and measurements of environmental parameters remains underresearched. The aim of our study was to combine the results of i) self-perceived indoo...

Introduction New and renovated energy efficient buildings with minimised ventilation rates together with increased building airtightness are often associated with higher indoor radon concentrations compared to the concentrations in existing buildings. The purpose of our study is to analyse the problem associated with the increased radon concentrati...

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the possible associations between self-perceived sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms among healthcare workers and healthcare associates and self-perceived parameters of indoor work environment quality. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April 2019. Validated standard...

Colour of interior surfaces has to be considered in order to provide optimal visual and non-visual performance. Colour selection is often related to the occupant's colour preferences. First part of the presented study was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study among the employees of the University of Ljubljana conducted in December 2019 in ord...

Učbenik zajema 23 poglavji, ki obravnavajo zakonodajni okvir, nadzor, kakovost, tveganja in njihovo obvladovanje, spremljajoče higienske programe in človeka, ki vstopa v sistem zagotavljanja varnosti živil. Skozi poglavja se s teoretičnimi izhodišči prepletajo praktični primeri, ki bralcu omogočajo celovitejšo predstavo obravnavane teme. Pri nastan...

Educational facilities present the largest share of the oldest buildings in Europe and contribute greatly to high energy use. In order to stimulate building energy efficiency, the present day extensive renovations are going towards narrow-minded measures with minimisation of ventilation losses by minimal permissible design ventilation rates. In Slo...

The trend of lightweight framed building structures is gaining in popularity. Due to lower accumulation capability and thermal stability, buildings might be inclined to higher risk of overheating. The purpose of this study is to investigate overheating in lightweight framed buildings from the aspect of thermal comfort and energy efficiency in cooli...

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is related to many factors resulting from continuous interaction between location, building characteristics, installed heating, cooling and air conditioning systems and user specifics. Many recent studies claim that socioeconomic status of the household has a significant effect on IEQ. A cross-sectional questionna...

IzvlečekNamen: Namen članka je izvedba študije obstoječih določil za knjižnice z vidika knjižničarske in delovnopravne zakonodaje za zagotavljanje udobja in varnosti v knjižnicah, s poudarkom na visokošolskih knjižnicah. Na osnovi rezultatov študije je bilo izvedeno vrednotenje prostora vzorčne visokošolske knjižnice Fakultete za gradbeništvo in ge...

IzvlečekNamen: Gradnja knjižnic obsega fazo projektiranja, fazo gradbenih dovoljenj in fazo gradnje. Knjižnična stavba mora izpolnjevati osnovne zahteve, ki veljajo za gradbene objekte na splošno in specifične zahteve glede na namen, vrsto, velikost, zmogljivost, predvidene vplive in druge značilnosti stavbe. Nabor literature o načrtovanju knjižnič...

Uvod: Okoljski dejavniki imajo pomembno vlogo pri ohranjanju in krepitvi zdravja. Namen raziskave je bil oceniti pogostost simptomov sindroma bolnih stavb (SBS) pri zaposlenih v bolnišnici. Metode: Uporabljena je bila deskriptivna raziskovalna metoda. Pregled strokovne in znanstvene literature je bil izveden v podatkovnih bazah COBIB.SI, Google Uče...

Increased exposure times to various health risk factors and the vulnerability of building users might result in significantly higher prevalence rates of sick building syndrome (SBS) in a hospital setting compared to other indoor environments. The purpose of our study was to assess the association between SBS symptoms and measured environmental para...

The identification of interactions among parameters of health risk factors is a crucial step for the effective assessment and prevention of problems in unhealthy built environments . This chapter introduces the health risk management process in the context of the designs of healthy built environments (Sect. 4.1). In Sects. 4.2–4.3, comprehensive de...

This chapter highlights the importance of identifying health risk factors and their parameters for healthier built environments . In Sect. 3.1, epidemiological terms such as “determinants of health”, “health risk” and “health hazards”, are introduced. In Sect. 3.2, health risk factors and their main parameters in built environments are further iden...

This chapter is dedicated to understanding the conceptual differences between healthy and unhealthy built environments (Sect. 2.1) as well as comfortable and uncomfortable conditions (Sect. 2.2) by using standardized professional terminology. In Sect. 2.3, the role of wellbeing in the sustainable building concepts is discussed and further addressed...

The quality of the indoor environment is becoming increasingly important because people are spending the majority of their time indoors. This has led to an increased interest in the field of health and well-being of users of buildings and to the development of various assessment schemes dealing with this issue. In this study, LEED O+M Building Oper...

The open access book discusses human health and wellbeing within the context of built environments. It provides a comprehensive overview of relevant sources of literature and user complaints that clearly demonstrate the consequences of lack of attention to health in current building design and planning. Current designing of energy-efficient buildin...

Optimal indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is especially important in every living and working environment with present vulnerable population groups. Especially problematic are educational institutions, where prolonged exposure time of users additionally increases health risks. The present study is focused on the problem of deteriorated IEQ in reno...

Design approaches towards energy efficient hospitals often result in a deteriorated indoor environmental quality, adverse health and comfort outcomes, and is a public health concern. This research presents an advanced approach to the design of a hospital environment based on a stimulative paradigm of healing to achieve not only healthy but also com...

Nowadays, engineering students tend to focus on computer simulations for the study of real-world phenomena, although in many cases they do not understand the basic principles behind the specific software. Therefore, in the time of computers, using a heliodon (physical device for solar analysis) for educational purposes might be an encouragement. Th...

There is a significant potential in reducing the environmental impacts of various industrial products through the optimisation and improvement of their design. On one hand we are improving their efficiency in the phase of their use and on the other hand we can design them in a way that causes less harm to the environment in the production phase thr...

Countries with moderate climate have heat gains during the year smaller compared to the heat losses. Therefore, most of the attention on lightweight prefabricated houses is given for thermal insulation (nZEB). Thermal capacity of such envelopes is very low, which can result in overheating of the indoor spaces over the summer months. As a result, th...

The number of children enrolled in daycare centres is increasing, while indoor environmental quality of Slovenian children daycare centres remains insufficiently investigated. The purpose of this paper, as Part I of the larger study "Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in Slovenian children daycare centres", was to holistically assess indoor environ...

In the process of building design it is important to consider the interconnected impact of occupants' behaviour and building characteristics on the quality of indoor environment. Moreover, it is necessary to identify how potential energy renovation measures may influence the indoor environmental quality. For this reason, this paper, as Part II of t...

Thermal response of building envelope exerts a substantial influence on the formation of overall indoor comfort conditions as well as on the energy performance of buildings. For the majority of Central and Northern European countries it can be said that legislators as well as designers focus primarily on the optimization of building performance in...

As the environmental awareness of the public is rising and at the same time contemporary buildings are becoming more and more energy efficient, the focus is shifting towards the usage of environmentally friendly building products. Human decisions are often driven by emotions and perceptions. Consequently, there exists a strong tendency towards pref...

The term sustainable development has been known since 1987 and means balancing four aspects of development: economic, environmental, social and health. These aspects should be equally represented in the design of sustainable buildings. The purpose of this article is to check on the case of single-family prefabricated house by Slovenian manufacturer...

Scales are widely used to assess the personal experience of thermal conditions in built environments. Most commonly, thermal sensation is assessed, mainly to determine whether a particular thermal condition is comfortable for individuals. A seven-point thermal sensation scale has been used extensively, which is suitable for describing a one-dimensi...

The purpose of the paper is to analyse the physiology of thermoregulation in various climate types using human body exergy balance model where mutual influence of environmental parameters and personal factors are considered. Two virtual persons with different metabolic rates and effective clothing insulations were exposed to selected climate condit...

Implementation of sustainable construction in the EU is one of the key issues for reducing energy dependence. In this framework the efficient use of solar potential incident on the building envelope is essential. The goal of the study is to check the influence of new Slovenian legislation requirements on the existing design practice and to propose...

Nowadays air aromatization products are often used in indoor environments, among which air fresheners and essential oils are widely accepted. In residential buildings, these products are used to reduce the concentration of unpleasant odours and in public buildings to increase the working efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to systematically re...

The purpose of the paper is to test a Low Exergy heating and cooling system (LowEx system) that enables the creation of healing and comfort conditions for individual user with minimal possible energy use. The LowEx system was tested in a model room for burn patient and compared with the conventional one. Thermal comfort conditions were simulated fo...

Problem: Most children in early childhood spend approximately one third of the day in kindergartens. Therefore, it is essential that their stay in an educational institution is comfortable and without adverse health effects. Statistical data over the last decade show that the amount of enrolled children in kindergartens has increased. The problem o...

Legionella bacteria can be found in natural, freshwater environments, but they are present in insufficient numbers to cause disease. Man-made water systems (e.g., hot water systems, ventilation systems, cooling towers, humidifiers, whirlpool spas) are common sources of the outbreaks of infection. The inhalation of aerosols containing the bacterium...

Hospitals present complex indoor environment with various users, health hazards and specific activities. This paper classifies health hazards specific to the hospital environment (HE), defines their interactions and possible impacts on human health and summarizes recommendations for biological and chemical hazards. A detailed literature review clea...

Izvleček Izhodišča: Bolnišnice predstavljajo kompleksno notranje okolje, v katerem so bolniki, zaposleni in obiskovalci izpostavljeni številnim dejavnikom tveganja za zdravje. Raziskav, ki bi obravnavale več dejavnikov tveganja hkrati, je danes malo. Ne izhajajo iz povezave med uporabniki, stavbo in sistemi. Namen metaanalize je prepoznati fizikaln...

Formaldehyde is an important indoor air contaminant. The main indoor sources are construction products and wooden furniture, paints, adhesives, varnishes, floor finishes, disinfectants, cleaning agents and other household products. Numerous indoor sources and insufficient ventilation often result in higher formaldehyde levels and adverse health eff...

Fungal (mould) growth is a common problem in damp or water- damaged buildings. Building moisture and humidity problems appear due to poor construction (thermal bridges, water leakages) and floods. Users habits and poorly ventilated living and working environments are also important reasons of the increased humidity of indoor air. The purpose of thi...

The purpose of the study is to compare two heating and cooling (H/C) systems regarding individual thermal comfort conditions and rational building energy use. Real test room is firstly equipped with low exergy (LowEx) system (i.e. heating-cooling ceiling radiative panels) and secondly with a conventional system (i.e. electric heaters, cooling split...

The objective of the paper is to investigate the influence of PVC use in the form of building materials and to draw attention to the problems connected with the exposure of people to PVC emitted phthalates in indoor environment. A systematic literature review is focused on health concerns associated with use of PVC building materials in everyday li...

This is a study of daylighting in an automatically controlled office environment. The objective is to identify any correlations between horizontal and vertical illuminances and to determine if daylight controls can be applied to predict and regulate both illuminances. Two sets of real-time measurements were made, complemented by computer simulation...

Green building elements have been gaining popularity in the last few years. They constitute passive technologies that we employ to solve problems of modern cities, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of the urban environment. The thermal efficiency of green building elements depends on the climatic characteristics of the location, r...

Hospital presents a complex indoor environment. Patients, healthcare workers/staff and visitors can not be treated as uniform group with the same needs, demands and conditions for thermal comfort. There is no method or system to provide optimal thermal comfort for everyone besides rational energy use for heating and cooling. The paper presents a de...

Daylight is essential for life and work. It does not just enable visual perception, but significantly influences psycho-physiological functions in our organism. Through regulation of circadian rhythm it influences the rhythm of wakefulness and of sleep, body temperature, secretion of hormones, cognitive functions, response of immune system, mood an...

Application of the exergy concept to research on the built environment is a relatively new approach. It helps to optimize climate conditioning systems so that they meet the requirements of sustainable building design. As the building should provide a healthy and comfortable environment for its occupants, it is reasonable to consider both the exergy...

The exergy approach to design and operation of climate conditioning systems is relatively well established, while its exploitation in connection to human perception of the indoor environment is relatively rare. As a building should provide healthy and comfortable environment for its occupants, it is reasonable to consider both the exergy flows in b...

Problem of high energy use for heating in Slovenian buildings is analyzed with exergy and energy analysis. Results of both are compared and discussed. Three cases of exterior building walls are located in three climatic zones in winter conditions. Results of energy analyses show that the highest heating energy demand appears in the case with less t...

The paper presents an alternative system for heating and cooling in public buildings. The system was designed for the retrofitted building of the Slovene Ethnographic Museum (SEM) where it was also extensively tested. The installed system includes radiant wall mounted panels for heating and cooling, localized automated tangential fans for cooling a...

In the framework of the EU Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013, Leonardo da Vinci, Project Accessible World for All, Respecting the Differences (AWARD) is currently underway. The aim of the project is to raise the awareness of need for accessible built environment, particularly in the population of vocational students who are faced with their pro...

DOVJAK, Mateja, KRAINER, Aleš, KRISTL, Živa. Individualisation of personal space : aircraft seat. V: FRANKOVIĆ, Bernard (ur.). Međunarodni kongres Energija i okoliš 2006 = International Congress Energy and the Environment 2006. Rijeka: Hrvatski savez za sunčevu energiju, 2006, str. 61-70,