Dr Isaac Jamieson

 

Dr Isaac Jamieson PhD DIC RIBA DipAAS BSc (Hons) MInstP

Isaac is an architect and environmental scientist, and is presently the Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of the Electrostatics Group of the Institute of Physics. In addition to working on best practice design measures for the built environment, particularly as related to electromagnetic phenomena, he has undertaken work related to risk governance for Integrated Assessment of Health Risks of Environmental Stressors in Europe (INTARESE), and for PRATIQUE related to the enhancement of pest risk analysis techniques.

He is currently involved in air quality assessments for the long-term Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) health research project. He is also investigating ways to improve stakeholder discourse and involved in creating best practice guidelines for the built environment.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Whilst the nature of the built environment has changed greatly over recent years, and impressive technological advances have been made, little thought is often given to the possible benefits of creating more innovative environments and technology that seek to use Nature’s principles, cues and protection mechanisms more effectively to enhance health, wellbeing and productivity.

His research primarily examines the beneficial and detrimental effects that a range of natural (predominately electromagnetic) phenomena – including light, vertical potential gradients, air ions and humidity levels - may have on air quality, biological functioning, wellbeing, and likelihood of infection, and how more biologically friendly technology and environments may be created.

FACTORS CONSIDERED (PARTIAL LISTING)

1. EFFECTS OF LIGHT ON PATHOGEN VIABILITY

Though it was proved over 130 years ago by Downes & Blunt that natural light can kill pathogens, and it has been known since 1890 that natural sunlight and daylight can be very effective in killing Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the effects of different natural and artificial light regimes on microbial viability are seldom considered in current scientific research and environmental design. It is postulated that this may be an important oversight.

As non-ultraviolet wavelengths that can kill pathogens and minimise inflammation are often screened or reduced greatly in intensity indoors; it is suggested that the degree of omission/reduction of such spectra that can occur may inadvertently increase microbial-viability, and that moderate exposures to more natural lighting-regimes, particularly through appropriate use of alternative glazing formats, unfiltered light and appropriate forms of artificial-lighting, may help reduce incidence of contamination and infection by increasing the efficiency of pathogen-kill and anti-inflammatory action of light.

Since drugs-resistance of many microbes is increasing, it is hypothesised that such measures could prove particularly useful as a safety measure in healthcare situations.

2. VERTICAL POTENTIAL GRADIENTS (VPGs)

Positive VPGs are created in Nature during fair-weather periods. During such conditions, VPGs of 80-150 V/m can occur in low lying areas and VPGs of 5,000 V/m in high mountain areas. Such fields can be biologically active, yet are often shielded from indoors due to modern building construction methods or masked by ‘electromagnetic pollution’.

 

Tests on animals by Möse et al. (1973) demonstrated that exposure to VPGs could significantly improve their immune system functioning compared to conditions where such fields were absent. It is proposed that similar improvements might occur for humans if exposed to comparable regimes. Oxygen uptake has also been shown to improve under such conditions.

 

 

The introduction of VPGs indoors has additionally been shown to dramatically reduce levels of airborne contaminants. As increased exposures to these are associated with increased prevalence of respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the possible use of VPGs (in low field environments) to help reduce such incidents would appear warranted. The use of VPGs in the past has also been shown to be capable of reducing the microbial load of the air in hospital ward areas by approximately 95%.

3. AIR IONS AND PARTICULATES

Bipolar ionisation exists in Nature and helps reduces excess charge that could otherwise increase the deposition of submicron particulates and contaminants onto localised surfaces and airways. The presence of raised electric fields created by inappropriately designed electrical items, and/or inappropriately specified materials that can gain charge readily through friction, greatly reduces local small air ion concentrations.

 

The presence of raised electric fields, in areas where low concentrations of small air ions are registered, is indicative of higher concentrations of charged and charge-neutralised submicron particles which are linked with respiratory problems. Often areas where such conditions exist are very location specific within individual rooms, with increased exposures being possibly linked with increased long-term respiratory risk.

 

 

Ways to reduce such risk are presently being investigated. These include field mitigation, appropriate specification of equipment and materials within specific areas, optimising room layouts, and the use of bipolar ionisation at levels similar to those specified as mandatory in foreign health guidelines. Standard unipolar ionisation is not recommended for long-term exposures.

 

4. HUMIDITY

High levels of charging which can increase deposition of contaminants (including microbes) on airways and surfaces (and make such contamination harder to remove) can often occur when the moisture content of the air is less than 20-30% relative humidity (RH) (approximately 4ºC dew-point temperature). Low levels of humidity can also make air a component of the charge build-up mechanism, with dry particles and dust becoming charged on removal from surfaces under such conditions.

As dew-point temperature is a more accurate predictor of charge generation than RH alone, it is proposed that dew-point temperatures should be specified instead of RH, whenever practical in buildings, to help mitigate excess charge through specifying appropriate humidity levels.

 

It is suggested that the ‘ideal’ average dew-point temperature for general indoors purposes may be around 12ºC, with dew-point temperatures greater or equal to 4ºC possibly being acceptable when this is not possible. Adopting the proposed ‘ideal’ dew-point temperature for building interiors may help prevent the spread of influenza as outbreaks normally occur when conditions of low temperature and low RH co-exist. Raising humidity levels to this level can also help reduce energy usage.

 

5. CONCLUSIONS

From the above it appears that there are a number of measures that could be simultaneously applied in the design of the built environment to make it more sustainable and biologically friendly. Increased (international) interdisciplinary investigation into this field may lead to the rapid refinement of the principles under which present day technology, materials and buildings are designed and operated, and may create significant novel technological advancements.

His recent papers include:

Jamieson, I.A. and Briggs, D.J. (2009), Towards Effective Risk Discourse: the Role of Stakeholder Partnerships, International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management, 13 (3-4), pp. 276-293.

Jamieson, I.A., Holdstock, P., ApSimon, H.M. and Bell, J.N.B. (2010), Building Health: The Need for Electromagnetic Hygiene? – Institute of Physics Conference Series. – In Press.

Jamieson, I.A. (2010), Intelligent Communication: The Future of EMF Discourse and Risk Governance? – Institute of Physics Conference Series. – In Press.