FISICA TECNICA INDUSTRIALE E AMBIENTALE

Module FISICA TECNICA AMBIENTALE

Modulo "Environmental Physics"

The expected learning outcomes are consistent with the Dublin indicators. In particular:

Knowledge and understanding: The students will learn, understanding their physical meaning and mutual relationships, the physical parameters that determine the quality of workspaces and any risks to human health, in the field of thermal comfort, air quality, acoustics and vision.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: The students will learn to measure the aforementioned parameters with specific instruments (used with the teacher during the lessons), to compare the measured values with any values dictated by national legislation, and finally to establish, suggest and implement the most appropriate mitigation strategies.

Making judgements: the knowledge acquired, and its guided application to practical cases presented by the teacher, will allow the students to independently develop a judgment on the quality and healthiness of the workspaces.

Communication skills: thanks to the knowledge acquired, the students will be able to communicate clearly and effectively with specialists involved in the design and operational management of safety and in the design of heating systems. 

Learning skills: the students will be able to independently keep up-do-date about the evolution of the legislation, as well as to adapt their skills to different types of work sectors.

THERMAL COMFORT and AIR QUALITY (16 hours)

- The energy balance of the human body

- Indicators: PMV and PPD (moderate environments), WBGT and WIND CHILL (severe cold environments)

- Measurement of environmental parameters (air temperature, relative humidity, air velocity)

- Practical examples of assessment and case studies

- Indoor pollutants and their effects on health

- Measurement of the concentration of pollutants

- Ventilation requirements for the healthiness of the environments, and related regulatory references

- Case studies: measurement of CO2 concentration in schools and work environments

ACOUSTICS AND NOISE RATING (14 hours)

- Main definitions (frequencies, levels, dB) 

- Basic operations: sums and subtractions of levels

- Physiology of the human ear

- A-weighting and normal audiogram

- Concept of equivalent level and differential level

- Effects of noise on humans

- Acoustics in workplaces: Decree 81/08

- Admissible limits and use of PPE

- Measurements: the sound level meter and related processing software

- Noise mitigation strategies in workplaces

- Examples and case studies

LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY (7 hours)

- The light and physiology of the human eye

- Main definitions (luminous flux, illuminance)

- Types of lighting fixtures and their characteristics

- Criteria for assessing the suitability of light in workplaces

- On-site measurements and verification example

- Strategies for improving lighting in workplaces

"Contribution of the Course to the objectives of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development”
The course contributes to raising awareness and training students on the issues and technologies that underpin Goal 3 (Health and wellness), Goal 8 (Decent work and economic growth) and Goal 12 (Responsible consumption and production).

1. Teacher handouts
2. Il rischio rumore negli ambienti di lavoro, di Gabriele Campurra, Andrea Rotella, Editore: Ipsoa (Gruppo Wolters Kluwer)
3. Manuale INAIL - Corretta progettazione acustica di ambienti di lavoro industriali e non (available on https://www.inail.it/cs/internet/comunicazione/pubblicazioni/catalogo-generale.html). 
4. Aria calore luce. Il comfort ambientale negli edifici. Uwe Wienke. Editore: Dei.

5. Il comfort termico negli ambienti di lavoro. Strumenti per la consulenza tecnica e la sorveglianza sanitaria, Francesco Chirico, Ferrari Sibaldi

• Energy balance of the human body
• Parameters on which the PMV and PPD indicators (moderate environments) depend
• Parameters on which the WBGT and WIND CHILL indicators (severe cold environments) depend
• Types of indoor pollutants and their effects on health
• Measurements of pollutant concentrations
• Ventilation flow rates and room healthiness
• Sound pressure levels: definition, calculation and measurement
• The human ear and sound weighting
• The effects of noise on humans
• Legal provisions on noise in the workplaces
• The human eye and the perception of light
• Illuminance and luminance: definition and measurement
• Illuminance and luminance requirements in the workplace