**7. Conclusion**

112 Health Management – Different Approaches and Solutions

distance (for example, long-time use of an electric blanket), decreasing facility performance (such as brightness of fluorescent lights reduced because they are covered by dust). In conclusion, when occupants show signs of discomfort during the indoor activities, building managers may need to check if the discomfort is caused by building environments. The association chart of building health check items, symptoms, and possible disease above (see Fig. 18) can be used as a reference. If it is necessary, professional test agencies or experts can also be brought in to maintain the health and

Fig. 18. The association chart of building health check items, symptoms, and possible disease

safety of our own living environments.

Undoubtedly, healthy building is a very important research subject. However, no matter how many studies on the correlation between indoor environment and health of occupants have been done to stress the importance of this subject, if there is no participation on the part of building designers, construction engineers, and managers, the importance of the issue would not be fully recognized. Therefore, architects, civil engineers and property

Making a Healthy Living Space Through the Concept of Healthy Building of Building Medicine 115

Chen, Chu-Chi. (2001). *Health information management* (2nd Ed.), Hong-Han Press, ISBN 957-

Chiang, Che-Ming. (2001). Development of « Taiwan, Sustainability, Architeture » in the

D'Amato, G.; Liccardi, G.; D'Amato, M. & Holgate, S. (2005). Environmental risk factors and

Dever, G. E. Alan. (1976). An epidemiological model for health policy analysis, *Social* 

Eife, R.; Weiss, M.; Barros, V.; Sigmund, B.; Goriup, U.; Komb, D.; Wolf, W.; Kittel, J.;

Franzellitti, Silvia.; Valbonesi, Paola.; Ciancaglini, Nicola.; Biondi, Carla.; Contin, Andrea.;

Goldstein, Mark. (2008). Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. *Journal of Emergency Nursing,* Vol.34,

Hardoy, MC.; Carta, MG.; Marci, AR.; Carbone, F.; Cadeddu, M.; Kovess, V.; Dell'Osso, L. &

Hsieh, Po-Sheng. (2003). *Introduction to Medicine*, National Taiwan University College of

Jones, AP. (1999). Indoor air quality and health. *Atmospheric Environment*, Vol.33, No.28,

Kheifets, L. & Shimkhada, R. (2005). Childhood Leukemia and EMF: eview of the Epidemiologic Evidence. *Bioelectromagnetics*, (2005), pp.51-59, ISSN 0197-8462 Lane, Rachel.; Reinhardt, Pascale. & Thompson, Patsy. (2010). Evidence of children's

Ma, Shao-jing. (2010). A Strategic Research on Effects and Improvement Measuresof

vulnerability to radiation in the context of radiological/nuclear events and considerations for emergency response. *Radiation Protection Dosimetry*, Vol.142,

Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields in Households andWorkplaces,

(September 2005), pp. 1113–1124, ISSN 0954-7894

No.6, (December 2008), pp. 538–542, ISSN 0099-1767

(January 2005), pp. 663-672, ISSN 0933-7954 HBN The Healthy Building Network, 19.03.2011, Available from

Medicine, ISBN 957-01-5639, Taipei, Taiwan

(December 1999), pp. 4535–4564, ISSN 1352-2310

No.1, (November 2010), pp. 36-39, ISSN 0144-8420

Doctoral dissertation, Feng Chia University, Taiwan

Health Care Without Harm, 07.04.2011, Available from

next one hundred years-Applying Nature-friendly Construction Strategy to Maintain a Sustainable Environment, Taiwan Architect Magazine, No. 320, pp. 98-

allergic bronchial asthma. *Clinical and Experimental Allergy*, Vol.35, No.9,

*Indicators Research 2,* pp. 453-466, D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht-

Schramel, P. & Reiter, K. (1999). Chronic poisoning by copper in tap water: I. Copper intoxications with predominantly gastointestinal symptoms. Vol.4, No.6,

Bersani, Ferdinando. & Fabbri, Elena. (2010). Transient DNA damage induced by high-frequency electromagnetic fields (GSM 1.8 GHz) in the human trophoblast HTR-8/SVneo cell line evaluated with the alkaline comet assay. *Mutation Research-Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis*, Vol.683, No.1-2, (January

Carpiniello, B. (2005). Exposure to aircraft noise and risk of psychiatric disorders: the Elmas survey. *Social Psychiatry And Psychiatric Epidemiology,* Vol.40, No.1,

8676-06-9, Taipei, Taiwan

(January 1999), pp. 219-223

2010), pp. 35-42, ISSN 0027-5107

http://www.healthybuilding.net/

http://www.noharm.org/

105

Holland

managers play an important role in promoting healthy buildings. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of Building Medicine, the field of construction can learn from the field of medical medicine. As a result, the model of medical field which aims to train physicians to possess the expertise of 'Holistic Care' is a feasible model for the education and training of future building doctors. By following this model, architects, civil engineers or property managers can also learn how to be a building doctor.

Based on the idea of building lifecycle, Building Medicine promotes the concept of building eugenics. If architects and civil engineers starts to evaluate how to construct a healthy building at the design and construction stage of building lifecycle, such as using green building materials or non-toxic building materials, eliminating noise problems, illumination and lighting, ventilation, EMF problems, and water supply problems, they can provide a healthy living and work environment for the public. Unfortunately, beautiful exteriors, low costs, maximum investment benefits are goals which most building developers pursue. Therefore, architects and civil engineers must develop their expertise in planning and management of healthy environment, and use their expertise to influence developers or government owners gradually. At the operation and maintenance stage of building life cycle, property managers can continuously monitor, manage, and eliminate health hazard factors in the living and working environment through regular Building Health Diagnosis (BHD) to make building occupants enjoy a healthy living space forever.

#### **8. References**


managers play an important role in promoting healthy buildings. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of Building Medicine, the field of construction can learn from the field of medical medicine. As a result, the model of medical field which aims to train physicians to possess the expertise of 'Holistic Care' is a feasible model for the education and training of future building doctors. By following this model, architects, civil engineers or property managers

Based on the idea of building lifecycle, Building Medicine promotes the concept of building eugenics. If architects and civil engineers starts to evaluate how to construct a healthy building at the design and construction stage of building lifecycle, such as using green building materials or non-toxic building materials, eliminating noise problems, illumination and lighting, ventilation, EMF problems, and water supply problems, they can provide a healthy living and work environment for the public. Unfortunately, beautiful exteriors, low costs, maximum investment benefits are goals which most building developers pursue. Therefore, architects and civil engineers must develop their expertise in planning and management of healthy environment, and use their expertise to influence developers or government owners gradually. At the operation and maintenance stage of building life cycle, property managers can continuously monitor, manage, and eliminate health hazard factors in the living and working environment through regular Building Health Diagnosis

Barrow, MW. & Clark, KA. (1998). Heat-related illnesses. American Family Physician,

Bornehag, CG.; Blomquist, G.; Gyntelberg, F.; Jarvholm, B.; Malmberg, P.; Nordvall, L.;

Bornehag, CG.; Sundell, J.; Bonini, S.; Custovic, A.; Malmberg, P.; Skerfving, S.; Sigsgaard, T.

Boyce, P. & Kennaway, DJ. (1987). Effects of light on melatonin production. *Biological* 

Chang, Chih-Yuan. (2006). The Concept and Implements for Building Medicine, Doctoral

Chang, Chih-Yuan.; Huang, Shyh-Meng. & Guo, Sy-Jye. (2007). Medical Records for

Chang, Chih-Yuan. (2008). International Classification of Building Diseases for Prolonging Life Management, Academic Research of National Science Council, Taiwan Chang, Chih-Yuan. (2010). Surveying and diagnosing leakage problems automatically : to

Building Health Management. *Journal of Architectural Engineering*, Vol.13, No.3,

put smart humidity chip in RC structure for building health management,

Nielsen, A.; Pershagen, G. & Sundell, J. (2001). Dampness in buildings and health - Nordic interdisciplinary review of the scientific evidence on associations between exposure to 'dampness' in buildings and health effects (NORDDAMP). *Indoor Air*,

& Verhoeff, A. (2004). Dampness in buildings as a risk factor for health effects, EUROEXPO: a multidisciplinary review of the literature (1998-2000) on dampness and mite exposure inbuildings and health effects. *Indoor Air*, Vol.14, No.4, (August

(BHD) to make building occupants enjoy a healthy living space forever.

Vol.58, No.3, (September 1998), pp. 749-756, ISSN 0002-838X

Vol.11, No.2, (January 2001), pp. 72-86, ISSN 0905-6947

*Psychiatry*, Vol.22, No.4, (April 1987), pp. 473-438

dissertation, National Taiwan University, Taiwan

(September 2007), pp. 162-171, ISSN 1076-0431

Academic Research of National Science Council, Taiwan

2004), pp. 243-257, ISSN 0905-6947

can also learn how to be a building doctor.

**8. References** 


**7** 

**Mycotoxins:** 

C. N. Fokunang et al.\*

*Republic of Cameroon* 

**Quality Management, Prevention,** 

**Metabolism, Toxicity and Biomonitoring** 

*Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1,* 

When fungi grow on a living organism or on stored food material that we consume, they may produce harmful metabolites that diffuse into their food (Garcia et al., 2009; Kabak and Dobson, 2009). It is believed that fungi evolved these metabolites as a means of protecting their food supply by preventing other organisms from eating it. These metabolites are referred to as mycotoxins, which literally mean "fungus poisons". Fungi that produce mycotoxins do not have to be present to do harm. When a fungus grows grains in storage, the environment may become unsuitable for the fungus and it dies. Although the fungus dies, during the growth stage, if it produces mycotoxins, this can poison the grains (Fokunang et al., 2006). The effects of poisoning by mycotoxin are referred to as mycotoxicoses. The knowledge that mycotoxicoses is the result of fungal actions was a relatively, recent discovery (Lackner et al., 2009). This is understandable since illnesses in this case are due to consumption of mycotoxins that has been released by the fungus and is

The mycotoxin system as shown in figure 1 may be considered in terms of four interacting subsystems namely; toxicology, metabolism, health, productivity and wealth. After exposure through ingestion, inhalation or skin contact, the toxicity of a mycotoxin is determined by a sequence of events such as metabolism, involving the administration, absorption, transformation, pharmacokinetics, molecular interactions, distribution, and excretion of the toxin and its metabolites (Fokunang et al., 2006). In turn, the toxicity of the mycotoxin will be manifested by its effect on the health and productivity of crops, human

 O. Y. Tabi1, V. N. Ndikum1, E. A. Tembe-Fokunang1, F. A. Kechia1, B. Ngameni1, N. Guedje1, R. B. Jiofack1, J. Ngoupayo1, E. A. Asongalem1, J. N. Torimiro1, H. K. Gonsu1, S. Barkwan2, P. Tomkins2,

*1 Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Republic of Cameroon, 2 Centre for Biopolymer and Biomolecular Research, Athlone Institute of Technology, Republic of Ireland.* 

not directly caused by the fungus (Coppock and Jacobsen, 2009).

**1. Introduction** 

**1.1 The mycotoxin system** 

 \*

efforts and agricultural and livestock products**.** 

B. T. Ngadjui1, J. Y. Ngogang1, T. Asonganyi1 and O. M. T. Abena1

