ZEMCH 2015 - International Conference Proceedings | Page 821

International Conference | Bari - Lecce, Italy Session XII THE IMPACT OF SMOKING ON INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN HOSPITALITY VENUES Parmis Nadali1 & Hasim Altan1 1 Sustainable Design of the Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering & IT, British University in Dubai, UAE, [email protected], [email protected] Abstract Over the past decade, a ban on indoor smoking has been implemented in many countries to eliminate the health issues that people encounter and to provide them with a healthy atmosphere. This concern has been very strict especially in hospitality venues where people gather; cafes, bars, restaurants, food courts and casinos. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact that the different smoking types have on the indoor air quality, for the mainstream smokers and the second-hand smokers, and on a larger scale, the effect of implementing laws to ban smoking in dining areas, on the indoor air quality and profitability of the businesses. In this study, after a comprehensive literature review, the findings are divided into two main categories; smoking types, and the effects that smoking has on the indoor air quality. Under the category of smoking types, three main means of smoking are discussed and compared; cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and waterpipes (also referred to as ‘hookah’ or ‘narghile’). Cigarettes have been the first that gained popularity for use, in addition to the epidemic growing trend of the waterpipes/hookah/narghile, which is now used worldwide. A later invention of the e-cigarettes was first intended to act as an aid for cigarette smokers to quit their addiction, which very soon brought forward other set of health related problems. Smoking in hospitality venues has been one of the main concerns of the ministries of health worldwide, however, the resistance to accept the comprehensive or partial smoking bans by the owners is mainly because of the impact it can have on their profitability of their businesses. The findings of this study suggest that implementing these laws will have very minimal effects on profitability, and promotes a cleaner indoor air quality for the diners. Keywords Sustainable Indoor Environments, Indoor Air Quality, Indoor Smoking, Hospitality Dining, Smoking Ban. 819