Importance of Good IAQ

Public concerns about air pollution, both of indoor and outdoor environment. Given that a person spends more than 80 percent of his time indoors, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is an important determinant of people´s health and well-being. IAQ is measured by indicators affecting human health and comfort, such as temperature, relative humidity, and the presence of harmful contaminants. Poor IAQ may lead to discomfort, ill health and, in the workplace, absenteeism and low productivity. Children, the elderly and those with respiratory or heart disease are more susceptible to the effects of indoor air pollution. Good IAQ can result in improved overall health, and a more productive business.

Controlling Airborne Pollutants

Controlling airborne pollutants involves integrating three main strategies:

(a) Managing the sources of pollutants by

• removing them from the building (e.g. adopt a no-smoking policy)
• isolating them from people (e.g. relocate photocopiers away from general working area)
• controlling the timing of their use (e.g. re-schedule pest control work outside normal office hours)

(b) Diluting pollutants and removing them from the building through ventilation.

(c) Using filtration to remove air pollutants.

Indoor Air Quality and Energy Efficiency

While the maintenance of good indoor air quality requires high energy consumption, the challenge lies in achieving satisfactory air quality without compromising energy efficiency. From an energy conservation perspective, natural ventilation is the best form of ventilation. Natural ventilation lowers the concentration of pollutants such as bacteria, fungi, and particulates by means of dilution rather than by mechanical filtration.

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