Modern Building Services

24 MODERN BUILDING SERVICES FEBRUARY 2022 FEATURE INDOOR AIR QUALITY INDOOR AIR QUALITY A s a result, public awareness of the correlation between health and the air we breathe has increased, and the role of ventilation in reducing the transmission of diseases is now under discussion at a government level. Both the UK’s chief scientific officer Sir Patrick Vallance and the BritishMedical Association (BMA) have called for higher standards for building ventilation and indoor air quality, in order to help the country, navigate a post-pandemic future. This has created a window of opportunity to properly address concerns about indoor air quality for the first time, and to also set higher standards for the long- term. The need to improve indoor ventilation rates to reduce the risk of transmission of diseases – not just viruses – has considerably raised the stakes for mechanical ventilation and air filtration. However, rather than purely focusing on preventing infection or disease, it’s important to consider a more positive approach towards air quality standards going forwards. This means prioritising the health and wellbeing of occupants, with our buildings acting as ‘safe havens’ from outdoor and indoor airborne dangers. This can allow occupants to have a more productive, more comfortable and healthier experience in buildings for years to come. A major health issue As many medical professionals have highlighted, the problems caused by poor indoor air quality have been with us for decades and will be with us long after COVID-19 has died down. Air pollution is now one of the biggest health problems facing the UK today, causing between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths per year. These pollutants include nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which arises mainly frompetrol and diesel engines, and sulphur dioxide (SO), released when coal is burned for fuel in power stations. However, some of themost harmful pollutants take the formof particulatematter (PM), tiny particles that are amixture of solids and liquids present in the air. Sources of PM include friction from car brakes, dust from roads and construction work. There are also numerous chemicals and substances in our homes, schools and offices that have a detrimental impact on health. These include carbon dioxide, caused by respiration built up in poorly ventilated spaces. There are also volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which cover various chemicals found indoors, such as cleaning products, scented candles, aerosol sprays, and photocopiers. Homes can also experience excess humidity. This is often the result of poor heating and ventilation and can be caused by drying clothes in unventilated spaces. In addition to poor ventilation, damp conditions lead tomould, widely recognised as detrimental to lung health. Some dust, bacteria and viruses fall into the smallest category of particulatematter, PM1, which can penetrate deep into the human body and cause severe damage. After almost two years of COVID-19, tackling PM1 is becoming a growing concern for anyone managing the health andwellbeing of occupants in buildings. ➜ Hern Yau , Product Manager at Mitsubishi Electric says while it’s fair to say that indoor air quality has been a hidden issue for many years, the COVID-19 pandemic has put it firmly at the top of the public agenda. Why our buildings should be safe havens for good indoor air quality “Sustainability is not just about carbon and energy saving; it is also about ensuring that the facilities we build and refurbish can sustain human activity in the long-term while also safeguarding health, wellbeing and productivity.”