Modern Building Services

MODERN BUILDING SERVICES JANUARY 2021 25 FEATURE WORKING BUILDINGS By Stuart Smith , Group Sales Director for indoor air quality and ventilation manufacturing specialist, Nuaire. A s I wish my colleagues a Happy NewYear, I can’t seem to shake a sinking feeling of déjà vu. Many anticipated that, by autumn 2021, a semblance of ‘normality’ would have returned to UK workplaces, and we would be putting this pandemic behind us, but sadly this is still not the case. As COVID-19 cases continue to grow steadily in the UK and return-to-work directives remain confusing at best, many firms are, quite rightly, only willing to allow their teams to fully go back to the workplace if they can guarantee their safety and wellbeing in the face of this ongoing pandemic. The past 18 months demonstrate just how important it is to identify solutions to help ensure that both external and internal air pollutants can be managed, protecting the wellbeing of building occupants. Although many people remain working from home at the moment, the issue of indoor air quality (IAQ) is already high on the agenda for building and business owners looking to get employees back to their place of work safely this year. The importance of the air that we breathe, day in and day out is higher on the health agenda than ever before - it’s become a hot topic of conversation and media interest. Yet, clear advice can be hard for organisations to find. Froma business standpoint, the ongoing uncertainty has led to a degree of apprehension in themarket when it comes tomaking practical and long-term changes to workplaces, particularly with regards to improving indoor air quality. Quick fix Many individuals and companies have turned towards air purifiers as a quick fix to the problem. Still, these overlook the bigger risks and longer-term impacts of poor indoor air quality. Without our knowledge, we can be exposed to a number of harmful pollutants that with inadequate ventilation can become trapped inside indoor environments with no way of escaping to the outside world. Remaining undetected for long periods of time, exposure to polluted air can gradually chip away at staff wellbeing and productivity, not only contributing towards the exacerbation of a range of respiratory and health conditions such as COPD, asthma and heart disease but also leading to reduced cognitive performance* in some cases. « Creating ‘safe havens’ – better indoor air quality a staple for mass-occupancy buildings WORKING BUILDINGS MAINTENANCE, OPERATION & REFURBISHMENT