Indoor Air Quality for Safe, Comfortable Spaces
Resources, Equipment, and Expertise to Help You Achieve Indoor Air Quality Goals
Over the past few years, indoor air quality (IAQ) and indoor air quality services has increasingly become a topic of concern for building owners and building operators. And as members of the general public are also discovering the importance of safe, healthy, and comfortable indoor environments, ensuring good IAQ year-round is essential.
To help commercial building operators safeguard indoor spaces and address indoor air quality issues, organizations like ASHRAE and the EPA have long provided information and guidance at the national level. And locally, the Safety Council of Northwest Ohio recently shared information from the Commit to CARE initiative, which provides resources and tools for businesses to help protect against the spread of airborne disease through indoor air quality awareness and efforts.
Why Is Indoor Air Quality Important?
Ensuring good indoor air quality within our buildings is vital because most people spend about 90% of their time indoors as they go about their day in a range of living, working and visiting spaces. In addition to ensuring the comfort of our buildings, having proper ventilation helps to clean and refresh indoor air, which is essential for reducing the transmission of viruses that can be transmitted as airborne particles, such as COVID-19. According to the Commit to CARE’s resources, poor indoor air quality can lead to issues such as:
- Irritation of eyes, nose, and throat
- Headaches, dizziness, and fatigue
- Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)
- Acute respiratory infection
Having proper ventilation helps to clean and refresh indoor air, which is essential for reducing the transmission of viruses that can be transmitted as airborne particles.
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Common Questions About Indoor Air Quality
What Is the Difference Between IAQ and IEQ?
IAQ, or Indoor Air Quality, is the assessment of the air inside a building and the effects the air quality might have on building occupants. For example, IAQ considers breathable air factors like dust, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ozone, and VOCs.
IEQ, or Indoor Environment Quality, is about the range of conditions inside a building space that go beyond air quality. For example, IEQ factors include thermal comfort, moisture and dampness, acoustics, and even lighting.
What Is the Difference Between Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) and Building Related Illness (BRI)?
The term “sick building syndrome” (SBS) refers to a condition that occurs when building occupants experience adverse health effects that appear to be linked to time spent in an enclosed space of poor indoor air quality. While there is no established medical test to diagnose sick building syndrome, according to the EPA, symptoms may include headache, dizziness and nausea, dry cough, and irritation of the eyes, nose or throat. In contrast, the term “building related illness” (BRI) is used when symptoms of a diagnosable illness are identified and can be attributed to airborne building contaminants.
As a leading provider of commercial mechanical contractor services, we know preventative maintenance saves money and time.