- Indoor air pollution is ranked as one of EPA’s* TOP 5 environmental risks to public health.
- An extensive body of scientific evidence demonstrates that short- and long-term exposure to fine particle pollution negatively affects the cardiovascular system.
- Proper air filtration and air treatment has been proven to reduce the spread of viruses and other contaminants.
- Numerous studies (e.g. conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health*), established a clear link between indoor air quality and workplace performance & productivity.
*EPA - United States Environmental Protection Agency
*Economic, Environmental and Health Implications of Enhanced Ventilation in Office Buildings by MacNaughton P., Pegues J. , Satish U., Santanam S., Spengler J. and Allen J., International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, November 2015
The Role of Particles
The particles in the air
can vary from simple pollen grains to germs,
bacteria and viruses
Particulate matter
are categorized based on their size
The smaller the particle,
the more dangerous for our health
Particles & Areas of Deposit
The lighter and smaller a particle is, the longer it stays in the air.
• PM10, all particles up to 10 µm (0.01 mm)
Deposit in the nose and pharynx of the human respiratory system
• PM2.5, all particles up to 2.5 µm (0.0025 mm)
Are small enough to reach the human lung
• PM1, all particles up to 1 µm (0.001 mm = 1 micron)
Are small enough to find their way through the cell membranes of the alveoli into the human bloodstream and cause life-threatening diseases
Due to their harmfulness (high risk for cardio vascular diseases), permanence and frequency, particles smaller than 2.5 μm (i.e. PM2.5 and PM1) need the most attention.
Sick Building Syndrome
- Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) describes a medical condition where people in a building suffer from symptoms of illness or feel unwell for no apparent reason.
- Often several symptoms are experienced at the same time and accompanied by complaints about poor air quality, dry air, noise or temperatures which are too warm or too cold.
- The symptoms tend to increase in severity with the time people spend in the building, and improve over time or even disappear when people are away from the building.
- SBS causes reduced work performance, loss of productivity and increased absenteeism.
Common SBS Symptoms
SBS May Occur in Most Type of Buildings
- A building where there are a substantial number of people with SBS symptoms is referred to as a “sick building”.
- A sick building may result from the way in which the building is designed and constructed or from the way, it is operated, maintained and used.
office
shop
hotel
production facility
restaurant
gym
Ventilation
In a completely closed room in a building, air cannot easily enter/leave the room, causing air pollutants to remain and accumulate in the room. This situation can impact the health of people in the room. Ventilation is essential for diluting and removing these air pollutants.
- The goal of ventilation units is to bring fresh air into closed spaces and exchange it with stale air.
- Ventilation systems and adequate air-exchange rate are proven to be an effective solution to protect people from contaminants, including viruses.
- Ventilation systems need to be used and maintained correctly in order to be effective.
