What is indoor air quality IAQ in a healthy building?
indoor air quality consultants
Enhanced indoor air quality is vital to optimal occupant health so an indoor air quality plan needs to be implemented in both the pre-occupancy and occupancy phases of a real estate development project with consideration for ventilation, filtration, UV lights, healthy material choices, air quality monitors and ideally a healthy building certification focused on air.
Read on to learn more about our professional services related to combating indoor air pollution.
Indoor air pollutants
comprehensive service relating to Indoor Air Quality
As your air quality team, the indoor air pollutants we watch out for include CO2, carbon monoxide, radon, tobacco smoke, mold and chemical off-gases known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
Particulate Matter PM2.5 and PM10 are made up of dust and synthetic materials decomposing around us from furniture, fabrics and so on. PM1 are extremely fine particles and include air-borne diseases such as COVID-19.
The primary sources of indoor air contaminants include toxic building materials, paints, finishes, adhesives, chemical-based cleaning products, fire retardant furniture and fabrics, even our shoes can drag in dust and dirt particles from outside, while nail varnish, aerosols and certain low grade perfumes also negatively impact the indoor air quality in a building.
Our air quality services include identifying sources of such harmful substances before they are brought into the building but also once they are already inside causing harm.
Air quality management plan
air quality modelling
During the construction phase this involves sealing air ducts, storing absorptive interior materials separate from the construction area, using temporary barriers to isolate working environments, and replacing filters before occupancy. In addition, hazards such as mold and indoor smoking have to be tightly controlled to avoid additional negative influences on air quality.
Strategies such as a full flush-out (the elimination of indoor air pollutants that were accumulated during the construction phase through the introduction of outdoor air), replacement of air filters pre-occupancy and ongoing indoor air quality testing are all recommended strategies to ensure enduring air quality levels.
Ventilation & Filtration for air quality
professional services for enhanced indoor air
From a workplace wellness perspective, adequate ventilation rates are fundamental to ensuring healthy indoor air that in turn plays a role in promoting cognitive function and reducing the transmission of viruses, amongst other things. Ventilation rates are often designated by regional codes, as well as healthy building certifications such as the USGBC’s LEED, BREEAM and WELL.
Filtration is the process of removing potentially harmful particulates from the outside air intake before that air is sent into the building interiors. Air filtration is done via increasingly advanced filters in the ventilation system, meaning this is an area where we as healthy building consultants can make a tangible difference.
A MERV 13 or above filter is now seen as the gold standard - with local equivalents applicable - the higher the number the greater the removal of small particles from the air.
UV Light for enhanced indoor air quality
Anti-bacterial ultraviolet (UV) light systems can be incorporated into an indoor air management plan to reduce the risk of harmful organisms lingering in the indoor air. This system can be used in tandem with other healthy building ventilation systems or on its own, and uses UV light to kill airborne pathogens.
UV-C light and UV Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) can thereby be used to disinfect air, water, and surfaces, thereby lowering the spread of viral infections and bacteria in building interiors. Applications range from a small box or handheld device to in-duct installations within a building’s HVAC system.
Healthy materials selection for indoor air quality
Specifying a healthy building material is inevitably about balancing concerns over environmental impact and human wellbeing. From the health perspective as it relates to indoor air quality, we avoid introducing toxic chemicals by specifying healthy, non-toxic materials with low-VOC content.
These could be natural such as wood or stone; recycled from glass, plastic or food waste; or bio-based such as mycelium or clay. Additionally, we look to enhance healthy indoor environments with products certified by the likes of Cradle To Cradle, Declare or GreenGuard, or Healthy Product Declaration (HPD).
Indoor Air Quality Monitors
RESET Air advocates for commercial grade air quality monitors connected to the cloud as a way to monitor and assess indoor air quality factors such as airborne particles, temperature, humidity and CO2. Constant monitoring provides a level of transparency and insight that can in turn help to reduce wasted energy costs, not just make for a healthy indoor environment.
Sensors should be placed strategically around the building at approximately head height to measure temperature, humidity, CO, CO2, PM2.5, PM10 and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
Healthy Building Certifications on Indoor Air
The LEED and WELL building standards focus on different things—LEED places emphasis on the environmental impacts of the built environment, while WELL focuses on the human health and wellbeing side of the built environment.
Both standards overlap closely however in the arena of indoor air quality, ventilation, and filtration, reflecting the importance of this aspect for a healthy indoor environment and minimizing a building’s environmental impact.
Air-specific quality standards are a new entrant onto the market and currently include RESET Air, with whom Matt Morley is certified as a RESET AIR Accredited Professional.
