What is IAQ – Importance of IAQ

Importance of IAQ

  • On average, we spend more than 70% of our time indoors. Maintaining good IAQ helps protect our health.
  • A polluted indoor environment can cause discomfort, including headaches, eye irritation, breathing difficulties, skin allergies, nausea and fatigue. In particular, children, the elderly and those with respiratory or heart disease are more susceptible to indoor air pollution.
  • Good IAQ can benefit your company’s performance by improving staff productivity and reducing absenteeism.

Health Effects

  • Short-term effects after exposure to high levels of indoor air pollutants:
    • sore throat
    • headache
    • eye irritation
    • nose irritation
    • dizziness
    • fatigue
    • asthma
  • Long-term effects after prolonged exposure (up to years) to indoor air pollutants at high levels:
    • respiratory diseases
    • heart disease
    • cancer

Sick Building Syndrome

  • It is used to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and discomfort effects that appear to be linked to the time spent in a building. The symptoms include:
    • headache
    • itching and irritation of the eyes
    • nose and throat irritation
    • dry cough
    • itchy skin
    • dizziness and nausea
    • poor concentration
    • fatigue
    • sensitivity to odour
  • The cause of the symptoms is not known. The symptoms tend to relieve or disappear soon after leaving the building.

Building Related Illnesses

  • Specific illness associated with indoor air pollutants in buildings.
  • Allergic reactions such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by certain species of fungi.
  • Infectious diseases such as Legionnaires’ disease.

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