Since most of our time is spent indoors, indoor air quality (IAQ) is a valued necessity at home or school and work. Indoor pollution, allergens and viruses can spread indoors, particularly in rooms with poor air quality. In fact, some of what ails us can be remedied by improved indoor air quality standards.
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- Indoor Air Pollution Causes
- Effects of Indoor Air Pollution
- How to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Offices + Schools
- Questions?
- Related Indoor Air Quality Content
Indoor Air Pollution Causes
Poor indoor air leads to productivity decrease, with a sharp decline in focus and thinking. A number of issues in your office, school, or home could be making you feel sick:
- Indoor Pollution: An influx of indoor particles from pollens, dust mites, pollution, soot, and smoke contribute to headaches, allergic reactions, dizziness, lethargy, or itchy eyes—to name a few.
- Gases: Dangerous gases can also pollute our indoor air. VOCs from cleaning products and odorless vapors from furniture and flooring contribute greatly to underperformance.
- Sick Building Syndrome: Closely associated with poorly functioning HVAC systems, sick building syndrome gives building occupants similar symptoms that disappear or lessen after people leave the building. Allergens, odors, moisture, mold, chemicals, dust, and more are believed to the main contributing factors.
Effects of Indoor Air Pollution
Improving the indoor environment will not only decrease energy costs and healthcare costs, but also improve health, performance, and attendance. The Human Performance report shows that indoor environments affect productivity in schools and workplaces. Here are some key findings from the report:
- Research suggests that low ventilation rates and less daylight can adversely affect student performance.
- Children are especially susceptible to indoor air quality problems because their lungs are smaller and they breathe higher volumes of air compared to their body weights.
- Contaminated air in schools is associated with a 10-20% increase in student absences.
- Sick building syndrome affects 16 million Americans annually, including 23% of office workers and teachers.
- Reducing sick building syndrome symptoms could increase productivity by up to $30 billion in the U.S.
- Ventilation and humidity are associated with short-term sick leave among workers.
How to Improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in Offices + Schools
To improve the attendance and performance of your students or employees–and to live a healthier life at home–you must pay attention to your indoor environment. It directly affects health and productivity.
Here are six tips for improving the indoor environment and increasing productivity:
- Replace Air Filters: Replace furnace filters every six to 12-months, as needed, or as recommended by your HVAC contractor. Unclean filters create debris build-up. Over time, dust reduces airflow while clogging air ducts and condenser coils.
- Air Purification: Remove contaminants from the air with air purifiers.
- Plants: Studies show that cognitive performance was increased by 61% when plants were introduced to the environment. Plants, such as Spider or Lucky Bamboo plants, remove dangerous pollutants such as carbon dioxide and VOCs, such as formaldehyde and benzene.
- Humidity: Monitor the humidity and normalize it with dehumidifiers and humidifiers.
- Natural + Full Spectrum Lighting: In one study, increased daylight in schools (with adequately dimensioned and positioned windows and skylights) improved standardized test scores by 15-26%. Add more natural light to the indoor environment with full spectrum lights.
- Ventilation: This can include exhaust fans, open windows, and other ventilation fans. Heat or energy recovery ventilators (H/ERVs) are best suited for tightly-built homes and offices for removing trapped, stale air.
Find related air quality content over at the air purifier knowledge center page.
Questions?
If you still have questions about indoor air quality, or if you need some solutions for improving your indoor air, contact our Product Experts at 1 (800) 934-9194 or experts@sylvane.com.
