You may be shocked by the quality of the air you’re breathing in!

Productivity, Performance and Health are Directly Related to Indoor Air Quality

#IAQSouthAfrica is an initiative to highlight the importance of Indoor Air Quality and to provide solutions to ensure a healthy indoor climate.

Introduction

We breathe 15,000 litres of air per day. We consume 5,000 times more air than water by volume.

Minor variations in air quality can dramatically impact our health and productivity.

We spend 90% of our time indoors and most of the time we don’t know that the indoor air is polluted.

We can survive for weeks without food.
We can survive for days without water.
But we can only survive a few minutes without air.

Health begins with Air

What is Indoor Air Quality?

Indoor Air Quality is defined by the concentration of pollutants and the thermal conditions of the air within buildings including homes, offices and other enclosed spaces. It considers factors such as Particulate Matter 2,5, Volatile Organic Compounds, Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Temperature and Humidity comfort. These pollutants directly impact the well-being of individuals within these spaces.

Some Short and Long Term Effects of Poor Indoor Air Quality

Respiratory issues like asthma and allergies
Irritation of eyes, nose and throat
Headaches and fatigue
Poor cognitive awareness
Aggravation of existing conditions
Increased risk of infections
Poor sleep quality
Allergic reactions caused by mould, dust mites or pet dander
Long-term exposure can contribute to cardiovascular problems

Find the right solution for your business premises

Have a look at our hands-on solutions.

How to overcome poor Indoor Air Quality

To improve indoor air quality, the following should be considered:

Correct Filtration
Regular cleaning and maintenance of your HVAC systems
Upgrade the efficiency of your filters
Ensure there is adequate Ventilation
Reduce use of products that discharge VOC’s
Monitor your Indoor Air Quality
Use a local Air Purifier
Install an Air Purification System

Benefits

Some of the benefits of providing good Indoor Air Quality

Improved cognitive awareness
Positive Physical Health Impacts
Reduce Anxiety and Depression
Reduce Lethargy and apathy
Improved decision making
Reduce Absenteeism
Improved HVAC performance and Energy Saving
Improve Occupant Well-being

Improve the indoor air quality in
your building. It just makes sense.

Indoor Air Quality in the Home

Indoor air quality is also vitally important in the home, and for more advice on steps you can take at home, we recommend you read the advice from:

Harvard
The Environmental Protection Agency
Healthline

You may wish to consider using a portable air purifier such as any of these:

Health Pro air purifier
Daikin
Winix Air Purfier
Samsung Air Purifier

For more information or help
with Indoor Air Quality

Contact our local Patron & Indoor Air Quality Professional:

Clive is a mechanical engineer and senior partner at BD&O and has been in the HVAC industry for over 40 years, Clive specialises in creating High Performance Buildings and is a RESET IAQ standard accredited professional.

Clive Donnelly