It’s no secret that indoor air quality has become a serious environment issues all over the globe. With the growing use of synthetic products, construction of tight spaces, and energy conservation measures in recent years, there’s an urgent need to take steps for the prevention and control of indoor air pollution.
Since standards of comfort vary from person to person, which is why a lot of research and monitoring has to be involved in maintaining air quality standards. It’s not possible to keep all the occupants of a building satisfied. In any building, there may be environment-hypersensitive people that are more at risk of health complications due to environmental factors than others.
Let’s take a look at some guidelines on how to improve air quality in office spaces and homes that building owners need to follow in order to establish healthy living and working conditions.
Guidelines to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Commercial Spaces
1. Designing the HVAC System to Preserve Clean Indoor Air
You need to make sure your HVAC system is designed to circulate clean and fresh supply of outdoor air throughout the building and provide thermal comfort to the inhabitants. You should also make sure you have installed high-performing exhaust fans to help eliminate contaminants and odors from indoor air or dilute them to acceptable levels.
2. Making Sure There’s Adequate Supply of Outdoor Air
It goes without saying that sufficient supply of outdoor air, generally circulated by the HVAC system, is extremely important in any environment. It helps dilute contaminants that may get released from furnishings, cleaning agents, building materials, and even the HVAC equipment.
Make sure your HVAC system is distributing ventilation air to all the occupied spaces to create a comfortable living and working environment to the occupants of the building.
3. Planning the Space Keeping Indoor Air Supply in Mind
The placement of furniture and essential equipment may also have an effect on the distribution of air inside an occupied space. For example, if you place a heat generating equipment (a computer) under your thermostat, it may cause your HVAC system to supply too much cool air because the thermostat will sense that the indoor environment is too warm.
You need to pay attention to indoor air flow and make sure any partitions or furniture that may block air supply are placed appropriately.
4. Installing Filters to Control Outdoor Air Pollutants
Outdoor air contaminants like pollen, dust, and carbon monoxide have a significant effect on indoor environment and they often enter the building through ventilation systems. You need to ensure that the air filters throughout your building are installed properly and kept well-maintained, so they can prevent these particles from entering your indoor spaces.
Get in touch with a professional service to control chemical or gaseous pollutants as they may call for more advanced filtration equipment.
5. Eliminating Pollutant Pathways
Contaminants can easily spread throughout indoor spaces by moving through pathways like stairways, wall spaces, elevator shafts, etc. You need to take specialized ventilation measures to control these pollutant pathways and protect indoor air.
6. Keeping HVAC Equipment Well-Maintained
There’s no denying that keeping your HVAC equipment well-maintained is essential for the sufficient supply and quality of indoor air. You need to invest in preventive maintenance programs to make sure that your HVAC systems are functioning properly at all times.
Even though there are several factors that can contribute to indoor air pollution, most of these indoor air issues can be solved or prevented by taking effective measures and hiring professional help.