The Impact of Poor Indoor Air Quality and What Building Managers Can Do About It

If you’re like most people, then you spend roughly 90% of your time indoors. Between school, work, home, and visiting businesses and other facilities, we spend the overwhelming bulk of our time inside one building or another.

That means we’re almost always breathing in air that is continuously recirculated in an environment with many other people. This leads to indoor air quality being as much as 2 to 5 times worse than outdoor air. The lower air quality has a huge impact on people from all walks of life, and the businesses and individuals responsible for maintaining indoor air quality need a practical solution to fix that.

The Problem of Indoor Air Quality

Today, new buildings are being built to higher indoor air quality standards. They’re being designed with better overall ventilation and better systems. However, that doesn’t help the occupants of buildings that are already here. With the average age of a commercial building in the US being 50 years, that means that most buildings weren’t built with indoor air quality in mind.

In fact, many buildings in use today incorporated counterproductive energy-saving measures that ultimately reduce indoor air quality. Ventilation systems that recirculate air excessively, windows that don’t open, buildings sealed tight against any potential drafts – these factors all combine to create a perfect storm of low indoor air quality.

This leads to contaminants in the air building up to incredibly high concentrations. Dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, organic compounds, and all kinds of particles coming off of clothing, furniture, and other people have nowhere to escape and no source of fresh air to carry them away. These contaminants have a significant impact on the quality of life in the places where we spend almost every moment of our time.

The Impact of Poor Indoor Air Quality

The numerous unique contaminants that contribute to low indoor air quality can have a wide range of effects on people in those environments. These range from long-term health risks to reduced energy and an inability to operate effectively at school, work, or home.

The long-term impact is incredibly serious. Various indoor air contaminants can contribute to respiratory conditions like asthma, pneumonia, lung cancer, and more. Low indoor air quality affects people across the entire course of their lives, which is why it is so vital for building owners and managers to take action on air quality.

The everyday experience of living with low-indoor air quality is also a major concern. People can feel the impact of air contaminants in their daily lives, reducing their ability to enjoy their time indoors and drastically reducing productivity at school and work.

People who spend extended amounts of time in poor air quality environments feel sick. They can develop symptoms like headaches, eye, nose, and throat irritation, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. These symptoms can be even worse in young children, the elderly, and individuals with allergies or pre-existing conditions.

This means that while they’re trying to live their lives, they’re at a constant disadvantage due to grogginess, low energy, and an overall feeling of unwellness. It takes away from their ability to focus and act, making the important work of everyday life that much more difficult.

In Schools and Offices

This can happen in any indoor space, but schools and offices are among the most significantly affected. These are often old buildings with poor ventilation and a high density of people. Spending time in such close proximity with so many other people can lead to an environment with very low indoor air quality.

In schools, this leads to students being unable to focus on lessons and effectively complete schoolwork, ultimately reducing the positive impact of their education. Offices and other workplaces have a similar problem. A lack of energy and focus leads to reduced productivity, leaving their employees unable to work effectively and hurting the business in the long run.

In Residential Buildings and Nursing Homes

Large-scale residential buildings can also suffer from low indoor air quality due to poor ventilation and resident density. Coming home to an environment with low indoor air quality can have a serious impact on residents’ health. It will also affect their satisfaction with their residence, potentially leaving building owners and property managers with growing vacancies.

Nursing homes and other senior-specific residential buildings have the same problem but are made much worse by the vulnerability of their residents. The elderly are much more susceptible to the effects of low indoor air quality, especially those with pre-existing conditions. This can lead to serious health ramifications for many residents that will ultimately ruin the nursing home’s reputation.

How Building Owners and Managers Deal With Low Indoor Air Quality

Many building owners and managers recognize the importance of indoor air quality but don’t have an effective solution in place for managing it. In older buildings, much of the design and ventilation can’t be changed within reason, so they need new approaches to improve air quality.

In general, the first place that building owners look to improve indoor air quality is the HVAC system. Buildings often have a centralized system responsible for heating, air conditioning, and ventilation. Upgrading or repairing an HVAC system may be an effective option, but building managers should have the necessary insight and data to make that kind of decision.

Every HVAC system will have at least one type of filter, even household furnaces and air conditioners. These are often pleated media filters that physically block dust and other contaminants from entering and recirculating. They can provide some benefit but must be changed as needed to maintain effectiveness.

For larger buildings like schools and businesses, these kinds of filters aren’t sufficient. HVAC systems of this size will need more robust filtration, which can include high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, UV light filters, electrostatic air filters, or other technologies.

Each of these will have a certain replacement, cleaning, and maintenance requirements. They may have standard schedules to follow, but these don’t account for dynamic indoor air quality needs. The actual performance of these filters over time can vary widely based on many different factors, including occupancy, system design, and unexpected events.

Large buildings and facilities also incur operational expenses running their HVAC and air purification systems. This includes the energy required to run the systems, which can vary depending on the age, maintenance, and use of the equipment. Without accurate feedback on the impact that their HVAC system has on indoor air quality, building owners can’t optimize these operational costs and could be spending more than they need to.

In order to ensure good indoor air quality and minimize equipment, maintenance, and operational costs, building owners and managers need a way to understand the impact that these factors have. Rather than simply setting a baseline for their HVAC operation, they need a dynamic solution based on accurate, real-time indoor air quality data.

Taking Control of Indoor Air Quality Management

Sol-In is an innovative solution that makes it possible for building owners and managers to make intelligent decisions based on real-time data and advanced analytics. Instead of accepting low indoor air quality, they can take an accurate and effective approach to improve air quality and the quality of life of building occupants.

First, the Sol-In solution collects real-time air quality data from multiple sensors distributed throughout indoor spaces. These sensors provide an in-depth look at air quality throughout the entire indoor environment, highlighting areas that experience indoor air quality issues.

This data is securely transmitted to Sol-In’s cloud system that carries out advanced analytics. The proprietary Sol-In Index transforms the data into clear and easy-to-understand information detailing the current state of indoor air quality. Not only that, but over time the system develops trends and predictions for future indoor air quality.

The insights and alerts that Sol-In provides let building owners and managers manage indoor air quality more effectively. They can truly understand the impact that their HVAC maintenance and operations have on indoor air quality, identifying areas for improvement and optimizing energy use. The solution also serves to demonstrate the impact of upgrades and new equipment, allowing HVAC equipment providers to really show their customers the value they deliver.

With the impact that indoor air quality has on all of us, businesses and organizations can’t afford to go without a methodical and accurate approach to air quality management. Sol-In provides a solution to this problem that can be seamlessly integrated into any building. You can contact Sol-In today to find out more about our innovative system and what it does to improve indoor air quality.