Indoor Air Quality - What is it?

What is Indoor Air Quality?  How does it affect my daily environment?  Can I control Indoor Air Quality?  These are questions you DO need to ask yourself. 

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the quality of air within and around buildings and structures and how it relates to the wellness and comfort of the facility’s occupant.  All sorts of things affect the IAQ: biological contaminants, environmental agents, gases, particles, indoor air pollution, the list goes on. 

The first installment of this two part series will identify what exactly IAQ is and what affects it and the second part will explain what you can do about it.  Knowledge is key.  First, here are some definitions from the EPA.gov website that will break down exactly what we’re dealing with here:

AIR EXCHANGE RATE: The rate at which outside air replaces indoor air in a space.

BIOLOGICAL CONTAMINANTS: Agents derived from, or that are, living organisms (e.g., viruses, bacteria, fungi, and mammal and bird antigens) that can be inhaled and can cause many types of health effects including allergic reactions, respiratory disorders, hypersensitivity diseases, and infectious diseases.

BUILDING-RELATED ILLNESS (BRI): Diagnosable illness whose symptoms can be identified and whose cause can be directly attributed to airborne building pollutants (e.g., Legionnaire's disease, hypersensitivity pneumonitis).

ENVIRONMENTAL AGENTS: Conditions other than indoor air contaminants that cause stress, comfort, and/or health problems (e.g., humidity extremes, drafts, lack of air circulation, noise, and over-crowding).

INDOOR AIR POLLUTANT: Particles and dust, fibers, mists, bioaerosols, and gases or vapors.

OUTDOOR AIR SUPPLY: Air brought into a building from the outdoors (often through the ventilation system) that has not been previously circulated through the system.  

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE: Regular and systematic inspection, cleaning and replacement of worn parts, material and systems to prevent failure by ensure everything is in good working order.

SICK BUILDING SYNDROME (SBS): Term that refers to a set of symptoms that affect some number of building occupants during the time they spend in the building and diminish or go away during periods when they leave the building.

All of these things affect the quality of the air you are breathing every day.  While sitting in an enclosed space (like a professional office or classroom), that space becomes a major part of your environment.  Just  like all the pollen and dust blowing around outside, even more deceptive things are going on inside.  That's because most of the things floating through the air of your facility are not visible to the eye – or even the nose! 

Biological contaminants are the things we normally associate with poor indoor air quality, but environmental agents play a large factor, as well.  Hot areas and cold areas, stale air and even external stimulation from overcrowding negatively affect the comfort and health of one’s internal environment. 

Visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Area’s website by clicking here for more information on IAQ. Up next, what YOU can do to improve your Indoor Air Quality.