Indoor Environmental Air Quality

People spend over 90% of their time indoors and are exposed to thousands of airborne pollutants. Unlike outdoor air, indoor air is recycled again and again. Common pollutants include dust, mold and spores, pollen and smoke. Products and materials indoors also release volatile chemicals and particles into the air that may negatively affect human health. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted by thousands of products, including: paints, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials, office equipment and adhesives. Inadequate ventilation, high temperatures and high humidity levels increase concentrations of some pollutants.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are three basic strategies to improve indoor air quality:

1. Source Control is considered the most effective way to improve indoor air quality by eliminating individual sources of pollution or reducing their emissions. Some sources, like those that contain asbestos, can be sealed or enclosed; others, like gas stoves, can be adjusted to decrease the amount of emissions.

2. Ventilation Improvements can lower the concentrations of indoor air pollutants by increasing the amount of outdoor air coming indoors. Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels. If too little outdoor air enters, pollutants can accumulate to levels that can pose health and comfort problems.

3. Air Cleaners range from relatively inexpensive table-top models to sophisticated and expensive whole systems. The effectiveness of an air cleaner depends on how well it collects pollutants from indoor air (expressed as a percentage efficiency rate) and how much air it draws through the cleaning or filtering element (expressed in cubic feet per minute).

There are a number of green commercial HVAC solutions designed to improve indoor environmental quality. These systems are often less expensive to install and, in almost all cases, offer lower operating costs.