Page 47 - CIJ Dec 2023 - Digital Edition

Facilities ManageMent

The recent air quality crises in person, as poor air quality can be
major cities highlights these issues. odourless and unseen. The impact
Awareness and adoption of IAQ is extensive, affecting both health
monitoring devices and air purifiers and cognitive functions. Prolonged
have grown in urban areas, but exposure to poor IAQ can cause
serious respiratory issues, fatigue,
their implementation is confined and chronic ailments. Cognitive
to certified buildings. Corporate functions, including concentration
offices and developers are now and decision-making, are also
more proactive in implementing at risk, especially in spaces like
IAQ monitoring, complemented by offices and schools.
the rise of ESG & Sustainability
teams in the corporate sector. Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is
However, sectors like healthcare, a significant concern, often linked
hospitality, and education lag in to air pollution and characterized
awareness and implementation of by symptoms with no specific
IAQ measures, and this gap is more cause. Mould growth, driven by
pronounced in smaller towns and We can only manage high humidity and poor ventilation,
domestic areas. what we measure. This exacerbates respiratory issues,
particularly in the hospitality sector.
principle is crucial for Misconceptions about IAQ include
The Overlooked improving IAQ, as it beliefs that conditioned spaces
Dangers & Common involves managing always have clean air, that colder
Misconceptions conditioned spaces spaces indicate better air quality,
and that air fresheners improve
Nitin elaborates on the often- with a focus on health IAQ. Additionally, the role of
ignored hazards of poor IAQ and and well-being, without indoor plants in air purification is
the surrounding misconceptions. overlooking the impact often overestimated, and there is a
A striking fact is that indoor air on energy consumption misconception that IAQ concerns
can be significantly more polluted or carbon footprint are limited to urban areas or that
than outdoor air, with up to 2-5 reduction.” newer buildings automatically have
times more pollutants. This issue better IAQ.
is often invisible to the average Nitin Naik
Approaches to
Enhance IAQ
Nitin advocates the principle,
“We can only manage what
we measure,” underlining the
importance of IAQ monitoring.
Managing conditioned spaces for
health and well-being requires
careful monitoring to identify
and address air quality issues.
Key strategies include ensuring
effective ventilation to maintain
safe CO2 levels and TVOC values,
identifying and removing persistent
pollution sources, and selecting
appropriate building materials.
Ventilation and filtration are
essential to minimize particulate
matter. Managing temperature and
humidity is also crucial for thermal
comfort and preventing mould
growth.

Clean India Journal•DECEMBER 2023 47
www.cleanindiajournal.com