Clean Air In Commercial Buildings

7/3/2017 (Permalink)

Indoor air quality in commercial buildings is a factor in good health

Indoor air quality is a major concern for businesses, building managers, tenants, and employees. Clean air impacts the health, comfort, well being, and productivity of building occupants. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says most Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors and many spend most of their working hours in an office environment.

More Pollution Inside Than Outside
Studies conducted by the EPA and others show that indoor environments sometimes can have levels of pollutants that are higher than levels found outside. Pollutants in commercial buildings and other indoor environments can increase the risk of illness. The EPA, states, and independent scientific panels have consistently ranked indoor air pollution as an important environmental health problem. While most buildings do not have severe indoor air quality problems, even well-run buildings can sometimes experience episodes of poor indoor air quality.

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How To Improve The Air Inside Your Commercial Building
Some pretty simple steps can have a big impact on the quality of the air inside your commercial building:

• Don’t block air vents or grills
• Comply with the office and building smoking policy
• Water and maintain office plants properly
• Dispose of garbage promptly and properly
• Store food properly
• Avoid bringing products into the building that could release harmful or bothersome odors or contaminants
• Notify your building or facility manager immediately if you suspect an indoor air quality problem

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If You Manage The Office
Building managers and office managers have a long list of responsibilities. Assuring the air quality is healthy should be on that list. Here are some ideas on how to fulfill that responsibility:

• Ask tenants and employees to alert you to any air quality issues they may notice
• Maintain a good working relationship with building management on indoor environmental issues
• Place office furniture and equipment with air circulation, temperature control, and pollutant removal functions of the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in mind
• Work with building management whenever responsibility for design, operation, and maintenance of the ventilation system is shared
• Establish an effective smoking policy that protects nonsmokers from involuntary exposure to secondhand smoke
• Avoid procedures and products that can cause indoor air quality problems
• Integrate indoor air quality concerns into your purchasing decisions
• Make sure the building manager uses only necessary and appropriate pest
control practices.  Non-chemical methods are usually preferable.
• Work with building management and the contractor before you remodel or renovate to identify ways of keeping building occupants’ exposure to pollutants to a minimum and to ensure that the air distribution system is not disrupted
• Encourage building management to develop a preventive indoor air quality management program following guidance issued by EPA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).                 
These tips are from a free EPA booklet on the EPA website, "An Office Occupant's Guide to Indoor Air Quality."

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