COMMERCIAL BUILDING AIR QUALITY

What Causes Indoor Air Problems? 

Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems in Buildings.

Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home.

​High temperature and humidity levels can also increase concentrations of some pollutants. 

Pollutant Sources 

There are many sources of indoor air pollution in any building. These can include:

• Combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco products
• Building materials and furnishings as diverse as deteriorated, asbestos-containing insulation
• Wet or damp carpet
• Cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products
• Products for cleaning and maintenance, personal care, or hobbies
• Central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices
• Outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution

The relative importance of any single source depends on how much of a given pollutant it emits and how hazardous those emissions are. In some cases, factors such as how old the source is and whether it is properly maintained are significant. For example, an improperly adjusted gas stove can emit significantly more carbon monoxide than one that is properly adjusted.​​

Immediate Effects 

Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures. These can include:

• Irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable. Sometimes the treatment is simply eliminating the person's exposure to the source of the pollution, if it can be identified. 
• Symptoms of some diseases, including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever  may also show up soon after exposure to some indoor air pollutants.
• The likelihood of immediate reactions to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors. Age and preexisting medical conditions are two important influences. In other cases, whether a person reacts to a pollutant depends on individual sensitivity, which varies tremendously from person to person.
• Some people can become sensitized to biological pollutants after repeated exposures, and it appears that some people can become sensitized to chemical pollutants as well.
• Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral diseases, so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the time and place symptoms occur. If the symptoms fade or go away when a person is away from office, for example, an effort should be made to identify indoor air sources that may be possible causes.
• Some effects may be made worse by an inadequate supply of outdoor air or from the heating, cooling, or humidity conditions prevalent in the office.​ ​

​Long-Term Effects 

Other health effects may show up either years after exposure has occurred or only after long or repeated periods of exposure. These effects, which include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal.

It is prudent to try to improve the indoor air quality in your office even if symptoms are not noticeable. While pollutants commonly found in indoor air are responsible for many harmful effects, there is considerable uncertainty about what concentrations or periods of exposure are necessary to produce specific health problems.

​People also react very differently to exposure to indoor air pollutants. Further research is needed to better understand which health effects occur after exposure to the average pollutant concentrations found in buildings and which occurs from the higher concentrations that occur for short periods of time.

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