The Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is not about the sickness of buildings. It is about the health of the residents of that building. When most people living or working in a building feel discomfort and feel relieved when going out of it, the SBS is present in the building. In other words, there is something wrong about the air quality of the building which may be due to the design of the building or due to other factors present in the building.
The phrase has become part of urban vocabulary as the
indoor air quality in cities has become a health menace. Most of us are under the wrong impression that the outdoor air quality is the only cause of various diseases caused due to air pollution.
The fact of the matter is that indoor air quality is equally responsible for the various diseases like asthma and even cancer. Most of the city dwellers are inhaling the indoor air for the most part of the day oblivious to the fact that the indoor air is toxic and is the source of many dangerous pathogens and chemical compounds that go straight into our lungs.
The reason for SBS is simple. If the building does not have proper ventilation the stale air keeps circulating and adding contaminant over time. Many sources of toxic air are present in homes and offices like cleaning agents, cracks in the wall (that cause radioactive Radon gas seep in from ground), kitchen smoke and even pets. All these add up to make the air unclean and toxic indoors.
Indore air quality did not figure in the priority of building designers. Most architects until recently cared little for proper ventilation. They would have other considerations such as security and energy efficiency as priorities and so did their best to give as little ventilation as possible. It was only recently that professionals and people began to seriously consider the implications of IAQ that directly affects health and quality of life and the greater environment.
SBS typically occurs mostly in buildings that have one or more of the following:
- Poor or inadequate ventilation;
- Unsuitable temperature and humidity;
- Airborne and chemical pollutants entering the building freely;
- Storage of high concentrations of total volatile organic compounds
- No plants or trees in the vicinity (indoor or outdoor)
- Inadequate ventilation for kitchen smoke.
- Proximity to a busy road or high, drain, or a construction site.
In the past few decades, energy conservation measures have led to green buildings, which call for airtight building construction that can create problems with IAQ. Frequently, the ventilation systems are set to minimize the amount of fresh air entering and circulating within the facility. This restriction impacts indoor air because it allows a build-up of harmful pollutants and contaminants in the office spaces, flats, and apartments.
Home Air Quality Monitors must be used to assess the impact of indoor air on the residents
To ensure that sick building syndrome is not present in your premises, monitoring of indoor air quality is very important. Only by proper monitoring, the indoor air quality with Best Indoor Air Quality Monitor, the impact of contaminated air on the residents can be evaluated. There are many
air quality monitors in the market but my favorite is a half egg-shaped shaped
‘Laser Egg’ Air Quality Monitor which is very accurate, sleek and portable enough to fit into your palm.
Laser Egg Air Quality Monitor is marketed by Nirvana Being, a reputed company that is in the business of providing instruments and devices that ensure clean air and water. Its products are available on its website https://nirvanabeing.com. It is one of the best air quality monitor available in the market today as it accurately measures PM 2.5 levels in the premises and is energy efficient and goes well with your stylish interiors. It is one of the Best Indoor Air Quality Monitor in the market.
