In the report Guideline for Good Indoor Air Quality in Office Premises, the Ministry of Environment (ENV) (1996) sets the guideline to improving indoor air quality into two main factors: The design and construction of the ventilation systems in the building. The ministry states that the materials used in Air Conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation(ACMV) should be free from any contamination, so that air supplied to the space is not polluted. The ministry explains that the air duct for taking in outdoor air should be designed at where the air is least likely to be polluted. Furthermore, careful examinations will be done by professionals to ensure systems are up to standard throughout all phases of construction. The ACMV systems should also be strategically designed to prevent any spread of pollutant to unaffected areas when necessary. The ministry further implies that main components of the ACMV system should be designed in an easily reached position so that the maintenance team can perform their tasks in a safe manner.
Taking into account of construction and design for ACMV system, ENV provides a comprehensive guideline to allow engineers to check through all aspects of the system's design, as well as ensuring standards are met from the beginning to the end of the construction. However, it is also important to mention other factors occuring during post-construction phase. Certain factors like types of paint used and chemical for household purposes in the building also contribute to the indoor air quality (IAQ) within the building. These factors are still important in today's context, which ENV cannot eliminate when discussing about IAQ.
One area to look into is taking into account the equipment used by tenants in the building. Based on the report back in 1996, ENV only consider design and construction, the time frame they looking into is only until the end of the construction. A building's lifespan is much longer than its construction phase, improving indoor air quality should not be overlooked during occupancy phase. According to McFarland (2017), she states that printer and photocopier are culprits of releasing harmful particle into the surrounding. The author further suggests that the particles released during printing process can cause deterioration to occupant's respiratory and cardiovascular systems. From here, it is obvious that many preventive measures that go beyond just during design and construction phase can be implemented to ensure indoor air quality is maintained.
Another way of regulating IAQ is to consider the types of product used for domestic and professional cleaning to reduce the risk of releasing harmful chemical. The report by ENV in 1996 only mentions that material used for the building should not released any harmful pollutant, but many cleaning and sanitizing products out in the market emit certain amount of Volatile Organic Compounds(VOC), which could affect the IAQ. According to article VOCs in Cleaning/Sanitizing Products and Health, it implies that greater risk of asthma symptoms are found in buildings that require more thorough cleansing. This evidently shows that cleaning solution has the ability to affect the IAQ, and this is one area ENV cannot neglect.
After buildings are constructed, regular IAQ checks by specialists should be done to make sure that IAQ standard within the building is maintained. In the report written in 1996, ENV only talks about designing ACMV system to be accessible for maintenance work but not regular IAQ checks. In the article 6 Benefits of an Indoor Air Quality Check (2015), it suggests that having regular IAQ checks, it lowers the possible allergic reactions. It is a good practice to conduct IAQ checks to ensure good quality of air within the building.
By looking into only design and construction phase, is it definitely not enough to provide occupant a healthy IAQ. Maintaining IAQ should be done also during the occupancy phase through different various measures to achieve a good IAQ within building.
Reference:
Indoor Air Quality. VOCs in Cleaning/Sanitizing Products and Health. Retrieved, October 1, 2018, https://iaqscience.lbl.gov/voc-cleaning
European Commission. (2007). Opinion on risk assessment on indoor air quality. Retrieved, September 27, 2018, http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scher/docs/scher_o_055.pdf
McFarland, E. (2017). Is Your Printer Polluting Your Indoor Air & Affecting Your Respiratory Health?. Retrieved, October 1, 2018, http://myhealthmaven.com/printer-polluting-indoor-air-affecting-respiratory-health/
Roberts Heating and Air-Conditioning, inc. (2015). 6 Benefits of an Indoor Air Quality Check. Retrieved, October 1, 2018, https://robertsheating.com/articles/6-benefits-of-an-indoor-air-quality-check
Singapore Ministry of the Environment. (1996). Guidelines for Good Indoor Air Quality in Office Premises. Retrieved, September 24, 2018, from https://www.bca.gov.sg/greenmark/others/NEA_Office_IAQ_Guidelines.pdf
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2014). Factors Affecting Indoor Air Quality. Retrieved, September 27, 2018, https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-08/documents/sec_2.pdf
Revised: 131018
Taking into account of construction and design for ACMV system, ENV provides a comprehensive guideline to allow engineers to check through all aspects of the system's design, as well as ensuring standards are met from the beginning to the end of the construction. However, it is also important to mention other factors occuring during post-construction phase. Certain factors like types of paint used and chemical for household purposes in the building also contribute to the indoor air quality (IAQ) within the building. These factors are still important in today's context, which ENV cannot eliminate when discussing about IAQ.
One area to look into is taking into account the equipment used by tenants in the building. Based on the report back in 1996, ENV only consider design and construction, the time frame they looking into is only until the end of the construction. A building's lifespan is much longer than its construction phase, improving indoor air quality should not be overlooked during occupancy phase. According to McFarland (2017), she states that printer and photocopier are culprits of releasing harmful particle into the surrounding. The author further suggests that the particles released during printing process can cause deterioration to occupant's respiratory and cardiovascular systems. From here, it is obvious that many preventive measures that go beyond just during design and construction phase can be implemented to ensure indoor air quality is maintained.
Another way of regulating IAQ is to consider the types of product used for domestic and professional cleaning to reduce the risk of releasing harmful chemical. The report by ENV in 1996 only mentions that material used for the building should not released any harmful pollutant, but many cleaning and sanitizing products out in the market emit certain amount of Volatile Organic Compounds(VOC), which could affect the IAQ. According to article VOCs in Cleaning/Sanitizing Products and Health, it implies that greater risk of asthma symptoms are found in buildings that require more thorough cleansing. This evidently shows that cleaning solution has the ability to affect the IAQ, and this is one area ENV cannot neglect.
After buildings are constructed, regular IAQ checks by specialists should be done to make sure that IAQ standard within the building is maintained. In the report written in 1996, ENV only talks about designing ACMV system to be accessible for maintenance work but not regular IAQ checks. In the article 6 Benefits of an Indoor Air Quality Check (2015), it suggests that having regular IAQ checks, it lowers the possible allergic reactions. It is a good practice to conduct IAQ checks to ensure good quality of air within the building.
By looking into only design and construction phase, is it definitely not enough to provide occupant a healthy IAQ. Maintaining IAQ should be done also during the occupancy phase through different various measures to achieve a good IAQ within building.
Reference:
Indoor Air Quality. VOCs in Cleaning/Sanitizing Products and Health. Retrieved, October 1, 2018, https://iaqscience.lbl.gov/voc-cleaning
European Commission. (2007). Opinion on risk assessment on indoor air quality. Retrieved, September 27, 2018, http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scher/docs/scher_o_055.pdf
McFarland, E. (2017). Is Your Printer Polluting Your Indoor Air & Affecting Your Respiratory Health?. Retrieved, October 1, 2018, http://myhealthmaven.com/printer-polluting-indoor-air-affecting-respiratory-health/
Roberts Heating and Air-Conditioning, inc. (2015). 6 Benefits of an Indoor Air Quality Check. Retrieved, October 1, 2018, https://robertsheating.com/articles/6-benefits-of-an-indoor-air-quality-check
Singapore Ministry of the Environment. (1996). Guidelines for Good Indoor Air Quality in Office Premises. Retrieved, September 24, 2018, from https://www.bca.gov.sg/greenmark/others/NEA_Office_IAQ_Guidelines.pdf
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2014). Factors Affecting Indoor Air Quality. Retrieved, September 27, 2018, https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-08/documents/sec_2.pdf
Revised: 131018
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