Why does this matter?

Clean air is a critical component to our health. Air pollution is the number one environmental cause of premature mortality, contributing to 50,000 premature deaths annually in the United States and approximately 7 million, or one in eight premature deaths worldwide. The reactions people have to air pollutants vary widely and depend on multiple factors including the concentration of the contaminant, the rate of intake and the duration of exposure. Pollution source avoidance, proper ventilation and air filtration are some of the most effective means of achieving high indoor air quality.

Since ambient air diffuses easily, even distant sources of pollution have a huge impact on the more than 15,000 litres of air we breathe every day. We all know that globally, outdoor air quality is deteriorating due to pollution from traffic, construction, agricultural activity, combustion sources and particulate matter.

Indoor air quality can be degraded by these outdoor sources, as well as by off-gassing from building materials, indoor combustion sources and water leaks. Poor ventilation practices can fail to address these sources, exposing us to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and microbial pathogens. Another way in which indoor air quality may be diminished is via surfaces, which can accumulate airborne germs. All of these contaminants contribute to a range of negative health outcomes such as asthma, allergies and other upper respiratory illnesses.

In addition, air quality issues can diminish work productivity and lead to sick building syndrome (SBS), where no disease or cause can be identified, yet acute health effects are linked to time spent in a building. SBS symptoms include various nonspecific symptoms such as eye, skin and airway irritation, as well as headache and fatigue.

We can help: Eirdata has an Indoor Air Quality Services Division which provides Building Wellness, Occupation Comfort and Sick Building Syndrome analysis.

Call us on 021 4834330 or email info@eirdata.ie