Improving IAQ The Need Of The Hour

Good IAQ is the quality of air that has no unwanted gases or particles in it at concentrations that will adversely affect human health.

Today India is facing major air pollution issues, especially in urban areas. Today, pollution levels (Pm 2.5 & Pm 10) in many areas have exceeded national air quality standards. The main cause for the said problem is industrial pollution, vehicular pollution, dust, waste burning, field fires etc. and people feel sickness or discomfort due to the bad air quality.

All of us face a variety of risks to our health as we go about our day-to-day lives. Driving in cars, flying in planes, engaging in recreational activities and being exposed to environmental pollutants - all these pose varying degrees of risk. Some risks are simply unavoidable. Some we choose to accept because to do otherwise would restrict our ability to lead our lives the way we want. And some are risks we might decide to avoid if we had the opportunity to make informed choices. Indoor air pollution is one risk that you can do something about.

In the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within houses and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialised cities. Other research indicates that people spend a great amount of their time indoors. Thus, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors.

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the effect, good or bad, of the contents of the air inside a structure, on its occupants. Usually, temperature (too hot or too cold), humidity (too dry or too damp), and air velocity (draftiness or motionlessness) are considered “comfort” rather than indoor air quality issues. Unless they are extreme, they may make someone unhappy, but they won’t make a person ill. Nevertheless, most IAQ professionals will take these factors into account in investigating air quality situations.