It's about time we engineer good LAQ, NOT JUST ENDORSE IT

The technology sector has experienced exponential growth in recent years, which is set to continue. As a result, developers have turned to prefabricated modular solutions, and in certain countries, an element of prefabrication is even mandated, with the aim to reduce construction programs and costs while improving quality.

Fresh air is a blessing that most people take for granted. It is neither guaranteed nor easily created. The rising air pollution levels and associated mortalities globally, showing no signs of slowing down, underscore the need to promote air quality.

People in bustling cities, wary of outdoor pollution, often seek refuge indoors, pinning their hopes on insulation and HVAC systems. At times, the rude awakening comes in the form of respiratory ailments and a combination of symptoms known as the sick-building syndrome (SBS). As it turns out, indoor environments can be much more contaminated than outdoors, largely due to HVAC systems acting as a point source of pollution.

A Yale study found that a person's mere presence in a room can add 37 million bacteria to the air every hour. A way to contextualise that finding would be to realise that we spend 90% of our lives indoors. So, indoor air quality (IAQ) must take precedence for good health and well-being a notion that has gained support following the pandemic outbreak when people, confined indoors and led by new-found awareness of airborne diseases, began to look for answers. Even doctors weighed in, revealing a rise in the number of SBS cases, especially among office workers presenting symptoms such as unexplained headaches, itchy eyes, breathing difficulties, and skin issues.

Guardians of air quality