From homes and offices to educational settings and restaurants, most of our modern lives are lived inside buildings. And while our urbanised day-to-day routines are fine, if we’re moving enough and getting some time outdoors, we must consider the indoor air we breathe daily. Modern buildings are increasingly airtight, which is excellent for energy efficiency — after all, who wants to waste energy or live in a draughty, uncomfortable environment? But while building envelope integrity is important, ventilation is equally essential to creating healthy, energyefficient indoor spaces. But why is ventilation so important? And what are the risks associated with poor ventilation? Ventilation and Bad Air Ventilation is the process of exchanging or replacing air in an indoor space. It removes odours and pollutants, controls moisture levels and helps regulate temperatures. By allowing bad air to leave the building, ventilation helps minimise areas where stale air or pollutants may accumulate and removes any excess moisture. Indoor air can be of much worse quality than the air outdoors. From VOCs and CO2 to moisture production, how we live our lives and what we do causes our bad indoor air. The Problem with Moisture Whether in your home, office, or public building, simply breathing and carrying out day-to-day activities — like cooking, cleaning and kettle-boiling — causes moisture. Did you know it’s estimated that the average person adds around 2.5kgs of water vapour (a whopping ten glasses of water!) to the air every day? The 2.5kgs of moisture produced then settles on cool surfaces, such as walls, windows and worktops, as condensation, quickly leading to dampness and mould growth. And while mould and mildew are unsightly, it’s also home to fungi-feeding mites. Even more worryingly, mould aggravates respiratory conditions and allergies and can damage your health. Indoor VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are found in many commercial and household products, from paints and varnishes to cleaning products and air fresheners. Emitted as a gas, exposure to VOCs can cause short- and long-term health problems. Found in much higher concentrations indoors, VOCs are responsible for less serious health issues such as headaches and eye, nose and throat irritation, but some are also known to cause cancer in animals and humans. Metabolic Carbon Dioxide Carbon dioxide is released whenever you exhale, a byproduct of your metabolism. But breathing in too much CO2 isn’t The Importance of Maintaining Good Indoor Air Quality Did you know it’s estimated that we now spend 90% of our time indoors? Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 18 THE door industry journal summer 2024 Industry News
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