Two individuals at a construction site review a set of architectural plans or blueprints. One person wears a white hard hat, while the other’s face is obscured. The background features an active construction site with structures in various stages of completion and cranes against the sky.

Air Systems and the Part they Play in Building Health

21 September 2017

Within a commercial building, which houses the majority of a business’s assets and employees, the air quality plays a huge role in the performance of the company’s success. Good, well- maintained air flow provides a comfortable environment in which staff can thrive, whereas poor air quality can lead to sickness, lost manpower and lost business. So, ensuring that that sufficient fresh air exists, should be a matter of importance to any business or property owner, especially given Building Regulations requirements.

So, how is indoor air quality influenced?

1 – Location

Not every business feels the need to respect the air quality guidelines set down by the World Health Organisation (WHO), so your proximity to these companies within urbanised areas is going to have an effect of ambient air quality. Also, if you’re near a major road, the huge amounts of vehicle pollution will also play its part.

2 – Construction

How a building is constructed and maintained is a major driver in indoor air quality (IAQ). Any failure to foresee or react to air conditioning system faults that lead to raised levels of condensation, dampness or mould can have serious health implications to those using the premises.

3 – Human Activity

Since the banning of smoking indoors in Ireland in 2004, the problem of tobacco smoke damage to a building has been eradicated. However, there are other employee related activities that can lead to poor air quality such as the use of printers and toner cartridges. Insufficient ventilation in this instance can quickly lead to poor IAQ.

Within a busy commercial premises, air flow can be disrupted or affected in a number of different ways and it is the owner that has a duty to its staff and to their own success to ensure a satisfactory standard of air quality in the workspace.

If you would like help assessing or addressing any airflow issues, please call us on 01 4872300 or visit www.varming.ie today.  At Varming Consulting Engineers, we are a leading experts in sustainable design and emerging technologies in the field of electrical and mechanical engineering across the whole of the construction industry.

We are well placed to assist and look forward to helping you meet your business needs.