Three Reasons We Need a Better Solution for Unhealthy Indoor Air
One of the most significant shifts in recent years has been a renewed focus on a critical health issue: the quality of the indoor air we breathe. Left unchecked, poor indoor air quality can harm our health and communities.
We spend 90% of our lives indoors, yet conversations about clean air were previously focused on outdoor air quality. However, this changed in 2020 as people began demanding more to be done to protect the health of our indoor public spaces where we work, live, and play.
As people became more aware of how viruses spread through the air, there was a growing demand for new methods to clean shared spaces without harming people or the planet.
Old Solutions Do More Harm Than Good
Businesses have long relied on manual disinfection methods for indoor spaces, but these options are harmful to both people and the environment and do not actually clean the air. The pandemic underscored the risk associated with airborne pathogens, prompting businesses to address indoor air quality. Many turned to options like HVAC systems that were not designed to improve indoor air quality. These systems simply circulate air through buildings, with their primary purpose being heating or cooling. And companies are running these HVAC systems 30-50% more frequently as a band-aid solution to indoor air circulation issues, resulting in increased carbon emissions harmful to our planet.
Health and Well-being Associated with Improved Air Quality
Communities rightfully demand a focus on healthier indoor environments. Efforts to proactively provide a higher indoor air quality (IAQ) standard, as demonstrated by the US Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Air in Buildings Challenge, have rapidly gained momentum.
Research shows a link between indoor air quality and various health issues, including both physical and mental health impacts. Consequently, there has been a flow of new technologies aimed at addressing indoor air quality issues, such as HEPA filters, sensors that monitor air quality in real-time, and autonomous disinfection platforms.
Protecting Our Workforce
Studies also demonstrate the impact of poor indoor air quality on work performance and student achievement. Research at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health found cost-effective ways to improve indoor air ventilation rates, which could increase worker productivity by thousands of dollars annually. By making indoor spaces safer and more sustainable, companies can prepare their workforce for success by prioritizing their health in the shared spaces where they spend significant time each day.
