Indoor Air Quality Blurb
Is it ”Sick Building
Syndrome” or “Building Related Illness”?
According to the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), the term "sick building syndrome" (SBS) is
used to describe situations in which building occupants experience
acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time
spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be
identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or
zone, or may be widespread throughout the building. In contrast, the
term "building related illness" (BRI) is used when symptoms of
diagnosable illness are identified and can be attributed directly to
airborne building contaminants.
Indicators of SBS include:
• Building occupants complain
of symptoms associated with acute discomfort, e.g., headache;
eye, nose, or throat irritation; dry cough; dry or itchy skin;
dizziness and nausea; difficulty in concentrating; fatigue; and
sensitivity to odors.
• The cause of the symptoms is not
known.
• Most of the complainants report
relief soon after leaving the building.
Indicators of BRI include:
• Building occupants complain
of symptoms such as cough; chest tightness; fever, chills; and
muscle aches
• The symptoms can be clinically
defined and have clearly identifiable causes.
• Complainants may require prolonged
recovery times after leaving the building.
Causes of Sick Building Syndrome
The following have been cited
causes of or contributing factors to sick building syndrome:
• Inadequate ventilation: (ASHRAE)
recently revised its ventilation standard to provide a minimum
of 15 cfm of outdoor air per person (20 cfm/person in office
spaces).
• Chemical contaminants from indoor
sources: Most indoor air pollution comes from sources inside the
building.
• Chemical contaminants from outdoor
sources: Outdoor air that enters a building.
• Biological contaminants: Bacteria,
molds, pollen, and viruses are types of biological contaminants.
Building Investigation Procedures
The goal of a building investigation is to identify and solve indoor
air quality complaints in a way that prevents them from recurring
and which avoids the creation of other problems. To achieve this
goal, it is necessary for the investigator(s) to discover whether a
complaint is actually related to indoor air quality, identify the
cause of the complaint, and determine the most appropriate
corrective actions.
An indoor air quality investigation
procedure is best characterized as a cycle of information gathering,
hypothesis formation, and hypothesis testing. It generally begins
with a walkthrough inspection of the problem area to provide
information about the four basic factors that influence indoor air
quality:
• The occupants
• The HVAC system
• Possible pollutant pathways
• Possible contaminant sources.
Solutions Solutions to sick
building syndrome and building related illness usually include
combinations of the following:
• Pollutant source removal:
Examples include routine maintenance of HVAC systems (including
cleaning and remediation).
• Increasing ventilation rates and air
distribution: HVAC systems should be designed to meet
ventilation standards in local building codes.
• Air cleaning can be a useful adjunct
to source control and ventilation but has certain limitations.
• Education and communication are
important elements in both remedial and preventive indoor air
quality management programs.
More detail on this subject is
available on the Environmental Protection Agency website.
Doug Long, ASCS
Power Vac America, Inc.
Commercial
Air Duct Cleaning and HVAC Systems Cleaning in Texas
