INDOOR AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENTS
The quality of air in indoor environments is critical to the health, comfort and well-being of building users. Elan Environmental provides a wide range of air quality testing and advisory services to ensure that the air in and around your buildings is of optimum quality and meets regulatory and environmental requirements.
Indoor air quality testing has demonstrated elevated internal pollution levels can lead to a range of adverse impacts on our physical health. These can include immediate symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness and fatigue, as well as long-term health effects such as asthma, respiratory diseases, heart disease and cancer. It is therefore important that the air we breathe within our internal built environment is free from harmful pollutants.
If poor indoor air quality is suspected, it is recommended that a specialist Air Quality Consultant is appointed in order to investigate potential contaminant sources and identify suitable measures to reduce exposure levels to an acceptable level.
Indoor Air Quality Assessments
Elan Environmental is able to provide comprehensive Indoor Air Quality Assessment services, including:
- Indoor Air Quality Testing to monitor for a range of common internal pollutants including Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), formaldehyde, viable moulds and bacteria, dust, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide;
- Indoor Air Quality Testing in support of the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) standard; and,
- Workplace Air Quality Monitoring to determine compliance with the requirements of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations and relevant Health and Safety legislation.
Why undertake Indoor Air Quality Testing?
Poor air quality within the internal environment may be attributable to a number of different sources. These can include materials within the building such as fixtures, fittings and cleaning products, as well as emissions from specific activities in the case of industrial installations. In addition, high internal pollution levels may be caused by inadequate ventilation or ingress of airborne substances from the external environment. These sources may act individually or collectively to cause a deterioration in air quality.
As we spend a substantial amount of our time indoors, it is critically important that the air we breathe is free from harmful levels of pollutants. Prolonged exposure may lead to health effects, reduced productivity and staff well-being. In a commercial environment, these factors can contribute to sickness and absence from work which can result in negative implications for individuals and businesses.
A solution to the issue is to identify, quantify and remediate contaminant sources by undertaking Indoor Air Quality Testing. This work should be carried out by a suitably qualified Air Quality Consultant with the relevant expertise and technical knowledge.
