Applications

The indoor air in schools can contain many different contaminants and pollutants. Staff and students have significant exposure to these airborne contaminants, reinforcing the need for proper airflow and ventilation.

Indoor air quality in schools has clear impacts on the health, quality of life, learning performance, and the attendance of school children, teachers, and staff in Europe. The findings of the SINPHONIE project show that asthma at school may affect 100,000 children in Europe, with the most common symptom being a blocked nose (47%).

Main sources of air pollutants in Schools:

• Nearby traffic (67% of the schools are affected by it)
• CO2 levels (about 20% of all schools are operating with occupation densities lower than 2 m2 /child, leading to undesired levels of CO2 in classrooms)
• Building age (most school buildings were built in the 1990s or earlier.) Even though 60% of the buildings have been retrofitted to some extent since then, they are still far from being considered as a healthy indoor air quality environment.
• The use of didactic materials, including glues and paints, are also among the sources of indoor air pollution.

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Better air quality was designated one of the top eight wellness trends for 2018 according to the Global Wellness Summit., and guests are even more aware of indoor air quality after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• 91% of consumers believe that Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is important in the prevention of COVID-19 spread
• 76% said a rating system on the IAQ of a building- similar to restaurant ratings- would help them feel better about entering that building
• 77% of consumers said proof about a hotel’s IAQ would impact their decision on where to stay
• 55% said they would pay more to stay at a hotel with better IAQ

Main sources of air pollution in hotels and vacation rentals:

• Tobacco
• Dust and dust mites
• Mould
• Particles
• Airborne bacteria and virus
• Odours
• Pollen
• VOCs

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In the WHO European Region alone, exposure to particulate matter (PM) decreases the life expectancy of every person by an average of almost 1 year, mostly due to increased risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and lung cancer. On top of that, 40 million people in the 115 largest cities in the European Union (EU) are exposed to air exceeding WHO air quality guideline values for at least one pollutant.

Most of us spend 90% of our days indoors – either at home, at work, or school. How can you make sure your environment is free of pollutants that might make you sick?

Main sources of pollutants at home:

• Cleaning products
• Paint
• Furniture
• Outside pollution (traffic, factories, pollen, etc.)
• Cooking

Main sources of pollutants:

• Gasses or particles from burning fuels (like NO2 and CO2)
• Tobacco Smoke
• VOCs
• Radon
• Chemicals
• Allergens
• Formaldehyde

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Offices’ indoor air quality is important as it is shared consistently with coworkers, visitors, and vendors who can bring in viruses, and bacteria. Airborne irritants and pollutants derive from construction and building materials as well.

Poor indoor air quality can negatively impact your employees’ performance and productivity. In fact, employees have reported that poor indoor air quality makes them sleepier during the day, and more than a third reported up to an hour lost in productivity as a result. Air quality and light directly impact an employee’s performance, happiness, and well-being.

Main sources of pollutants:

• Cleaning products
• Paint
• Furniture
• Outside pollution (traffic, factories, pollen, etc.)
• Cooking

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