Feature A breath of fresh air In business, productivity is everything. It drives efficiencies, creates profits and promotes
economic growth. The human aspect is critical: if staff are to give the very best of themselves the environment in which they work is critical too. Julie Godefroy of Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) says the air we breathe can have a big impact on productivity.
Improvements in indoor air quality (IAQ) can result in a significant improvement in the cognitive performance of office workers.
The latest issue of CIBSE’s Technical Memoranda TM40: Health and Wellbeing in Building Services (due for publication November 2019), makes reference to a number of studies which have found benefits in improving IAQ by avoiding pollutant sources, providing adequate ventilation rates and filtering the air supply where needed. It also notes recent studies on ventilation rates, including one – led by Harvard University, based on the decision - making performance of a team of 24 participants – which suggest that in working environments the “optimum fresh air rate would be between 20 and 39 l/s/person”. This is a significant increase on CIBSE’s current minimum recommended fresh air rate of 8 to 10 l/s/person for a typical mechanically ventilated space. However, TM40 does acknowledge that this is a developing area and that the majority of studies “support the current guidelines on fresh air rates.”
In the current Building Regulations in England and Wales,
ventilation is used as a proxy for IAQ. Building Regulations Schedule 1, Part F (1) states: ‘There shall be adequate means of ventilation provided for people in the building’. Adequate is defined as a ventilation system ‘capable of limiting pollutants originating within a building which would otherwise be a hazard to the health of the people in the building’. Appendix A of Approved Document F sets out the current
recommended levels of moisture and other common pollutants from indoor air sources in dwellings, such as nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. It also recommends that exposure to Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) levels should not exceed 300µg/m3 averaged over 8 hours. That said, both Part L and Part F of the Building Regulations in England and Wales
are currently under review so the
requirements may change in the coming months. In particular, the draft revised AD-F, of which Volume 1 - Dwelling has recently published for consultation, proposes the addition of maximum recommended levels of formaldehyde (for reasons which are not explained, it also omits the current limits on ozone levels). While the revised AD-F for non-dwelling has not yet been published, it would be logical to expect similar changes in it too. TM40 suggests a number of measures FMs could explore to
improve workspace IAQ. These include: • Reducing pollutants at source to reduce occupants’ exposure to them. In mechanically ventilated offices one solution might be to install air filters. while for naturally ventilated buildings operators should consider ventilating on facades less exposed to sources of pollutants such as busy roads, exhausts from neighbouring buildings and other identifiable sources of pollution.
• Flushing the building, or affected rooms, can help dissipate pollutants if high levels of VOCs are identified after construction, refurbishment, fit-out or the installation of new furniture. TM40 suggests that repeated flushing could be
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beneficial for the first few months of occupation, particularly if formaldehyde levels are found to be high.
• Likewise, if high VOCs are identified in a “settled” building, then this is likely due to equipment or cleaning products which emit VOCs. TM40 suggests that cleaning products should be changed for low-emitting ones and that consideration should be given to cleaning in the evening, rather than in the morning just before the office is occupied. Cleaning products, as well as sources such as printers, should be located in an enclosed space with adequate ventilation.
ventilation
Ultimately good IAQ in offices will depend on a good strategy supported by
detailed monitoring and
regular cleaning and maintenance. Poor maintenance issues that can impact IAQ highlighted in TM40 include: • Badly maintained combustion equipment, such as boilers, which can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning
• filers not being changed or poorly installed • unclean ductwork, which could introduce pollutants and smells into a space
• Poorly drained condensate pans in air handling units and fan coil units, creating the conditions for microbial growth
CIBSE Guide M provides detail on scheduling of inspections and maintenance activities for ventilation plant in all types of environments. Currently there are several voluntary schemes which require indoor air quality to be tested including BREEAM, LEED and WELL. These all set a VOC limit of 500µg/m3, (although the BREEAM limit applies pre-occupancy) and in addition WELL also encourages the constant monitoring and testing of IAQ. When engineering consultancy Cundall moved its London
office, it used the opportunity to trial WELL Certification on the workspace. As part of the Certification process, Cundall focused on the specification of low-emission materials and finishes. Despite this, one early IAQ test showed VOC levels to be almost three times those allowed by WELL. After investigation, it was found that the building had been cleaned the night before using products with a high VOC content. Since completion, Cundall has been monitoring the impact
of the WELL measures on its workforce. The findings are impressive: according to the organisation it has seen a 50% drop in absenteeism compared to the year before the move and a 27% reduction in staff turnover. The evidence from Cundall would suggest that a healthy
workplace with good indoor air quality is an environment in which people can thrive. While a healthy workplace is not necessarily a productive workplace, to be productive office workers need to be well; and even a modest improvement in employee wellness could have huge financial implications for a business.
For more information on CIBSE TM40 and CIBSE Guide M go to
www.cibse.org
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