BSEE
ir pollution is a “public health emergency”, according to the World Health Organisation
COVER STORY
Combatting bad indoor air quality A
Since the UK Government
published its Clean Air Strategy in January, indoor air quality (IAQ) has consistently been in the headlines. Lee Caulfield, sales director at Titon’s Venlaon Systems Division, looks at the approaches to venlaon available to installers and specifiers to ensure healthy levels of IAQ
(WHO), with more than 90% of the global population enduring toxic outdoor air. New analysis indicates 8.8m early deaths each year – double earlier estimates – making air pollution a bigger killer than tobacco smoking.* Indeed, COMEAP – the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants – completed a report in August last year suggesting that between 28,000 and 36,000 premature deaths in the UK every year could be linked to exposure to air pollution. These figures arose after the panel (which issues advice to government) detailed its findings on research into the possible loss of life in the UK caused by exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2 NO2
).**
levels are particularly high in urban and highly polluted areas, with diesel vehicles responsible for producing the majority of the harmful gas. Ironically, in the late 1990s, previous governments successively endorsed diesel cars as being economical and less harmful to the planet – a sentiment that has since been revealed to be rather misguided. Now, as modern properties continue to be built in inner-city areas, careful
entering people’s homes. There are many existing ventilation strategies for new build properties in place with mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) being the best approach when looking at long term energy efficient requirements. This is the only option that can actually recover heat from exhaust air and, by specifying MVHR System 4 in a home, moisture and airborne contaminants can be removed, resulting in a healthier indoor environment for occupants. With housing in the UK still high in demand, we are now seeing more and more new homes being built in environments ranging from brownfield sites to inner city areas, each with their own unique
consideration needs to be given to IAQ – and reducing the amount of NO2
surroundings and complications. In fact, sometimes extracting moisture and airborne contaminants via MVHR is not enough when it comes to ensuring the air entering a property is of a healthy quality. MVHR systems currently offer grades of filters that can be placed within the ventilation unit to combat PM10 and PM2.5 particulate matter, depending on the filter (F7 or G4 to EN779:2012 standards or ISO16890 Coarse 55% depending on the standard being used). PM2.5 particulates measure less than 2.5 micrometres, making them too small to see with the eye, yet pose a significant health risk, as they can easily find their way into people’s lungs and then the bloodstream. However, there are numerous other external contaminants posing a threat to IAQ – and not just NO2. There are also pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, hydrogen chloride, chlorine, ammonia odours, solvents and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In order to combat these threats to occupants’ health, specially designed NO2 filters have now been introduced that can be added to an MVHR system and remove these pollutants. These filters (such as Titon’s own, award-winning Trimbox NO2
Filter® ), incorporate balanced flow technology to reduce NO2 to an
acceptable mean concentration level of 40µg/m3. Capable of absorbing 98% of NO2
, filters can be
installed in both inlet and supply ducting. Plus, they can be used in small to large dwellings, provided they are able to operate with variable airflow. Titon’s Trimbox NO2
Filter® is actually
the most compact of these filters available on the market, offering the added benefits of a pre-filter option that provides increased protection from external contaminants. These units also boast exceptional acoustic properties, ensuring occupants are not disturbed by unwanted noise, helping to create a healthy home. Although it is reassuring to see the ventilation industry taking notice of
12 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER DECEMBER 2019
the impact of air pollution, caution is still advised when selecting NO2 filters, particularly as not every model is equal in terms of effectiveness. For example, some products incorporate large carbon filters to adhere to dwell time (i.e. the air passing through must remain in contact with the filters for a specified period of time), increasing airflow to achieve the desired absorption rate; however, this only works for large (and cumbersome) units – resulting in products that are both expensive due to extra pressure added to the system to combat this and difficult to install due to the increase in ducting and MVHR size.
So, the importance of embracing a ventilation strategy with suitable levels of filtration is clear, especially with properties now being build in more urban environments. Indeed, as the air outside becomes more polluted, it is imperative to incorporate the latest, high quality NO2
filters as part of modern
ventilation systems; this will, in turn, combat the pollutants entering people’s homes, ensuring the air inside remains clean and healthy.
*
https://www.theguardian.com/ environment/ng-interactive/2019/may/17/ air-pollution-may-be-damaging-every-organ- and-cell-in-the-body-finds-global-review **
https://airqualitynews.com/2018/08/22/ comeap-updates-estimates-on-uk-air- pollution-deaths/
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