Ventilation solutions
What is indoor air quality? Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is the measure of air quality within and around buildings, directly affecting occupant health and comfort. Poor IAQ can be harmful to health in the short-term and long-term, causing respiratory issues, headaches, and even decreased cognitive function. To maintain good indoor air quality, properties should be assessed for problems like damp and mould, volatile organic compounds and by- products from combustion. Solutions should also be investigated, including air filtration, proper ventilation and measures to reduce or eliminate pollutant sources.
What are the standards for indoor air quality?
In the UK, there isn’t an overarching legislation currently in place. However, there are a number of standards and guidelines that encourage adherence to indoor air quality best-practices.
UK building regulations: approved document F: These 2021 amended regulations mandate higher ventilation rates, as well as mechanical ventilation for airtight new homes. New build homes are becoming increasingly airtight, which can lead to a build-up of indoor pollutants if left without proper ventilation. The main goal of Part F is to protect the health of building occupants from things like mould and internal air pollution, by providing adequate ventilation.
WHO Indoor air quality guidelines: These guidelines identify potentially harmful key substances in our homes and set safe limits for these. The WHO categorises these indoor pollutants into three main groups, including biological indoor pollutants (dampness and mould), chemical pollutants, and pollutants from the combustion of indoor fuels.
NICE Indoor air quality at home guidance: This guidance focuses on improving indoor air quality in homes. It offers advice on how to achieve good air quality in homes and includes recommendations for stakeholders such as architects, builders, and developers to follow to comply with building standards.
Awaab’s Law and Social Housing (Regulation) Act: This legislation was driven by the death of 2-year- old Awaab Ishak from exposure to mould in his home. It aims to enforce more stringent and timely action for landlords to ensure safe living conditions and better regulation of social housing.
Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill: Also known as Ella’s Law, named after Ella Adoo Kissi Debrah, the first person in England to have air pollution named as the cause of death by a coroner. This is a proposed UK legislation that aims to make it a legal human right to breathe clean air. It would also require the government to act to bring air quality in every community to minimum WHO standards.
22 December 2024
www.heatingandventilating.net
A guide to UK indoor air quality legislation
In winter, people naturally spend more time inside, where air can be up to five times more polluted than outdoors. Unsurprisingly, with this increased risk to public health from poor air quality, there have been amendments to existing legislation in the UK, as well as new rules and regulations. Alan Siggins, Airflow managing director and ventilation expert offers some insight
Left: Alan Siggins, Airflow managing director and ventilation expert
BS40102 (part one): BS40102 (part one) is the first British Standard for health and well-being in buildings, created by BESA. It offers a framework for evaluating, tracking, and documenting indoor environmental quality (IEQ) across non-residential buildings. It includes evaluation and rating methodologies for factors impacting IEQ, including air quality, lighting, thermal comfort and acoustics. Setting benchmarks helps businesses and building operators monitor and improve IEQ consistently.
The Future Homes and Building Standard
The UK government has pledged to implement new standards, guidelines and regulations that will require all newly constructed homes from 2025 onward to generate 75-80% fewer carbon emissions compared to homes built according to the current regulations.
How to improve indoor air quality ¡ Increase ventilation: Consider mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) systems
during construction or renovation, which provide continuous filtered fresh air while recovering heat to improve energy efficiency. ¡ Controlling the source of pollutants: Identify and reduce sources of indoor pollutants, such as combustion appliances and cleaning products. ¡ Air purification: This helps remove particulate pollutants, gases and odours. Consider installing whole-home air purification systems for enhanced filtration. ¡ Cleaning and maintenance: Regularly clean or replace filters, vents, and ductwork to prevent recirculation of dust and pollutants, and upgrade older ventilation equipment. ¡ Check if recirculation is efficient: Ensure any air ventilation systems are not recirculating stale indoor air excessively by testing the outdoor air intake, filter condition, and overall airflow balance.
www.airflow.com
DOWNLOAD THE HVR APP NOW
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32
