Burning issue
Air apparent B
reathing is fundamental to human life – it’s the first thing we do when we’re born and the last thing we do when we die.
Recognising this, the world is finally waking up to the pressing need for good quality air. The most obvious (and the most important) reason for this is health and wellbeing, but there are also other important considerations. For example, indoor air quality (IAQ) can have a
dramatic impact on productivity at work and, as it becomes more recognised as a critical issue, the legal ramifications of poor air quality increase. On the latter point, the UK government has spent
more than half a million pounds on failed legal battles against clean air campaigners, according to figures obtained under a recent freedom of information request by the Labour Party. So there are compelling reasons to take air quality seriously. Globally, air pollution is the leading environmental cause of early death, contributing to the equivalent of 5% of all fatalities. In the UK, long-term exposure to particulate air pollution is estimated to have an effect equivalent to 29,000 deaths a year. Particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide – two of the main airborne pollutants – cost the National
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The costs – both monetary and in terms of health – associated with poor air quality are enormous. Clean air is a human right so it’s about time we tackle the issue head on, says Mark Taylor from Camfil
Health Service and social care in England almost £43 million in 2017. The total healthcare cost of air pollution is expected to be £1.6 billion between 2017 and 2025.
But not all the statistics are negative. Better IAQ
produced thanks to higher air supply rate and / or appropriate filter maintenance can increase productivity in offices by 10%. Furthermore, improving IAQ reduces sick leave rates by 39% and associated costs by 44%. There is an inherent link between indoor and outdoor air quality. Air pollutants generated outdoors are relevant to IAQ and health if they meet three criteria – they penetrate indoors, generate a significant portion of pollutants to indoor air, and harm the health of at least some of the indoor population. Filters form a vital part of the defence against air pollution. As building envelopes have become increasingly airtight over the years because of the requirements of energy efficiency it has become practical to treat them as safe havens from dirty outside air. Air filtration is integral to this because it can provide impressive air cleaning capabilities. A well-sealed building envelope and effective filtration of incoming supply air can reduce
particle penetration by 78%. To provide a truly healthy and productive indoor air environment in areas with bad air pollution, ventilation systems need filters that are also capable of removing PM1 particles – the smallest and most harmful particulates which are 1 µm (micrometre) or smaller in diameter. Air filters that effectively separate PM1 particles from incoming air not only protect people from serious health problems, but also help sustain the general wellbeing and productivity of people by preventing bacteria and viruses (which are often PM1 in size) from spreading through the ventilation system. We breathe 25kg of air per day, so minimising airborne pollution really does matter. Poor air quality is the greatest environmental risk to public health and it is known to exacerbate the impact of pre-existing health conditions, such as respiratory and cardio-vascular illnesses, as well as contribute to cancer formation and dementia. A clean, healthy environment benefits people and the economy. As well as being vital for people’s health and the environment, it is also essential for making sure our cities are welcoming places for people to live and work now and in the future.
RULES AND REGULATIONS A
Clean Air Bill was introduced to the House of Lords by Baroness Jenny Jones, a Green Party Peer, in July 2018. Drafted in collaboration with Clean Air London, the Bill aims to enshrine the right to breathe clean air into UK law. Particulate and gaseous contaminants pose a serious threat to this security. They can come from indoor sources, from people entering and exiting the building, and from outdoor ventilation systems. These contaminants can result in equipment downtime, complete failure or, in worst case, loss of data. If passed, the Bill – which covers both outdoor and indoor air pollution– will enable people and communities to defend their right to clean air in the courts, forcing councils, corporations and government bodies to take air quality seriously. ISO 16890 is the new global air filtration standard that has replaced EN 779:2012 in
Europe and ASHRAE 52.2 in the USA. ISO 16890 allows filters to be categorised on the basis of how efficiently they perform against PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 particle sizes. ISO 10121-2 is the molecular filter test standard. It aims to provide an objective test method to estimate the performance of any full size gas filtration device for general filtration. ISO 10121 prescribes methods, test equipment, data interpretation and reporting for gas-phase air cleaning devices intended for the removal of gas-phase contamination from air in general ventilation applications. There is also a new Eurovent Energy Rating based on ISO 16890 being introduced, with implementation planned for January 1, 2019. The current Eurovent Energy Rating 2015 is based on EN 779. The new rating 2019 has tables with four energy classes – ePM1, ePM2.5, ePM10 and ISO coarse. The ePM1 class has the best filter capacity. The energy classification is based on annual energy consumption (kWh/y) specific to each ISO efficiency rating.
January 2019
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