Technology the Key to Improved IEQ

We spend 80 percent of our time indoors, yet the Environmental Protection Agency says the indoor environment is 10-100 times more polluted than outdoors. How can we make indoor space more livable?

First, though, we need an understanding of what makes many indoor environments unhealthy. The indoor environment is composed of a complex soup of potential contaminants that can pollute the air we breathe and water we drink. Noise levels may be high and lighting levels conducive to eyestrain and headaches. Building materials may off-gas pollutants, poorly designed computer stations may lead to musculo-skeletal problems, and thermal stressors may be prevalent – some occupants say they are too hot; others, too cold. Deadly radon gas seeps into some buildings, health-damaging mold and bacteria may proliferate, insulation could be made from cancer-causing asbestos and paint may contain lead.

Human activities are another profound source of indoor pollutants. All of us give off carbon dioxide as a byproduct of respiration. The gas is harmless at low levels, but as concentrations rise, occupant complaints of drowsiness and fatigue begin to go up as well. Stress associated with office work – what some call office dynamics – also may lead to emotional distress if not outright physical illness and increased susceptibility to infection.

If this weren’t enough, outside pollutants may enter the building to compound already existing undesirable conditions. Intake ventilation grilles at street level can attract hydrocarbon emissions from vehicles, such as diesel exhaust. Dangerous carbon monoxide may enter the building.

Building management activities may also have an adverse effect. To save energy, newer buildings are “tight,” meaning in part that occupants cannot open windows. The amount of outside air permitted to enter is strictly controlled while a premium is placed on recirculating air. Dangerous pesticides may be inadvertently introduced; custodian cleaning practices may befoul the air with chemical hazards. Poorly-maintained rooftop cooling towers may contain bacteria-causing Legionnaire’s Disease. Needless to say, the total environment inside buildings is highly complex, making achievement of acceptable environmental quality a genuine challenge.

Specialists in segments of indoor environmental quality (IEQ), such as ventilation engineers or ergonomists, are proficient when it comes to problems within their areas of expertise, but few are trained to see the total picture. That’s where Dr. Liam Keane comes in. Keane, who heads Northern Virginia-based Enviro Dynamics, Inc., travels worldwide advocating a comprehensive approach to IEQ and devising creative solutions to building problems. With training in the identification and remediation of occupational hazards and a Ph.D. in chemistry and a M.S. in Environmental Health Science, he is well-equipped for the task.

While not dismissing time-tested solutions, Keane is a forceful proponent of new technologies for solving IEQ issues. Even with something as basic as air filtration, new technology can make the difference between “good” and “bad” indoor air. He cites as an example a revolutionary new filtration system perfected by StrionAir that both removes submicron particles at greater than 95 percent efficiency while using much less energy than conventional filters, but also kills up to 99 percent of pathogens such as anthrax, mold, and bacteria. In this age of bioterrorism, StrionAir’s germicidal capability alone is a technological milestone.

“Break-throughs like StrionAir’s patented filtration system are what will result in the greatest strides forward in improved environmental quality in the future,” Keane said.

For more information on IEQ or Environmental Health and Safety Systems contact Dr. Keane at Enviro Dynamics, Inc. 703-760-0023 or www.2edi.com. For additional information on the StrionAir system visit www.strionair.com.