Indoor Air Quality

Problems with poor indoor air quality can be commonly known as sick building syndrome. This situation occurs when buidling occupants experience health effects or comfort effects that seem to be linked to time spent in the building.

Often the effects can be linked to poor building design such as ventilation or occupants activities or the presence of water or other contamination caused by dust or chemicals.

K2 can investigate the cause of the poor air quality by a structured air quality audit, which may include air sampling or measuring of air quality indicators such as temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide.

Causes of Poor Air Quality

• Inadequate Ventillation The ventilation system may not adequately distribute enough fresh air to all occupants of a building or area. Servicing of air conditioning systems is important to good ventilation.

• Contaminants-This may be from indoor our outdoor, items such as dust or particles, vehicle emissions, air pollution. A combustion source from inside or outside the building can produce toxic combustion gases and respirable particles. New furniture and paint are a source of organic compounds and formaldehyde.

• Biological Contaminants- Bacteria and Fungus can have a detrimental effect on peoples health. Fungus often occurs when there is a source of water. This can generate volatile organic compounds that can have a health effect. Bacteria can from other peoples coughs and colds, bird droppings, insects or humidifiers.

Test Options

Poor Air Quality can be indentified by carefully selected air tests in conjunction with review of work practices. Air tests can measure the amount of ventialation by testing for carbon dioxide. Contaminants in the air can be identified by using one of the numerous air test methods that K2 Environmental has experience with.

Testing for fungus and bacteria are able to be performed and this can be a useful tool in indentifying the cause of a air quality problem. Tests for fungus and bacteria can be either living or dead material. Both dead and living material can have a health effect.