Love is in the air: How environmental monitoring can improve health and well-being in buildings
Published on July 13, 2020Air quality may have improved while people have stayed at home, walked more and travelled less during the coronavirus pandemic, but, as the world gets ready to restart, harmful levels of pollution in our towns and cities will begin to rise again. But have you ever thought about how this air can permeate through to the indoor environment and affect the health and well-being of those inside?
On average, we spend almost 8000 hours per year indoors, but most of us have no idea of the air quality in our homes and workspaces. External monitoring has revealed that harmful levels of pollutants are now prevalent. All the major cities in the UK, for example, consistently exceed World Health Organization standards for airborne pollutants. As our cities become more populated, cars get back on the road and people return to work after lockdown, this trend is forecast to increase.
Poor air quality, however, is at the root of many health conditions. Overexposure to atmospheric pollutants can cause respiratory diseases and heart problems and particulate matter in the air causes 3% of cardiopulmonary and 5% of lung cancer deaths worldwide. Poor air quality is also linked to depression and a deterioration in mental health.
But, how does this air permeate through to the indoor environment and affect occupantโs health? How does the buildup of indoor pollutants, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), affect cognitive function, decision making and productivity?
RSK company ZED, an air quality consultancy, has undertaken significant research and development work in this field and has a team of experts helping to facilitate change within the built environment by enabling buildings to establish, track and improve their air quality.
โPolluted outdoor air is what we use as the basis for ventilating our indoor spaces,โ explains ZED Director Will Procter. โMixing external contaminants with โhuman-generatedโ pollution in the form of COโ brings about a double negative that affects not only our health, but also our levels of concentration, decision making and productivity. However, we now have the capacity to measure our exposure to polluted air and act on the data.โ
COโ levels in occupied spaces can build up throughout the day, even with functioning ventilation systems, and cause loss of concentration and increased likelihood of poor cognition. Studies on COโ levels and their effects on cognition have found that even small increases in concentrations (from 600 to 1000 ppm, the โdesign targetโ for many ventilation systems) can affect decision making performance by up to 15%. At 2500 ppm, the previously accepted โmaximum levelโ, decision making metrics drop through the floor, โtaking the initiativeโ and โstrategic thinkingโ being classed as dysfunctional. The symptoms of a building with poor air quality will also include increased levels of absenteeism, presenteeism and unhappy, unproductive people.
ZED can provide a wide range of high-quality building performance advice and evaluation, sustainability and well-being consultancy services focusing on
- Improving health and wellness
- Improving productivity
- Continuous data monitoring
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning system optimisation analysis
- Improvement change reporting
- Impact feedback and guidance
- Air filtration maintenance
- Healthy Building Certification and maintenance (WELL, fitwel, RESET).
In whatever setting, from businesses in the heart of the city to classrooms, shopping centres, gyms and health care spaces, when air quality exceeds the target parameters, it opens opportunities to optimise ventilation systems. For example, the alignment of operation and occupation times can deliver fresh air where and when needed. This can unlock incredible energy and carbon savings, and improve health and well-being.
ZED works across all construction sectors in the UK, Europe and worldwide. For more information on ZEDโs air quality consultancy services, please see their brochure or contact hello@zed-uk.com.
๐ณ๏ธโ๐ RSK is proud to stand alongside members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community.
๐ People deserve to be their authentic selves and love freely without fear.
You can read Graeme and Abigail's full stories next week in RSK insights. Keep an eye on our social media for more information.
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๐ธ #selfiesonsite ๐คณ
Ryan Dunderdale, Senior Surveyor at Central Alliance, providing technical support and on-site training to datum plate install teams down in Bristol.
Want to join our team? View our latest opportunities ๐ www.rskgroup.com/careers
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๐ In the June edition of our #employeespotlight, we spoke with with Rosie Pearce at Stephenson Halliday and Carmen Snowdon at WRc Group to find out about their recent achievements ๐
๐ Congratulations to you both!
Click the link in our bio to find out more!
#rskfamily #employeeapprecitation #team #landscapeinstitute #instituteofwater #architecture
"If you donโt feel valued, represented and respected in your workplace, then inevitably your #wellbeing will suffer.โ
๐ In our latest edition of #ADayInTheLife, we spoke with Ellen Lapworth-Maisey, Wellbeing, #Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at RSK โ a fascinating position that helps to create an inclusive and empowering #culture for all RSK staff.
Click the link in bio to learn more!
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Some pictures of the Envireau Water staff on site.
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๐ถ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐
#RSKSteps came to an end on Tuesday 31 May after a month of stepping adventures.
๐๐ป ๐ป๐๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐:
โ๏ธ1449 participants
โ๏ธ332,268,416 steps
โ๏ธยฃ1500 raised for our chosen charity, MIND!
Read more about this fantastic challenge in our bio!
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๐ Join Dirk Van Look and Chris Hughes on our webinar all about #PFAS โ perfluoroalkyl substances, which are both human-made and known to be harmful to humans.
๐ก We will showcase real-life examples to demonstrate how RSK is responding and developing capabilities to assess these emerging #contaminants.
Find out more and register now in our bio!
#RSKGroup #RSKfamily #PFAScontaminants #foreverchemicals #chemicals
๐ In light of #PrideMonth, we are sharing information about how to become a better ally. #Pride offers a sense of solidarity and a platform for expression.
Keep an eye out for our upcoming posts!
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๐ข RSK is pleased to announce it has further expanded its presence in Ireland by acquiring one of the most reputable tree care companies in the country.
๐ณ Dermot Casey Tree Care was founded in the 1970s by Managing Director Dermot Casey and is one of the most highly regarded tree surgery companies in Ireland, with more than 50 years of experience.
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