IMPROVING INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVES THE PERFORMANCE OF OFFICE WORK AND SCHOOLWORK

Recent studies show that improving indoor air quality (IAQ) from the mediocre level prevalent in manybuildings worldwide improves the performance of office work by adults and the performance ofschoolwork by children. These results constitute a strong incentive for providing indoor air of a qualitythat is better than the minimum levels required by present standards. IAQ can be improved by reducingthe pollution load on the air by selecting low-polluting building and furnishing materials and electronicoffice equipment, as well as reducing pollution in ventilation systems, and/or by increasing the outdoorair supply rate. Although these measures can increase somewhat the costs of running the buildings,especially as regards energy costs, they are highly cost-effective and their implementation has a shortpay-back time if the benefits from increased productivity are included in calculations. This is becausethe economic benefits from improved productivity exceed considerably the costs involved. Newintelligent design of the building envelope and the ventilation systems with careful selection of buildingand furnishing materials, and the use of advanced methods for cleaning the air can further reduce thecosts of providing high IAQ in future buildings. This will not only improve productivity and learning, butwill in addition promote health and comfort.