 Canadians spend nearly 90% of their time indoors (1). Consequently, the maintenance of good indoor air quality (IAQ) is essential to our health and well-being. Signs of poor indoor air quality include shortness of breath, coughing, nausea, headaches, and chronic allergies (2).
Poor indoor air quality may be caused by poor air parameters, or by the presence of pollutants. Poor air parameters include incorrect temperature settings, excessively high or low humidity levels, improper lighting, and excess noise (2). Indoor air pollutants can be biological or chemical. Biological pollutants are living organisms including mold, bacteria, and dust mites. These may cause health problems such as allergic reactions with hay fever symptoms, skin rashes, and asthma (3). Chemical pollutants can exist in gaseous or particulate form, and include compounds such as carbon dioxide and radon. Chemical pollutants often originate from tobacco smoke, household products such as cleaners, and furniture or building materials.
The City of Toronto's Human Resources Division (2004) has set some general IAQ guidelines for their office spaces. These guidelines state that indoor air should have no known contaminants at harmful concentrations, and that no more than 20% of the individuals in the space should be experiencing discomfort from their environment (4).
Select a category on the right to learn more about strategies for maintaining good IAQ.
Sources:
1 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 2005. Indoor Particulate and Floor Cleaning (webpage).
2 Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, 2007. Indoor Air Quality General (webpage).
3 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2008. A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home (webpage).
4 City of Toronto, 2004. Human Resources Policies: Indoor Air Quality (webpage).
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