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Air Quality Blog Part 1: Air quality affects health and productivity. Why is "air quality" attracting attention these days?
Have you ever been worried about the air in your room, be it dust, pollen, coronavirus, bad odors, or damp humidity? In fact, it is said that 83% of the substances we humans take into our bodies are air, and the majority of that is indoor air (※1). Despite the fact that we take in so much air, few people are concerned about the quality of their air, like they are concerned about the quality of their water or food.
In recent years, the impact of air on health and productivity has been proven, and interest in "indoor air quality (IAQ)" is on the rise overseas. In countries with a high level of environmental awareness, efforts have begun to improve air quality in order to create offices where people can work healthily and comfortably.
What exactly is "air quality"? And why is it important? Here we will introduce the basics of air quality and the benefits of measuring air quality.
What is air quality? The importance of air quality to health and productivity
Air quality, known in English as "Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)," refers primarily to the amount and condition of air components indoors. Although air is invisible, it contains components that are harmful to the human body, such as mold, viruses, and chemicals. Air quality is determined by the amount of these components, as well as temperature and humidity.
Air quality has a significant impact on health. Furthermore, recent research has shown that air quality also affects work productivity and motivation. (*2) Paying attention to air quality is directly linked to maintaining health and working efficiently.
In modern times, air pollution caused by forest fires and industrial activities has become a global issue. Indoor air quality is also polluted by various factors. To stop the deterioration of air quality, the World Health Organization (WHO) has published air quality guidelines. Countries such as the United States, Germany, and Belgium are also working on improving air quality at the national level.
What are the components that affect air quality? How they affect your health and productivity
What components are contained in air? We will introduce some of the major components that affect air quality.
[Carbon dioxide (CO2)]
Increased carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air can cause dizziness, headaches, breathing difficulties, etc. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the appropriate indoor CO2 concentration is "1000ppm or less."
Various studies have shown that CO2 concentration also affects productivity. For example, in a typing experiment conducted in Japan on adult male students, the amount of work done decreased as the CO2 concentration in the room increased, suggesting that CO2 concentration affects work efficiency (※3).
[Fine particulate matter (PM2.5)]
Particulate matter (PM) refers to tiny solid or liquid particles. It includes dust and soot from factories, black smoke from diesel vehicles, etc. In particular, particles with a particle size of 10 µm or less (1 µm = 1/1000 of 1 mm) are called "suspended particulate matter (SPM)" and are said to remain in the atmosphere for long periods of time and affect the respiratory system.
Indoors, the majority of pollution is made up of smaller particles (PM1.0) with a diameter of 1.0 μm or less. This includes house dust, viruses, cooking smoke, stove combustion gases, etc. Because of their small size, they can easily penetrate deep into the lungs, and there are concerns about their effects on the human body, including respiratory and circulatory system diseases, allergic reactions, and lung cancer.
In addition, overseas research has reported that an increase in particulate matter (PM) leads to a decrease in worker productivity.
[Formaldehyde]
Formaldehyde is a chemical substance used in plywood, adhesives, mold inhibitors, etc. It is known as one of the substances that cause "sick house syndrome," which causes irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, headaches, fatigue, etc., and has also been pointed out as being carcinogenic.
Sick house syndrome can also occur in the workplace or school, where it is called "sick building syndrome."
[Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)]
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a general term for organic compounds that become gas in the atmosphere. They are used in a variety of products, and there are about 200 types, including well-known ones such as toluene and xylene. They are said to be the cause of "chemical sensitivity," which is a condition in which a person reacts to trace amounts of chemicals and experiences symptoms such as sore throat, headache, fatigue, and dermatitis. In addition, a wide range of health risks have been pointed out, including sick building syndrome, effects on respiratory diseases, effects on the endocrine and nervous systems, and carcinogenicity.
[Nitrogen oxides (NOx)]
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) include nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). When something burns at high temperatures, nitrogen (N) in the air or nitrogen compounds contained in fuel combine with oxygen (O2) to produce nitrogen oxides. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in particular is highly toxic and is found in car exhaust fumes, stove combustion gases, and gas stove smoke, and is known to cause respiratory diseases.
So far, we have introduced the main components that affect air quality. In addition, temperature and humidity also have a significant impact on air quality. Whether or not you pay attention to air quality on a daily basis can make a big difference in your physical and mental health, work efficiency, and more.
Measuring "air quality" to create a healthy and productive environment
Despite its importance to humans, air quality has not received much attention until now. The reason is that there was no method to measure air quality accurately and easily, making it difficult to quantitatively evaluate it.
However, in recent years, high-precision air quality sensors have appeared that can be installed in offices, etc. Monitoring air quality using such sensors provides the following benefits, for example:
<Benefits of air quality monitoring>
・By measuring the CO2 concentration and ventilating when it exceeds a certain value, you can create an environment where you can concentrate and improve work efficiency.
・By measuring the amount of PM and cleaning areas with high particle counts, you can maintain a comfortable working environment.
・Health risks can be reduced by measuring harmful substances such as formaldehyde and VOCs and quickly removing them if they exceed a certain level.
In other countries, air quality initiatives are already being emphasized by governments, health organizations, building owners, facility managers, etc. There is no doubt that interest in air quality will also increase in Japan in the future.
Summary
This time, we introduced "air quality," which has been gaining attention in recent years. Air quality has a significant impact on health and productivity. By monitoring air quality, we can create a comfortable environment that increases productivity.
Recently, from the perspective of sustainability, certification systems that evaluate the environmental performance of office buildings and other facilities have become a hot topic. Among these, an international evaluation system called "WELL Certification" focuses on the health and comfort of people who spend time in buildings. Air quality is one of the main evaluation items in WELL Certification.
In the next column, we will introduce the latest trends in WELL certification.
Macnica offers Indoor air quality monitoring solution called "AiryQonnect." You can select a sensor terminal that suits your installation environment, and it is possible to measure indoor air quality with high accuracy. This allows you to achieve safe, secure, and comfortable air quality in a variety of locations, such as offices, stores, and factories.
References:
(※1) Shuzo Murakami, "Housing and the Human Body: From an Engineering Perspective" (Clinical Environmental Medicine, Vol. 9, No. 2) http://jsce-ac.umin.jp/200725/jjce9_2_49.pdf, (accessed 2024-05-10)
(※2) Jun Munekata and Tomoyo Tanaka, "Research into the Influence of Office Environment on Motivation of Workers" (Architectural Institute of Japan, Environmental Journal, Vol. 79, No. 695)
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/aije/79/695/79_19/_pdf, (accessed 2024-05-10)
(※3) Ryo Mimura and Tomoyuki Chikamoto, "Research on the classroom learning environment and learning effects (Report 9) The effects of changes in CO2 concentration and thermal environment on work performance and physiological and psychological quantities"
(Proceedings of the Society of Heating, Air-Conditioning and Sanitary Engineers of Japan Annual Conference, Vol. 8)
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/shasetaikai/2018.8/0/2018.8_169/_pdf/-char/ja, (accessed 2024-05-10)
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