Building Health
AIR QUALITY AN IMPORTANT
DIFFERENTIATOR FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IN 2022
By the SFI Group
As more businesses contemplate hybrid work models , facilities managers and property owners are looking for compelling value-adds to give them a competitive edge in a crowded market .
Supplying the latest clean air technology not only keeps employees healthy and lowers absenteeism , but it also appeals to an increasingly health and lifestyle conscious tenant . In 2022 , it makes sense for air quality to be on the agenda of all managers of office parks , co-working spaces , hotels and corporate head offices .
According to the World Health Organisation ( WHO ), air pollution is one of the biggest threats to human health next to climate change . In September 2021 , the global organisation revised its air quality guidelines , reducing levels of key pollutants , warning that exceeding the new air quality guidelines is associated with “ significant risk to health ”.
“ We associate South Africa with beautiful , clear air , but the fact is that many of us are going to work every day and breathing in air that is unsafe . Building regulations are designed to minimum standards , but employers should be looking to maximise the air quality , not only because it is the right thing to do , but because of the very clear benefits that come with improved air quality ,” says Edward Hector , managing director at SFI Group .
New research led by Harvard T . H . Chan School of Public Health , shows that air quality in an office can ‘... have significant impacts on employees ' cognitive function , including response times and ability to focus , and it may also affect their productivity ’.
“ All employers look for ways to reduce absenteeism due to ill health , but studies are now also clear that air quality goes a long way to ensuring better performance . Boards assign a fair bit of their budget on employee wellness programmes , but often overlook what they are forcing their staff to breathe in when they are on their premises ,” Hector says .
It ’ s not only those buildings close to refineries and other obvious pollutants that suffer from air quality challenges . South Africa is a hot country and bringing in large volumes of fresh air means having to cool it down to a more tolerable workplace temperature .
“ The more fresh air you bring in on a hot 32 degree day , the harder the air conditioning system works to cool that air down to 21 degrees , and this has associated energy costs . When we shifted to green buildings the thinking was to minimise fresh air . It ’ s only now with Covid that the thinking has reversed , but there is a trade off when it comes to energy costs . The sensible route is to ensure the air that is already circulating in the building is as clean as possible ,” Hector continues .
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Indoor air quality today is vital , even more so in commercial buildings where facility managers seek competitive advantages in a highly competitive space .
NEW TECHNOLOGY BASED ON TESTED SCIENCE Hector believes the best solution for South African companies is technology first pioneered by Albert Einstein .
While there are several methods to capture chemical compounds and particulate , the vast majority of these , like HEPA filters and UV lights , are passive technologies . This means that the virus has to pass through these devices for them to be effective . In contrast , Bipolar Ionisation technology actively seeks out and destroys the particles before anyone has the chance to inhale them .
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RACA Journal I March 2022 www . hvacronline . co . za