Using a Human Health Standard for IAQ Management

ABSTRACT

Researching and testing water to protect fish might seem obvious. Surprisingly, a parallel approach of analyzing and managing the predominant human exposure--indoor air--to optimize occupant well-being and productivity is not a priority for building management. We are indoors approximately 90% of the time, and health is people's most valuable asset, yet there is a lack of data relating indoor air quality (IAQ) to health outcomes. The most understandable obstacle is that relating IAQ to health outcomes is complex. The very fact that humans are resilient and able to withstand mild physiological stress without immediately obvious consequences makes correlating indoor exposures with health changes a difficult task. Despite these challenges, they need to pay attention to what IAQ data would tell. In fact, paying attention is not enough. They need to agree on what levels are good or bad and manage IAQ accordingly.