up to 4
Fully fitted
up to 3
Simple building
1
Shell & core
Not applicable
Shell only
No minimum standards
To encourage and support healthy internal environments with good indoor air quality.
Value
- Reduce the potential for indoor air pollution from a variety of pollution sources.
- Support the physical health of building occupants by reducing the risk of health concerns associated with indoor air pollution.
- Support building occupant comfort and productivity.
Context
It is widely accepted that the quality of the indoor environment can impact occupant health. Poor indoor air quality can have a range of negative impacts on the physical health of building occupants. These effects can include immediate impacts such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness and fatigue, while also contributing to long-term health issues such as asthma, respiratory diseases, heart disease and cancer.
Further to this, through the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations (2002)1, in workplaces employers are required to control any substance in the workplace that may be hazardous to health.
As a result, measures need to be taken to ensure the internal environment maintains good air quality and reduces the presence of common indoor air pollutants such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and volatile organic compounds.
The quality of the indoor environment is a complex combination of both externally and internally generated pollutants, which may be compounded by occupant behaviour.
Producing a project-specific indoor air quality plan leads to building design, specification of products and installation of ventilation systems that will minimise indoor air pollution.