ShareIn UK, 70% of office workers complain of poor IAQ
Almost 70% of office workers in UK believe poor air quality in their place of work is having a negative effect on their day-to-day productivity and well-being.
Almost 70% of office workers in UK believe poor air quality in their place of work is having a negative effect on their day-to-day productivity and well-being.
The YouGov survey commissioned by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) also reveals that a third of office workers in UK are concerned that poor indoor air quality could be having a negative effect on their health.
Opening windows is the most commonly used form of ventilation with 60% of office workers saying it is the first thing they do if they need “fresh air”. However, the respondents were said to be concerned that opening office windows increased the risk of polluting the working environment by letting in outdoor toxins.
The office workers surveyed, reported suffering regularly from symptoms commonly linked to poor indoor air quality: 68% reported lapses in concentration; 67% reported suffering from fatigue; 54% experienced decreased productivity; 41% experienced watery or irritated eyes when in the office. Almost 40% of office workers who suffer from at least one of these symptoms believed poor ventilation is the main reason for the problems they experience.
The BESA survey follows a report published by the Royal College of Physicians earlier this year, which revealed that air pollution, both indoor and outdoor, could be linked to at least 40,000 premature deaths a year in the UK.
Commenting on the BESA survey results, professor Stephen Holgate, special advisor on air quality at the Royal College of Physicians, said that indoor air pollution is often an area which is overlooked. Poor ventilation is one part of this problem and, with the drive to reduce energy costs by making spaces more airtight, things will only get worse.
And according to Dr Prashant Kumar from the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of Surrey, the World Health Organisation ranks air pollution as the third most significant health risk worldwide. Indoor air quality is greatly affected by the ventilation conditions of a household, commercial or workplace buildings.
BESA is collaborating with a number of industry bodies including the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and Institute of Healthcare Engineering & Estate Management (IHEEM) to raise awareness about IAQ and produce detailed guidance for contractors, designers and facilities managers.
The YouGov survey commissioned by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) also reveals that a third of office workers in UK are concerned that poor indoor air quality could be having a negative effect on their health.
Opening windows is the most commonly used form of ventilation with 60% of office workers saying it is the first thing they do if they need “fresh air”. However, the respondents were said to be concerned that opening office windows increased the risk of polluting the working environment by letting in outdoor toxins.
The office workers surveyed, reported suffering regularly from symptoms commonly linked to poor indoor air quality: 68% reported lapses in concentration; 67% reported suffering from fatigue; 54% experienced decreased productivity; 41% experienced watery or irritated eyes when in the office. Almost 40% of office workers who suffer from at least one of these symptoms believed poor ventilation is the main reason for the problems they experience.
The BESA survey follows a report published by the Royal College of Physicians earlier this year, which revealed that air pollution, both indoor and outdoor, could be linked to at least 40,000 premature deaths a year in the UK.
Commenting on the BESA survey results, professor Stephen Holgate, special advisor on air quality at the Royal College of Physicians, said that indoor air pollution is often an area which is overlooked. Poor ventilation is one part of this problem and, with the drive to reduce energy costs by making spaces more airtight, things will only get worse.
And according to Dr Prashant Kumar from the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of Surrey, the World Health Organisation ranks air pollution as the third most significant health risk worldwide. Indoor air quality is greatly affected by the ventilation conditions of a household, commercial or workplace buildings.
BESA is collaborating with a number of industry bodies including the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and Institute of Healthcare Engineering & Estate Management (IHEEM) to raise awareness about IAQ and produce detailed guidance for contractors, designers and facilities managers.