IMPROVING AIR QUALITY IN STEEL BUILDINGS

We all bemoan the horrible state of air quality in the United States, but did you know that interior air quality is often significantly more toxic than outdoor air? Check out this quote from the US Environmental Protection Agency:

"The average American spends approximately 90 percent of their time indoors." Yet, "...studies of human exposure to air pollutants by EPA indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be 2 to 5 times – and occasionally more than 100 times – higher than outdoor pollutant levels. Indoor air pollutants have been ranked among the top five environmental risks to public health."

Wow! That's scary, but think about it; your steel building doesn't have an entire, planet earth-sized atmosphere from which to filter and add new air into the mix. While a tightly sealed envelope is fantastic when it comes to energy efficiency, it can be disastrous for interior air quality if you haven't paired it with adequate ventilation. By considering your building as a holistic system, you'll be able to promote healthy interior indoor air quality while simultaneously improving interior comfort.
TAKE A WHOLE-STRUCTURE APPROACH TO IMPROVE INTERIOR AIR QUALITY IN STEEL BUILDINGS
There are a whole host of sources that pollute your home or business, from combustion systems and cleaning products, to pesticides, health and beauty products and even the building materials you use to trim the building's interior. Unless you build using low-VOC products, your carpets, paints, finishes and other furnishings emit low levels of the chemicals used to make them (like formaldehyde, benzene, methane and ammonia - just for starters).

This process is called off-gassing and, over time, can lead to serious indoor pollution. And then there is the indoor pollution caused by allergens, like mold and mildew spores, pollens, dust mites, and so on. That's a powerful mix of pollutants, but they can all be significantly mitigated or eliminated when you keep indoor air quality as a focus during your building's design process.

Here are some of the things you can do to improve interior air quality in steel buildings - even if yours is already standing.

Install adequate ventilation. As we mentioned above, a tight building envelope is great for energy savings and improved interior comfort, but it can contribute to indoor air pollution if it isn't accompanied by an adequate ventilation system. Add ventilation to your roof and attic. You can also use louvered ventilation on upper-wall spaces. Open windows and screened doors are an easy option, assuming that the weather is cooperative. Adequate ventilation ensures your building has access to fresh air, in addition to providing a means for pollutants to exit the structure.
Upgrade your insulation. The combination of adequate ventilation and high-quality insulation will protect your metal building from accumulated moisture, which will also prevent its interior spaces from mold and mildew growth. Mold spores can wreak havoc on human respiratory systems (and moisture wreaks havoc on metal buildings), so this is a win-win all the way around.
Select the right HVAC system. In the old days, contractors used "rule of thumb" calculations to choose the right sized HVAC system for a particular building. In other words, a building with XXXX square feet would get HVAC system 123. This led to some pretty serious inefficiencies in heating and cooling, unnecessary wear-and-tear on HVAC system parts and compromised interior air quality. Work with an HVAC contractor who uses Manuals J and S, which provide more precise load calculations based on your building's size as well as the lot/building orientation, building materials, quantity/quality of insulation, building occupancy and other factors. Upgrade to a heating and cooling system with a high-quality air filtration system to further limit the amount of pollutants that accumulate indoors.
Prioritize maintenance. There are other sources of pollution that compromise indoor air quality: leaky roofs, emissions from fuel burning appliances, emissions from large machinery, accumulated debris in interior HVAC ductwork and broken florescent light bulbs are all common examples. Routine maintenance, both inside and out, will minimize these sources of toxicity from accessing your building's spaces and the air you breathe. Pay careful attention to manufacturer's instructions regarding the maintenance requirements for your building and all of its mechanical, electronic and plumbing systems.
Choose low-VOC products. Whenever you paint, finish or purchase furnishings for your building, select products labeled "low-voc." That means they off-gas low- to zero-levels of volatile organic compounds (the toxic chemicals listed up above). This will reduce the amount of pollution your ventilation and HVAC systems need to eliminate from the building's interior. While it's true these products cost a bit more on the outset, they are worth it - especially if you prioritize health and sustainability.


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