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Changing from “Acceptable” to Optimum Is indoor air a product?

De facto building rating schemes aim to deliver Indoor air could be legally defined as a product,
code compliant “acceptable” quality indoor air to and therefore subject to the same legal standards
building occupants, however less than optimum as other products in commerce, based on the fact
air has a significant effect on occupant health that when outdoor (fresh) air (a natural resource) is
as well as performance, particularly decision- taken, conditioned (an altering process) and redis-
making and taking initiative. Perceived air quality tributed into a closed environment, the strictures of
is the basis for current ASHRAE guidelines and product liability law would apply to this indoor air.
standards for ventilation, applied almost uni-
versally. Would you prefer to drink “acceptable” Water and electricity are products covered by legal
water, or “optimum” water? liability, and are both resources that are affected by
human activity, and delivered to consumers.
Fifty per cent of the air we breathe comes from The same product liability could apply to indoor air
the floor around us, and there is increasing “produced” by air conditioning- systems.
evidence from indoor air chemistry studies that
many adverse chemical reactions in building air,
occur faster than the ventilation rate.

How good is the
AIR QUALITY

in your office?

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