Indoor Air Quality Services
In todays world of technology, most of the businesses are setting up state of art facilities for their employees where their health is prime concern and Indoor Air Quality is a major concern. That is why, they avail Indoor Air Quality Services at their facilities. Indoor Air Quality Services doesn’t take care of their employee health but their electronic installations also.
Indoor Air Quality Services are very important because these services provides the actual picture of Indoor Air Quality and thereby, exact and proper results.
There are three main Indoor Air Quality Services viz:
1) Air Quality Testing
2) SBS (Sick Building Syndrome)
3) Air Corrosion Analysis
1) Air Quality Testing
Why is it necessary to test Indoor Air Quality?
The quality of Indoor Air directly affects the health of the occupants. Contaminant gases present in the Indoor Air adversely affect the health of Humans and Office Equipment. Hence, monitoring and controlling Indoor Air Quality is very important.
Does the Outdoor Air Quality impact the Indoor Air?
In a Centralized Air Conditioned building, the AHU adds fresh Outdoor Air into the Indoor Air during every cycle of cooling of air. Thus contaminants from Outdoor Air get added to the Indoor Air. Hence testing of Outdoor Air is necessary to understand the risk.
How frequently should Air Quality Testing be done?
Indoor Air Quality is largely dependent on Outdoor Air quality. The composition of the Outdoor Air changes with seasons. Indian Climate, broadly, sees 4 seasons in a year. Thus, Quarterly monitoring of Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality is sufficient.
2.SBS (Sick Building Syndrome) Audit
What is Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)?
Often the occupants of a building start complaining about: Burning/Itchy Eyes, Soar/Burning Throat, Itchy/Burning Nose, Constant Headache, Nausea. This happens because of excess Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in the Indoor Air, and these symptoms together are known as Sick Building Syndrome, and its study is known as Sick Building Syndrome Audit.
How is SBS Audit conducted?
SBS Audit is a combination of analysis of the Indoor Air Quality for identification of the Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) and measuring their Concentration, coupled with a questionnaire to be filled by the Occupants.
Indoor Air Quality Services are considered as top most priority by EHS and Facility officials.
3.Air Corrosion Analysis
What is Air Corrosion?
Degradation of Metal Components because of the Chemical Reactions with its Ambient Air is known as Air Corrosion.
Why is the study of Air Corrosion important?
Component parts of Data Centers, Servers and other IT Equipment are largely made of metals like Copper & Silver. Very often the metal parts get oxidized by the Ambient Air resulting to the following problems:
– Frequent failure & outages of Electronic Components
– Sporadic Circuit Failures
– Lower Energy Efficiency of IT Equipment
– Inconsistency of Critical Data / Loss of Data
– Replacement of Damaged IT Components
– Substantial Increase in Data Center maintenance cost
Can you explain the process of Air Corrosion Analysis?
Air Corrosion Analysis is divided into 3 stages:
1. Identification of the Contaminant Gases in the Indoor Air
2. Identification of the Contaminant Gases in the Outdoor Air
3. Analysis and ascertaining the rate of Air Corrosion
What are the Tests involved in the process?
The Tests involved are:
1. Air Quality Analysis – To identify the Contaminant gases in the Indoor & Outdoor Air
2. Air Corrosion Analysis – To ascertain the Rate of Air Corrosion
The mentioned information shows how important the Indoor Air Quality Services are and must not be ignored. It is very necessary for the Corporate Facilities and Facility Managers
