How Big is the Problem of Poor Indoor Air Quality?

When we think of air pollution, we often think of smog-filled skies and streets loaded with traffic. However, some of the most harmful air we breathe is found indoors. Poor indoor air quality is a silent issue that can affect productivity and health for various businesses. While invisible, it can lead to serious health issues, lower productivity and reduced energy efficiency.

At Inergy Group, we specialise in tailored HVAC solutions for a wide range of businesses. For more information, call us today on 01204 929999.

The Scale of Indoor Air Quality Crisis

In the UK, indoor air quality is becoming a public health issue. Common indoor pollutants include:

Volatile Organic Compounds: Emitted by paints and cleaning products, VOCs can cause headaches, dizziness and long-term health issues.

Biological Contaminants: Mould spores, bacteria, and dust mites thrive in warm, humid indoor environments.

Carbon Monoxide & Nitrogen Dioxide: By-products of combustion appliances like gas heaters and commercial kitchens.

Particulate Matter: Fine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs, increasing the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular disease.

In addition, many industrial and manufacturing sectorsface unique indoor air quality challenges, often tied to their specific processes. These environments often have targeted air quality thresholds that must be monitored and controlled to protect workers, meet legislative standards and maintain product integrity. This includes:

Meat & Food Processing Plants: These facilities must control humidity, temperature and microbial content in the air to prevent spoilage and contamination.

Timber & Building Material Production: Dust from sawing, sanding and finishing wood or composite materials produce airborne particles that can be hazardous to health, requiring ventilation and dust extraction.

Printing & Packaging Facilities: Dangerous compounds used during production can pose risks to worker health, requiring specialist filtration.

When indoor air isn’t effectively filtered or replaced, pollutants can accumulate quickly, especially in sealed, energy-efficient buildings designed to retain heat or cool air. For employees, this means an increased risk of illness.

HVAC Systems

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning(HVAC) systems are an essential part of a building’s indoor environment. While they manage temperature and comfort, they also play an important role in controlling air quality.

Ventilation

Proper ventilation ensures that stale, polluted indoor air is regularly replaced with fresh outdoor air. Without sufficient ventilation, contaminants build up over time, leading to a ‘sick building’ atmosphere.

At Inergy, our modern ventilation systems extract stale indoor air while drawing in filtered fresh air. This is all while retaining much of the heat energy to reduce energy waste.

Air Filtration

HVAC systems can be equipped with high efficiency filters that capture airborne particles, dust, allergens and even micro-organisms like bacteria and viruses. In commercial settings, this can be ideal for employee wellbeing and customer safety.

Humidity Control

Both excessively dry and overly humid air can cause discomfort and health issues. Dry air can irritate respiratory passages, while humid air promotes mould and mildew growth.

Air Distribution

An effective HVAC system distributes clean, conditioned air evenly across a space. Poorly balanced systems may result in stagnant air zones, which allows pollutants to become concentrated. Proper design and zoning ensures consistent air quality across the whole building.

Why Indoor Air Quality Matters for Businesses

The impact of poor indoor air quality isn’t just about health. It also has real business implications too. It can:

• Reduce Productivity
• Increase Absenteeism
• Cause Energy Inefficiency
• Pose Legal and Reputational Risk

Improving indoor air quality doesn’t necessarily require a complete HVAC overhaul. Regular upgrades and maintenance can go a long way. At Inergy, we specialise in HVAC maintenance. By scheduling a programme of repeated preventative maintenance for your system, you will see significant long-term benefits.

Contact Inergy Group

At Inergy Group, we provide energy efficient commercial HVAC systems for a wide range of businesses. When you are managing a business, improving our building’s air quality is a smart investment. For further information, you can call us on 01204 929999.