Outdoor air pollution is obvious to all. But assuming that indoor air quality is better than outdoor air and that staying indoors can protect you from pollution is a mistake. Indoor air is just as full of pitfalls. Let's take a look at the most common indoor air pollutants.
In fact, modern urbanites spend more than 70% of their time indoors every day. The close relationship between people and buildings is beyond imagination. Many minor ailments that cannot be explained, such as headaches, dry eyes, dry coughs, fatigue, dry or itchy skin, etc., actually have their roots not in the human body, but in the building, which is the so-called "sick building syndrome."
Hidden dangers everywhere
The World Health Organization first proposed the concept of "sick building syndrome" in 1984. High-rise buildings, where modern people spend a lot of time, are rife with hidden dangers: mold, artificial fragrances, lack of natural light, poor air conditioning and ventilation systems, volatile organic compounds released from decoration and furniture materials, chemical or biological pollutants, and other invisible harmful substances.
The immediate effects of these indoor pollutants on the human body may include irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, headaches, dizziness and fatigue; however, long-term and frequent exposure can have serious consequences, triggering respiratory diseases such as asthma and allergic pneumonia, and even affecting the body's immune system or, in severe cases, increasing the risk of cancer.
The pitfalls of central air conditioning
However, in a densely populated metropolis like Hong Kong, central air-conditioning systems are widely used in offices, hotels, residences, shopping malls, hospitals and indoor sports fields. Although central air-conditioning systems have been used for a long time and widely, their inherent structural defects inevitably make them a breeding ground for microorganisms and a route for cross-infection of viruses.
In fact, the outbreaks of avian influenza and SARS have sounded the alarm for high-density living environments. Air is the most difficult way to prevent virus transmission, and given that most people rely on indoor air, the first step that needs to be diagnosed and treated is the central air conditioning system pipes that supply air to most people.
Although the concept of building fire prevention has been deeply rooted in the minds of the people, the public does not realize that in addition to visible fires that can cause casualties and property losses, invisible indoor air pollutants are a greater potential danger, which can endanger human health in the long term and even affect the entire society.
Building health
Hong Kong has experienced outbreaks like SARS and avian influenza, and the losses and even disasters caused by large-scale infectious diseases are still fresh in our memory. The concept of "epidemic prevention" stems from practical needs. Professor Chen Weitian of the Department of Building Services Engineering at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University proposed the concept of an "epidemic prevention building":
The important task of planning epidemic prevention
However, different buildings require different epidemic prevention systems due to their structural and size limitations. As owners, architects, air conditioning engineers, or management companies, we must proactively address this important task.
In terms of effectiveness, maintenance and repair, the best approach is to incorporate epidemic prevention concepts into building planning, start construction simultaneously during the construction process, and build in the entire epidemic prevention system to minimize repair and maintenance costs and achieve the best air disinfection and purification effect.
However, in Hong Kong, buildings generally lack pre-planned epidemic prevention systems, and many small and medium-sized buildings are confined to small spaces. BioEm, with its advanced scientific research and technology, has designed four types of epidemic prevention systems to address these environmental challenges: the Central Intelligent Disinfection and Epidemic Prevention System (CIDIS), the BioEm Central Air Conditioning Epidemic Prevention System, and the BioEm Epidemic Prevention System (Industrial/Commercial).
