3 Aug. 2023
Global market conditions have changed radically in the past decades: the price of commodity production has lately become lower than ever before. In the western world, the basic needs of the majority of the population have been met. For the most part, food, clothing, and other necessary essentials were a short trip to the shop away.
Times have changed yet again, with living conditions taking an unexpected turn into a new post-pandemic reality. Awareness around health, safety and cleanliness has become paramount, and is now a major part of peoples’ day to day.
Consumers are now looking for a new kind of commodity – and it has to do with a more abstract concept – overall health and safety. This new phenomenon is called “Wellbeing”, and it is becoming more prominent and sought-after worldwide.
The World Health Organisation states that wellbeing is “A state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
That indeed is true, but studies show that Wellbeing is about much more than that, it is about “the experience of health, happiness, and prosperity. It includes having good mental health, high life satisfaction, a sense of meaning or purpose, and ability to manage stress. More generally, well-being is just feeling well” according to Psychology Today.
One of the basic contributing factors to overall wellbeing is Physical Wellbeing.
Ways to improve this include taking active measures, such as consuming healthy food and getting plenty of exercise. However, there are many passive factors that directly affect physical wellbeing, and they must be mindfully addressed.
People spend most of their days at work – in poorly ventilated offices, carrying out stressful tasks and meeting deadlines on a daily basis. All these factors are key contributors to physical wellbeing, and so must be taken into consideration.
Studies show that 96% of indoor spaces have at least one type of indoor air quality issue. When we think of air quality, the first thing that comes to mind are unpleasant odors – but indoor air quality is much more than that.
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is the air quality within and around buildings and structures. IAQ is known to affect the health, comfort, and wellbeing of building occupants. Poor indoor air quality has been linked to sick building syndrome, reduced productivity, and overall impaired cognitive abilities.
All these phenomena are magnified these days, due to the COVID19 outbreak that has the world scrambling to adapt to new health and safety measures.
Generally speaking, it is best practice to monitor and measure the following 5 main contributing factors in IAQ:
The most crucial and relevant factor to be considered post COVID19, are the Fine Particles, which are essentially “a complex mixture of solid and/or liquid particles suspended in air. These particles can vary in size, shape and composition. EPA is especially concerned about particles that are 10 micrometers in diameter or smaller because these particles are inhalable. Once inhaled, particles can affect the heart and lungs and in some cases cause serious health effects”, according to the EPA. These particles can also present themselves as makeshift “vessels” for bacterial and viral agents that essentially are inhaled and may help spread bacterial or viral diseases.
While it is impossible to remain indoors indefinitely, steps must be taken to monitor and track IAQ to support wellbeing and overall health.
That being said, not all is lost – hope presents itself in the form of implementing a specialized Climate Intelligence System, as a way to help combat poor IAQ.
A Climate Intelligence System is made up of sensors and controllers, monitoring everything that affects climate comfort, such as external temperature, occupancy, humidity, ventilation, etc.. The system then is able to determine its ideal function according to electricity usage patterns and behavioral patterns. An IAQ sensor for indoor air quality monitoring and alerting, can be of great use as part of the sensor system setup, to help keep all rooms and common areas safe.
Increasing ventilation and outdoor air circulation is a powerful and effective way to remedy poor IAQ, with ASHARE recommending the “use of outdoor air to dilute air contaminants”.
With physical wellbeing restored, we can now pave the way for overall health and happiness.
Contact us if you’re interested in speaking with an IAQ specialist, to jumpstart your business to a safer and cleaner environment.
