Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) isn’t a luxury—it’s a basic requirement for the comfort, safety, and productivity of building occupants. Today’s reality is simple: between home and work, the average person spends nearly 90% of their time indoors. When ventilation is inadequate or imbalanced, indoor environments can quickly become unhealthy, uncomfortable, and even dangerous.
At MicroMetl, our mission is to help HVAC professionals understand and solve these challenges with practical, field-ready solutions.
Recognizing the Cost of Poor IAQ
Poor IAQ isn’t just about dust or unpleasant odors. It can directly affect human health, productivity, and comfort. A Cornell University study highlighted several symptoms linked to improper ventilation:
- Dryness of eyes, throat, or skin
- Flushed skin or mild rashes
- Fatigue and sluggishness
- Headaches or reduced concentration
- Coughing or irritation of airways
- Hoarseness, wheezing
- Dizziness or nausea
- Hypersensitivity reactions
Many of these symptoms are easy to blame on allergies or minor illnesses. But when symptoms improve outside the building—after hours, weekends, or during vacations—it’s a strong indicator the building’s air system may be the source.
This pattern forms the basis of terms like:
- Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)
- Tight Building Syndrome (TBS)
- Building-Related Illness (BRI)
- Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS)
Where Poor IAQ Comes From
Modern buildings are often tightly sealed for energy efficiency. But this creates a scenario where airborne contaminants accumulate if ventilation rates are too low.
Common contributors include:
- Off-gassing from furniture, carpets, adhesives, and paints
- Cleaning agents and disinfectants
- Printers, copiers, and office equipment
- Pesticides and chemicals
- Human-generated CO₂
- Moisture and microbial growth
Without proper air exchange, these pollutants become trapped and concentrated.
Good IAQ doesn’t require perfectly clean air—it requires air that’s no worse than outdoor conditions and meets established ventilation standards.
CO₂: A Silent Performance Killer
New research from the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that even moderately elevated indoor CO₂ levels can impair mental functioning. At just:
- 1,000 ppm → noticeable reductions in decision making
- 2,500 ppm → significant deficits, including dysfunctional levels of strategic thinking
This is far below the previously assumed threshold of 10,000–20,000 ppm.
Since humans are the main source of indoor CO₂, high levels are an unmistakable sign that fresh air ventilation is insufficient.
How to Address Ventilation Issues
ASHRAE Standard 62.1 – Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality provides professional guidance on required outside air volumes and ventilation practices. MicroMetl supports compliance with a range of solutions:
1. Outside Air Hoods
Economical and easy to install
- Introduce outside air directly into the rooftop unit
- Best for basic ventilation improvements
- Manual dampers require fixed settings, which may increase energy loads
2. Economizers
The most common—and often the most effective—solution
- Automatically modulate fresh air based on outdoor conditions
- Provide Free Cooling when conditions allow
- Can include barometric relief to stabilize building pressure
- Help maintain IAQ without unnecessary energy waste
3. Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs)
Best long-term payback option
- Bring in fresh air while retaining conditioned heating/cooling energy
- Reduce the load on HVAC equipment
- Can function as power exhaust
- Can integrate Free Cooling modes
- Deliver greater comfort and lower energy costs over time
4. CO₂ Monitoring & Demand Control Ventilation
Smarter ventilation control
- Sensors detect rising CO₂ levels
- Economizers or ERVs respond automatically
- Outside air delivery increases only when occupancy increases
- Ideal for offices, schools, conference rooms, gyms, and retail spaces
Final Thoughts
Indoor air quality is not guesswork. It requires:
- Proper ventilation design
- Regular maintenance
- Accurate sensors
- Well-configured economizers or ERVs
Poor IAQ doesn’t just affect comfort—it impacts health, productivity, and building operation costs.
If you suspect ventilation issues in your building, or need accessories to meet current IAQ and ASHRAE standards, MicroMetl’s team is ready to help you select the right solutions.
