Preparing buildings for summer: why indoor air quality matters
As buildings become busier during spring and summer, maintaining indoor air quality becomes increasingly important.
Warmer weather often leads to:
• increased building occupancy
• reduced ventilation in air-conditioned environments
• faster microbial growth in warm conditions
These factors can combine to create stale air, unpleasant odours and increased hygiene concerns.
Air quality is more than ventilation
Ventilation plays an important role in managing temperature and carbon dioxide levels. However, it does not remove all airborne contaminants.
Bacteria, mould spores and odour-causing compounds can remain present even in well-ventilated environments.
This is particularly noticeable in high-traffic areas such as washrooms, waiting areas, hospitality venues and waste storage rooms.
Supporting indoor air hygiene
Air treatment technologies designed for continuous operation can help improve air quality by reducing airborne microorganisms and odour-causing compounds within occupied spaces.
Used alongside existing cleaning and ventilation practices, these systems help maintain a fresher and more comfortable environment throughout the day.
Further reading
• Comparing air purification technologies – what to use and when
• HEPA filters and particulate capture – where they fit
• UV-C air disinfection – proven but needs careful design
"The UK banking centre at Canary Wharf is populated with modern skyscrapers featuring the latest in office building technology. The Credit Suisse UK HeadQuarters allows staff to make the most of windows which has meant that the main building services are sited in the middle of the building. As such with long air ducting, their luxury washrooms struggle to maintain air quality and a clean, fresh smelling work place.
They have installed AIRsteril for odour and infection control in their washrooms. Convinced that the bacteria and viruses that cause infections are killed by AIRsteril, the new offices will feature MF units to ensure staff absenteeism is kept to a minimum."
Marylebone Cricket Club
"On a Test Match day at Lord's there are 25,000 people, mostly males, spending all day watching cricket and drinking. With several visits per person during the day the gents toilets can have up to a 10,000 footfall a day. The staff have had difficulty in clearing the resulting odours. The stainless steel trough urinals in some of the washrooms create added problems.
Just in time for a major Test Match, AIRsteril WRX trial units were installed in two of the major washrooms. After just a few hours, the units had managed to get on top of the smell, then controlled the odours throughout the 5 day match. The facilities staff are very pleased and plan to increase the number of installations before the start of the next cricket season."