Why Is IAQ Important?

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is strongly connected to health and wellbeing. Humans tend to spend a large amount of time indoors. Breathable air that's free of health threatening pollutants can lead to a higher quality of life, lower risk of respiratory illnesses, and a reduced risk of various chronic conditions

EPA studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be two to five times — and occasionally more than 100 times — higher than outdoor levels.

Failure to prevent or respond promptly to IAQ problems can increase long- and short-term health effects for students and staff, such as:

• Coughing;

• Eye irritation;

• Headaches;

• Allergic reactions;

• Aggravate asthma and/or other respiratory illnesses; and

• In rare cases, contribute to life-threatening conditions such as Legionnaire’s disease or carbon monoxide poisoning