Indoor Air Quality: An Essential Piece of Health & Vitality
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is important. While we may not think about it too often, the air that surrounds us is integral to our health and wellbeing. This is particularly true for the air surrounding us indoors. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, it is where the average American spends over 90% of their time. Much like the foods we eat, the health of our indoor air depends on a few factors: quantity & quality of pollutants, freshness, temperature, and moisture. Changes in these three simple factors can have profound impacts on our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
In the last several years, research on air quality has increasingly shown that indoor air tends to be more seriously polluted than outdoor air, even in the largest and most industrialized cities. This means that for many people, the health risks of indoor air pollution likely outweigh those of outdoor air, affecting every aspect of our wellbeing. IAQ impacts us physically – the National Weather Service has estimated that over 100,000 premature deaths occur each year due to illness related to pollution. It’s estimated that these illnesses cost us $150B per year, with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) attributing $90B of that to sick building syndrome, a condition that affects people who work or live in buildings with poor air quality. IAQ also impacts us mentally - poor IAQ and ventilation has been linked to decreased cognitive ability. A study of over 3,000 fifth-grade students showed that they had higher math, reading, and science scores in classrooms with higher ventilation rates. Additionally, a Harvard study on the effect of poor air quality on cognitive functioning showed that people who were exposed to higher levels of particulate matter (PM: tiny pollutants in the air) had slower response times and lower comprehension than people who were exposed to lower levels of PM. IAQ even affects us emotionally - scholars are nearing the conclusion that poor IAQ is linked to major depressive disorder and other mental illnesses. With Americans spending 90% of their time indoors and IAQ affecting us deeply on every level of wellness, it’s easy to see why good IAQ is vital.
This research is widely supported by health experts, many of which have conducted extensive research and published articles about the importance of IAQ. A few examples:
Harvard published a study about how low air quality in offices causes lower productivity and comprehension.
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIH) published a comprehensive article about IAQ detailing the long-term exposure risks of low IAQ, which include respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, among many other things.
The EPA published an article regarding the importance of IAQ, detailing adverse health effects and potential solutions to purifying IAQ on a larger scale.
The White House challenged organizational leaders and business owners to pledge to meet the Clean Air In Buildings Challenge, which is a Covid-catalyzed effort outlining 4 steps to take to purify indoor air.
These findings are not going unnoticed. The Network for Public Health Law is in the process of drafting laws for stricter IAQ regulation given its massive impact on public health, and people are becoming more aware of IAQs impact on their lives. Between the recent pandemic, wildfires in Canada, and countless significant organizations like those above putting energy and resources into the topic, awareness of IAQ and its importance is here to stay.
For the reasons above, Frequency buildings ensure high ventilation rates, constantly monitored air quality, built-in air purification, and green walls in common spaces so taking a breath feels more like being in a forest, and less like a movie theater. We see great indoor air quality as an essential piece of feeling good, and aim to make it an expectation rather than an exception.