Campus Air Quality: The Impact of Commercial HVAC Systems in Higher Education

Healthy students, teachers, and campus personnel can make education a fantastic experience. Due to the nature of education being primarily indoors, maintaining good indoor air quality (IAQ) is paramount to this success. A well-functioning HVAC system can improve air circulation and reduce the risk of airborne illnesses in commercial buildings, scientific labs, colleges, and schools.

The best HVAC systems maintain a comfortable and healthy indoor environment by keeping recirculated air properly filtered and bringing in fresh outside air and circulating it. This exchange of air is a crucial factor in maintaining healthy oxygen levels and reducing indoor air pollutants in indoor work environments.

Poor HVAC system maintenance can lead to decreased indoor air quality, which in turn drives accumulations of dust, mold, and bacteria and can lead to “sick building syndrome” as existing HVAC systems blow contaminated air throughout the building.

Sick building syndrome can cause illness and other health problems. Building occupants may complain of headache; eye, nose, or throat irritation; dry cough; respiratory issues; nausea; fatigue; and concentration problems.

It’s vital to keep HVAC systems well-maintained, with coils cleaned regularly, ductwork clean and dust-free, and fitted with high-efficiency HEPA air filters that trap dust, pollen, and mold spores. An efficient operating system will maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels, which prevents mold and mildew growth.

Why is IAQ Important?

It’s essential to maintain indoor air quality in commercial buildings since poor air quality can significantly harm human health. Air quality concerns have been linked to both short-term health issues (such as asthma and respiratory illness) and long-term health issues (such as cancer and cardiovascular disease).

Good IAQ can also play a role in creating a comfortable and productive work environment. Breathing in clean and fresh air can increase the comfort, focus, and productivity of building occupants.

The impact of indoor air quality problems on the environment is a less talked about, but equally important, problem. Commercial buildings with IAQ problems may require more air conditioning and ventilation, which can drive up energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

IAQ Impacts in Specific Industries

The impact of appropriately ventilated, pollutant-free buildings can be considerable in commercial, industrial, and educational settings.

Colleges and Universities

Campus buildings, college dormitories, and college facilities have students, faculty, and staff who spend a significant amount of time indoors. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research finds indoor air quality concerns and poor campus cleanliness can:

• Cause sickness among occupants
• Lower cognitive function and academic performance
• Increase absenteeism

Improving campus indoor air quality can drive better academic performance, reduce absenteeism, and support occupant well-being. It also can improve the higher educational institution’s reputation and ensure compliance with health and safety regulations mandated by the government.

Specialized Labs

The unique operations of specialized labs demand a high level of indoor air quality. Indoor air quality problems can:

• Impact research outcomes
• Lower research integrity
• Contaminate samples
• Lead to dangerous chemical interactions
• Lower health and safety for researchers
• Affect equipment performance
• Lower productivity

Maintaining a healthy indoor environmental quality in labs is crucial for accurate research outcomes and occupant safety and health.

Specialized Temperature Controlled Storage

Specialized temperature-controlled facilities store goods that are sensitive to temperature, humidity, and air quality conditions, where poor air quality can:

• Degrade, spoil, or damage stored foods, pharmaceuticals, biological samples, and sensitive materials
• Cause chemical interactions that alter the properties of stored items, such as pharmaceuticals, where poor air quality can degrade or change their composition.
• Lead to unchecked microbial growth
• Compromise the integrity of lab and research samples
• Impair the functioning of electronic equipment
• Lower the longevity of products being stored
• Lower a facility’s energy efficiency
• Affect employee health and safety

These are just some of the many ways that indoor air quality degradation can impact industrial, commercial, and educational spaces.

Health Regulations and IAQ Regulatory Bodies

IAQ regulations and guidelines for commercial and industrial spaces can vary by location, with most standards established by governing bodies to promote occupant safety and well-being.

• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets workplace safety standards, including guidelines on specific indoor air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide and indoor air quality in office environments.
• The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) publishes standards and guidelines related to IAQ for commercial and industrial buildings. ASHRAE Standard 62.1 provides ventilation system requirements for acceptable indoor air quality in non-residential buildings and schools.
• The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program includes IAQ as one of its criteria for green building design and operation.
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides information and resources related to indoor air quality for commercial and industrial spaces. The EPA’s Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools program offers guidance for maintaining healthy indoor environments in educational facilities.

Businesses and facility managers must adhere to IAQ regulations applicable to their location and industry. Meeting these regulations protects human health and prevents legal and regulatory problems.

Next Steps

Goodway offers a variety of methods to improve indoor air quality levels. You can clean ducts with Goodway duct cleaning tools and chemical agents; use Goodway coil cleaning agents and tools to prevent contaminant building up on the evaporator and condenser coils, and employ Goodway scale removers and tools to remove scale buildup from cooling towers and air conditioning systems. Consult a Goodway sales representative to identify the ideal product combination for IAQ concerns.

Read more blogs about Indoor Air Quality here