08 Oct Indoor Air Quality Concerns – sources, emissions, and impacts

Air Quality Management

DQ1 Indoor Air Quality Concerns – sources, emissions, and impacts

You saw and read about indoor air quality issues this week. Let’s discuss three of the considerations for air quality management – the drivers (sources of emissions), the pressure (emissions), and the impact as we examine how to manage indoor air quality.

What are indoor air quality impacts and the sources for the emissions that produce these impacts?  You can share what occurs in your home or share what you have learned about emission sources, emissions, and impacts from your course readings and viewings this week.

What are the similarities and differences to outdoor air quality management?  Make sure to tackle the issues of noise, mold, CO, and particulates at the minimum.

Is CO2 an issue for indoor air quality?  Why or why not?

What are the standards and regulations for indoor air quality management?

DQ2 Critical analysis of an ad that claims they have the solution to air quality problems and establishing an IAQ program

(1) What do you think of the ad for the Air Visual Node advertisement of their air quality monitor?  Yes, I had you look at an ad!

a.    Was there any misinformation in the ad?  What were the connections they wanted you to make that were a bit “loose”? 

b.    What does the AirVisual Node’s smartest air quality monitor actually monitor?

c.     What are the sources for those pollutants that they monitor?

d.    The AirVisual Node ad said they have the solution to the air quality problem.  What is their solution?

(2) Your reading about Indoor Air Quality this week discussed establishing Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) programs for building and facility management.  Does your place of work have an IAQ program?  If so, please provide the basics of your workplace IAQ and how it compares to your EPA website reading this week.  If you do not have an IAQ, share what you thought were the most interesting aspect(s) of the IAQ. What types of monitoring does the IAQ program require? What are guidelines for corrective actions when monitoring indicates there is a problem?

(3) One former student stated her workplace should have an IAQ program because “We have four small offices within the building and at least one individual in each office uses a space heater during these colder months. These heaters are always on. Space heaters are a source of carbon monoxide.”  This student assumes that all space heaters are a source of CO.  Are they?  Do you agree with this student that her workplace should have an IAQ program? Why or why not?

DQ3 Thinking about optimal policies for indoor air quality management

Under Topic 1 this week, we discussed the drivers (sources of emissions), the pressure (emissions), and the impact of indoor air pollutants.  Under Topic 2, we discussed one policy option to indoor air quality management – establishing an indoor air quality (IAQ) program.   Let’s think outside the box and think more creatively about optimal indoor air quality management. What are your thoughts about having proactive in place of reactive policies

Source: https://www.gjesm.net/article_20581.html

What were past responses to poor indoor air quality and what do you think are optimal policies to tackle this issue?  Please make sure to use content from classroom readings and discussions to provide thoughtful integrative answers to this question.  How does your suggestion relate to the major drivers, pressures, and impact of poor indoor air quality, targeting specific indoor air pollutants that we know need to be addressed holistically.