Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is a term that refers to the air quality inside your building, breathed in every day by the building’s occupants. It mainly refers to the aerosol and gas content, temperature, and humidity of the air inside the structure or building. Whether it is in your home, at school, at the shopping mall or museum, in restaurants, or any other public, commercial or private buildings, this is where people come together and need to be kept safe. In the case of human habitation, the quality of the air is determined by its ability to maintain the health and well-being of humans occupying the structure. In the case of manufacturing processes, the quality of air is determined by the ability to cost-effectively produce high quality products inside the structure.
The most important part of indoor Air quality is the cleanliness of the air. Air contamination consist of particles, gases and vapours that may reduce the well-being and health of humans and decrease the output and efficiency of production processes.
Eurovent 4/23 - 2020: Selection of EN ISO 16890 rated air filter classes for General Ventilation Classes
Indoor air pollution and Impact on Health
The pollution levels in this indoor air can be up to 50 times higher than outdoor levels (in many cases up to 100 times higher), and people spend more than 90% of their time indoors.
Numerous studies have proven a close correlation between IAQ and our health. These also show that particular matter (PM) affects more people than any other pollutant.
The major components of PM are sulphate, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, black carbon, mineral dust, combustion particles and water. It consists of a complex mixture of solid and liquid particles of organic and inorganic substances suspended in the air.
The effects of particulate matter on human health have been extensively studied in the past. The results are that fine dust can be a serious health hazard. The most important diseases
which have been associated with (caused or aggravated by) indoor air exposures due to PM contamination are:
- Allergy & Asthma
- Lung cancer
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVD)
- Chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD)
- Dementia
Outdoor Air Pollution and its impact on Indoor Air Quality
Outdoor air pollution plays a significant role for indoor air exposures. Due to ventilation providing continuous air exchange in buildings, the indoor air exposure to fine PM originates mostly from outdoor air, especially in areas affected by heavy traffic. What is often not acknowledged is that in strongly polluted areas (e.g., heavy industry zones, city centres with heavy traffic) without air filtration, over 90% of ambient PM levels monitored outdoors, occurs indoors.
The second most important source of exposure comes from the indoor combustion of solid fuels for cooking and heating (if present). The outdoor air fine PM originates mostly from combustion sources, local and distant, in particular where the levels exceed rural background.
Applying correctly selected, efficient air filters in ventilation systems can significantly reduce the impact of PM exposure on the Burden of Disease (BoD).
Particulate Matter emission indoors
Knowing only about the PM concentration in outdoor air is not sufficient for the selection of the correct filter class in a ventilation system. Due to existing PM emissions inside premises, basically a concentration of particulate matter in supply air stream should be lower than designed indoor PM level. This allows us to maintain prescribed thresholds by applying so-called dilution principle. Thus, depending on the required PM concentration, supply air can be assigned to different categories (SUP).
The indoor PM emission originates mainly from cooking, combustion activities (including burning of candles, use of fireplaces, use of unvented space heaters or kerosene heaters, cigarette smoking) and hobbies. Indoor PM can also be of biological origin. Therefore, both outdoor air quality and indoor emissions should be considered when determining filtration efficiency for the desired IAQ.
Recommended filtration efficiency depending on outdoor and supply air category
To simplify the selection procedure of the filter class, but still consider all relevant factors, this Eurovent Recommendation introduces a method which matches the recommended minimum filtration efficiency with both the outdoor air and supply air category. To maintain consistency
on an international level, the method refers to limit values recommended by WHO.
The new EN 16798-3:2017 standard, which supersedes the globally known EN 13779, is perceived as the main guidance for HVAC consultants on how to design filtration in ventilation systems.
As it is usually difficult to estimate indoor PM emissions, this Recommendation also indicates examples of typical applications assigned to the respective supply air category.
In this Recommendation, 3 categories of outdoor air (ODA) and 5 categories of supply air (SUP) are defined in the same way as in EN 16798-3 in following way.
Outdoor air categories
Supply air categories
Recommended minimum efficiencies
For the most demanding applications with high and medium hygienic requirements (SUP 1 and SUP 2), ePM1 efficiencies are shown. For premises with standard and low hygienic requirements (SUP 3), ePM2,5 efficiencies are recommended. For applications with very low or without hygienic requirements (SUP 4 and SUP 5), PM10 efficiency is shown.
The recommended minimum efficiencies depending on ODA and SUP categories are summarised in Table below.
Additional Recommendation on application of optional gas filtration
Following the provisions of EN 16798-3:2017, it is recommended to apply additional gas filters to complement particle filtration for the following combinations of outdoor air quality (gaseous) and supply air quality classes:
HVAC Filters and HEPA Upgrades
We have a comprehensive solutions portfolio to help you provide clean and healthy air in your indoor spaces and to keep the people in your building safe.
Ranging from standard filter elements for your HVAC system (as per ISO 16890), over to special HEPA & molecular filter upgrades for existing HVAC systems or filter elements with bio-functional coating we got you covered. Especially when you are looking for energy efficient air filtration solutions, you will find the perfect solution at APTER Technology.
Mobile Air Purifiers for Virus Free Air
If your building or indoor environment is not equipped with an air conditioning systems, we are happy to help out with professional mobile or stationary air purifiers of different configurations and sizes with HEPA* H14 filters and molecular filter inside.
Especially in times of pandemic, they have proven to be an impactful solution to preventing airborne contaminants from causing an infection.
The molecular filters help arrest different gaseous contaminants such as tobacco smoke, chemicals from building materials, cleaning products.
*The HEPA Filters are individually tested according to EN 1822 and ISO 29463
Our indoor air cleaners are used, for instance, in schools, offices, catering establishments.
Air quality measurement devices assist here to record the data about the indoor air quality. Depending on the application area, you can use our indoor air purifiers or air filter elements for air conditioners or ventilation systems in order to substantially reduce the level of pollution.
(All above information & Data are derived from Book records of Filtration Standards & Other related standards, research papers and its related webpages)