An excerpt from Guidelines for Good Indoor Air Quality in Office Premises, Ministry of the Environment (MNV, 1996) stated that indoor air quality (IAQ) can be improved through the initial stage of design and construction of the building. The air conditioning and mechanical ventilation system (ACMV) should be designed in a way that prevents the spread of contaminants. Building materials used should not produce any chemicals that will affect the IAQ. To ensure acceptable IAQ, an inspection should be continuously done by professionals, making sure the materials used for air ducts were able to withstand daily usage and maintenance. The guideline also mentioned that placement of the outdoor air intakes should be far away from any form of pollutions, while the air filter should be situated near air intakes with protection from outdoor elements. Any systems do not belong to ACMV should not be found in AHU room.
However, these guidelines from 1996 only mentioned the IAQ management during the design and construction phase, which fails to include the management during occupancy phase when the building is most used and how chemicals from underground and building materials could affect the IAQ and the health implications on the occupants.
Currently, most of the existing building contains radon, a type of indoor air pollutants. According to Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS, 2018), it stated that radon is “an invisible, odourless, tasteless, radioactive gas” and it is a decay product of uranium. Radon is usually emitted from soil or groundwater under the building and it can easily pass through cracks around the foundation into the indoor air. CCOHS also stated that inhaling radon will increase the risk of lung cancer. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS, 2011), scientists estimated that about 10 percent of lung cancer death was caused by radon poisoning within non-smoker each year. Back in Singapore, there was little discussion about indoor air pollutants and most people lack awareness of what are they breathing in daily. Therefore, I believed that it is essential for the government to educate the citizens on what is radon and how could we act on it.
In the excerpt, it stated that building materials should not produce any type of harmful chemical that will affect the IAQ. However, we do not know what materials are being used and what implications it has on us. One of the most common materials used for building construction is asbestos. According to the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance (MCA, 2018), Asbestos refers to “six naturally occurring fibrous minerals that have the ability to resist heat, fire and electricity.” Thus, it was found at many buildings constructed before 1980. However, the usage could bring danger to our health. MCA also stated that asbestos particle can cling onto tissues of the lungs which would cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. Due to its danger, Building Construction Authority (BCA) and MNV had banned the use of asbestos for building construction since the late 1980s. However, many buildings in Singapore was built before 1980, which many still contained asbestos as of today. Asbestos will not pose much threat if it is not damaged or crumbled, but once the fibers are released into the air, it will be harmful to us. Therefore, it is essential to make sure what materials are used during construction and more importantly, understanding what we can do if we find asbestos.
Overall, the excerpt mainly stated on how we should maintain the IAQ level during the design and construction phase. However, it is also essential to know how to maintain it during the occupancy phase as it will affect the health of the occupants if the IAQ is terrible.
References
Ministry of the Environment (1996). Guidelines for Good Indoor Air Quality in Office Premises Retrieved 14 September 2018 from https://www.bca.gov.sg/GreenMark/others/NEA_Office_IAQ_Guidelines.pdf
National Cancer Institute (2011). Radon and Cancer Retrieved 7 October 2018 from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/radon/radon-fact-sheet
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (2018). Radon in Buildings Retrieved 7 October 2018 from https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_agents/radon.html
National Environment Agency (2018). Asbestos Control Retrieved 7 October 2018 from https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/pollution-control/hazardous-waste/asbestos-control
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