We often overlook the importance of air quality. We take it for granted when it’s good and only notice it when it becomes a nuisance – a foul smell or allergens in the air. However, the pandemic has reminded us that design elements that were once invisible are now more important than ever.

Why Is Air Quality Important?

Like sound and light quality, air quality is an intangible yet important aspect of building design. A building’s program and purpose determines the standards for its air quality. For instance, hospitals and schools might require higher standards when it comes to air quality. However, just because your home is not a hospital does not mean that you can treat air quality as an afterthought. Air quality can affect your comfort level, focus, productivity and overall quality of life. In today’s post-pandemic world, the exposure to pathogens is also a pressing concern. While air quality is an interdisciplinary problem, building design is a large component that affects it.

What Are the Components of Indoor Air Quality?

The sources of poor indoor air quality can come from a range of elements. From building materials that emit toxic chemicals to pollution from cleaning products, these pollutants directly affect indoor air quality. It can be measured using the size of the particles suspended in air. A higher density of larger particles tend to indicate poorer air quality.

What Can Architects Do To Improve Indoor Air Quality?

Harsh climates tend to require that a building be impervious to the fluctuations of the outdoors. However, this insulation and air tightness can mean that pollutants can be trapped and lower the indoor air quality. As such, ventilation is a key element to air quality as high frequent air changes can affect the clean air supplied to the interiors.

Architects can employ specific design strategies that improve natural ventilation systems to complement active systems that function to provide buildings with healthy air. The core strategy to improve indoor air quality is to reduce the sources of pollution (by using non-toxic building materials, for example) and by improving ventilation. Beyond this, it is also crucial to ensure that the ventilation, and the air changes per hour, can accommodate and is sufficient for the size of the room and space. Consistent purification is also essential, as to not make filters the source of contamination and pollution. Another way to improve indoor air quality is to introduce plants to the space. In addition to green walls, indoor plants can help convert extra carbon dioxide into fresh oxygen. More so, plants can give the space the relaxing vibe of greenery.

In this series, we’ll explore Healthy Homes and how architects and homeowners can work together to realize and design the best possible home for you.