Indoor air quality in "Buildings of the Year". Maximum productivity - Minimum of complaints.

Sustained efforts to conserve energy during the last 15 years have taken place at the expense of the indoor environmental quality. Ventilation air volume has been reduced to a minimum. The use of new materials, substances and equipment which emit gases, vapours, fibres and other pollutants into indoor air are and additional reason for the increasing frequency of complaints about the indoor environment. If air quality is improved by increasing air volume, the energy demand will increase - and extended initial costs will rise. Adverse effects on health, caused by poor air quality, have been recorded. These include irritation of the skin and mucuous membranes, fatigue and headaches. Such conditions are also of significance for ill-health which is related to allergy and respiratory disorders. Evidence available from research and official statistics indicate that complaints about the indoor climate are clearly related to well-being and productivity in our places of work (1).