Over the past few decades, the term ‘healthy building’ has moved from being a novel concept to becoming part of the accepted lexicon of facilities management professionals.
While its meaning continues to evolve, the phrase generally refers to the positive notion of a building that supports the physical, psychological, and social well-being of the people who use it. Its genesis was partly in response to ‘sick building syndrome’, a term originally coined by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1986 to describe a group of symptoms experienced by occupants of newly constructed buildings, and offices in particular.
The truth, however, is that a building can’t ever be ‘sick’ or ‘healthy’ – no more than a chair can be comfortable, a car can be temperamental, or the weather can be angry. These are all examples of personification, where humans apply human characteristics to inanimate things in order to convey deeper meaning in understandable terms.
As such, while talk of ‘healthy buildings’ might not be accurate in a literal sense, it is incredibly valuable for its ability to wrap several complex concepts into a simple phrase. It succinctly conveys the accepted idea that if we are all to be happy and productive – to truly prosper and thrive – we can only do that within physical structures and spaces that support the wellbeing of occupants.
This means creating an environment where not only the atmospheric conditions are conducive to good health, but also where people can be confident their health is being looked after in a responsible, safe and professional way. This follows the experience of lockdowns during the pandemic, which heightened our awareness of the physical and mental health benefits of access to natural spaces, fresh air and sunlight, and the ill effects of staying indoors for long periods of time.
According to Joseph G. Allen and Ari Bernstein of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, there are 9 Foundations of a Healthy Building: ventilation, air quality, thermal health, moisture, dusts and pests, safety and security, water quality, noise, and lighting and views. At Edge, our expertise can be brought to bear in four crucial areas in particular: air quality, thermal health, ventilation and moisture control.
Air Quality
Healthy buildings prioritise clean indoor air. Ensuring a building has the appropriate air filtration systems in place helps control contaminants and minimise the presence of allergens, pollutants, and airborne pathogens, leading to the mitigation of risks relating to respiratory illnesses, allergies, and other health issues.
Thermal health
While air quality remains relatively hidden from a building’s occupants, everyone will be sensitive to temperature, which can have a major impact on comfort levels, productivity and well-being if not within an appropriate ambient range. Heaters and air-conditioning units can play a key role in achieving this goal, complementing climate-control systems or temporarily replacing them in the event of technical failures.
Ventilation
Ventilation is vital to ensure a building can ‘breathe’ by drawing in fresh air and expelling air that has accumulated dust, odours and contaminants. As well as integrated HVAC systems, buildings can benefit from the use of fans and air movers within shared spaces to support healthy circulation of higher quality air.
Moisture control
Facilities managers are tasked with regulating the relative humidity of the air inside a building to ensure conditions are not only comfortable for occupants but also prevent the unwanted reproduction of mould spores, bacteria and viruses, which can trigger allergic reactions, exacerbate respiratory conditions and spread illness. Using energy-efficient dehumidification equipment, condensation can be kept under control or the impact of more urgent problems, such as leaks and burst pipes, can be rectified.
Tackling these four core elements is a critical part of establishing a healthy building and creating an environment that supports – or ideally enhances – physical and mental well-being. For any business, achieving these primary goals is motivation enough, but there are also clear secondary benefits in terms of reduced absenteeism, improved productivity, and higher job satisfaction among employees.
At Edge, we believe our combination of experience, expertise and leading-edge equipment ensures we create optimum working environments where buildings are protected and the people residing in them feel happy, productive and healthy. Technically speaking, a building might not every truly be ‘healthy’, but our portfolio of air quality, thermal health, ventilation and moisture control equipment combine to deliver healthier buildings. We deliver you more, so you can deliver more.
To find out how we can support you with modern, cutting-edge air management equipment for rental please contact Simon Darby on 07415 158625 or email simon.darby@edge-equipmenthire.co.uk.
Alternatively, our national hire-desk is available on 01527 390662 or at hiredesk@edge-equipmenthire.co.uk.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sick_building_syndrome
[2] https://9foundations.forhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/9_Foundations_of_a_Healthy_Building_February_2017.pdf
