Indoor Air Quality
The Air You Breathe
Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems, tightly constructed buildings, building-related pollutant sources and people-related pollutant sources can all play a role in the quality of air within buildings. Building occupants reporting thermal comfort issues or symptoms such as irritation of the eyes, nose and skin, headaches, fatigue, coughing, sneezing and nausea may be an indication of improper HVAC operation or poor building air quality.
Safetech offers a wide variety of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) services using state-of-the-art sampling equipment and following current IAQ standards and guidelines to provide the highest level of service.
Are Your Occupants Concerned About Their Air Quality?
You expect good air quality where you spend most of your time (at the office and at home). Even if symptoms aren’t serious, poor IAQ can result in decreased productivity and absenteeism. Sometimes, poor IAQ may be due to multiple issues while in other cases the underlying cause of complaints may not be related to IAQ conditions at all. Often, a change in conditions can have a negative impact on air quality:
- Have interior renovations recently been completed?
- Has there been a change in occupancy rates?
- Have maintenance or cleaning practices recently changed?
- Has there been a change in tenants or use of the space?
- Has there been a recent flood or leak?
- Is construction occurring outside the building?
A comprehensive IAQ assessment can often eliminate possible causes, identify real issues, and provide realistic advice to increase the quality of air to achieve a comfortable and productive environment.
Interested in Building IAQ Certification?
Tenants want assurances they are working and living in a building that is managed and performs in a sustainable, energy efficient manner - in consideration of the environment and the health and well-being of the occupants. If you are a building owner or property manager, there are a wide variety of programs, accreditations and certifications available to ease the minds of your tenants and market that your space is recognized as providing such an environment. This includes:
- BOMA BEST (Building Environmental Standards)
- LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
- WELL Building Standard
- Fitwel Certification
Safetech’s team of IAQ experts and LEED Green Associates will work with you and your team of sustainability consultants, architects, general contractors, HVAC/air balancing contractors and others to help you achieve the points and credits necessary to meet your goals. This includes determining the monitoring plan required, completing the required assessments and sampling and providing the necessary documentation for certification. Verification sampling, management programs, maintenance personnel training and best practices can also be developed for specific sections of these programs (e.g. air quality, water quality, lighting, comfort, etc.) to help you obtain additional credits.
Odours - Condominiums and other multi-tenant housing
We support Property Managers with complaints associated with odours and noise. These are typically common in condominiums and apartments with multiple family housing. It is possible to trace the pathways for odours and noise so that proper solutions can be identified and implemented.
Typical IAQ Services Provided by Safetech Include:
General IAQ Assessments (measurement of thermal comfort and common IAQ parameters such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate, and volatile organic compounds)
Odour Investigations (cannabis/cigarette smoke, cooking odours, sewer gas and other odours of unknown cause and origin)
Building Certification Testing (LEED, BOMA BEST, WELL Fitwel)
Post-Fire Air Quality Testing
Radon Testing and Mitigation
Air Quality Monitoring during Construction or Renovation
Sampling for Specific Contaminants (e.g., formaldehyde, allergens, mould)
Detailed HVAC Assessments
Duct Cleaning Assessment and Testing