Sick building syndrome is a real health issue that affects office workers throughout the world.
Shared work environments with poor ventilation allow germs, dust, smoke and fumes to circulate, affecting the health of everyone present and spreading illnesses throughout a workforce.
If your organisation seems to have a high number of people falling ill or if people seem to be battling against constant bouts of coughs, colds or other contagious ailments, it could be time to upgrade your building’s ventilation.
The best way to improve natural ventilation is to have windows and doors open throughout the day, however this can be tricky (and unpleasant!) in the colder, winter months when temperatures are low.
It might be tempting to block out every draught in winter, but you should try to keep trickle vents open so that a small amount of fresh air can replace the more polluted air in the building. Trickle vents are small so they don’t have a huge impact but if the wind is blowing outside and there are vents open on windows on either side of your office, they can help to create a gentle current of fresh air to slowly whisk away airborne germs.
In the summer or when the air is still outside, you’ll need to increase the airflow by opening windows but even this might not be enough on a really still day. You can help the air to flow more easily by cleverly positioning fans to direct the air from windows on one side of the office to the other, but this can make life miserable for anyone with hayfever because pollen may also be wafting through your office along with the fresh air.
As well as the problems of letting in pollen and letting out warmth, natural ventilation is also problematic in urban areas because the outside air may be polluted.
Extractor fans are a must in kitchens and toilets, where smells can linger and moisture can build, but just like open windows, they also let out the heat from a room.
The most effective way to improve ventilation in the workplace is by investing in a mechanical heat recovery ventilation (MVHR) system for your office.
MVHR works by removing the old, polluted air from the building and replacing it with fresh air that gets filtered as it comes in. The best thing about MVHR is that it uses the warmth of the air that the system extracts to heat up the inbound air. Using no more power than an extractor fan, these systems help your workplace to have fresh, clean air while also staying warm and energy efficient.
All year round, it’s the perfect solution for any workplace.
By installing a mechanical ventilation system within your office environment, this will remove all nasty pollutants in the air and replace it with fresh, clean air for your employees to safely breathe in. This will help to prevent illnesses being passed on to team members, hopefully resulting in less sick days being taken - meaning that your business should be more productive, with everyone feeling happier and healthier.
Are you looking to invest in ventilation for your businesses’ office space? Get in touch with our team of experts today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
