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Indoor air quality: Issues and

concerns in India

Sumit Sharma, R Suresh

GRIHA SUMMIT 2014

What is IAQ

The quality of air inside buildings as represented

by concentrations of pollutants and thermal
(Temperature and Relative Humidity) conditions
that affect the health, comfort, and performance
of occupants

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IAQ – an area of concern

• Indoor air quality is linked to health of the occupants
• IAQ is an important concern – both rural and urban
• US EPA pointed out that indoor air pollution poses a greater risk than
outdoor air pollution - people spend 80-90% of their time indoors (Yu and
Browers, 2013)
• Carbon based gaseous pollutants (VOCs) indoors could be 2 to 5 times
higher than outdoors

• Presence of air pollutants in indoor environment a global issue due to

adverse effects on human health (Tsakas, Siskos and Siskos, 2011)
• Indoor air pollution - ranked among the top five environmental health risks
to the public by EPA.
• Indoor air pollution – one of the top 10 death, disease risk factors - India

Pollutants & Sources

Location Sources Pollutant
Offices, government HVAC systems, carpets, painting Primary: PM, VOCs
buildings & polishing , household Additional : CO, NOx, SO2
cleaners, aerosols,
insecticides, pesticides and
personal care products
Parking areas Vehicular movement Primary : PM, CO, NOx, HC
Additional : SO2, VOCs,
PAHs,
Public places such as HVAC systems, carpets, painting Primary: PM, VOCs, Nicotine
restaurants, hotels, & polishing , insecticides, Additional : CO, NOx, SO2
libraries, shopping pesticides, smoking,
malls (misc. sources constriction activities
Rural households using Biomass burning for cooking, Primary: PM, CO, BC
biomass heating, waste burning. Additional : CH4, NMOC
Kerosene burning for lighting,

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Causal factors

• Inadequate ventilation/air tightness / poorly designed

ventilation systems

• High temperature and humidity levels

• Other indoor sources including combustion

• Infiltration of outdoor air contaminants into the indoor

• Use of cleaning products, paints, printers, pesticides

and other VOCs generating products

Problems of IAQ

Enclosed space inhabited by humans produce the

following effects

• Oxygen level or CO2 level

• Increase in temperature and humidity

• Increase in bio-aerosol and odor

• Accumulation of air pollutants

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Sources of indoor air pollutants

• Combustion activity

• Furniture

• Chemicals

• Building materials

• Food & Water

• Smoking activity

• Outdoor air pollution

NMVOC emissions in India

2010 Automobile Ind(Proc.) Forests

2030Transport
Refinery DG sets Food & oil 9%
0% 2% 0% 2%
3% 1%
Paints
Personal Industry
8% care 1%
Evap. Trans
2% Gas
Oil& 19% Domestic
15%
Domestic 2%
Printing
58% 3%
Open Power
burning Open burning 0%
6% 3% Automobile
Evap. Trans Ind(Proc.)
Tyres 1%
Refinery
3% 4%
DG sets 0%
2%
1% Waste Printing
0% 6% Paints
Oil& Gas
Industry TransportFood & oil Forests Personal
4% care 25%
0% 9% 1% 4% 5%

• In 2010, paints contribute to 8% NMVOC emissions in India.

• In next 20 years, the share is about to grow to 25%.

• This has implications over outdoor and indoor air quality.

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TERI measurements in office

buildings

IAP and health

Pollutant Health effects
NO2 Type: Immediate: Causes: irritation to the skin, eyes and throat, cough etc

CO Type: : Immediate; Causes: headache, shortness of breath, higher conc. May

cause sudden deaths.
VOCs Type: : Immediate; Causes: Liver, kidney disorders, irritation to the eyes, nose
and throat, skin rashes and respiratory problems.

Formaldehyde Type: : Immediate; Causes: irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, fatigue,
headache, skin allergies, vomiting etc.
RSPM Type: : Cumulative, Causes: Respiratory Illness (upper and lower), Acute
(Asthma) and chronic (COPD), Lung cancer,
Pesticides Type: : Immediate; Causes: Skin diseases
SO2 Type: : Immediate; Causes: lung disorders and shortness of breath

Asbestos Type: : Cumulative; Causes: Lung cancer

O3 Type: : Immediate; Causes: eyes itch, burn, respiratory disorders, lowers our
resistance to colds and pneumonia.

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Sick building syndrome (SBS)

Building occupants experience acute health and comfort
effects which is linked to time spent in the building, but no
specific illness or cause identified. Not a clinically
diagnosable disease.
Causes of SBS
60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
Inadequate Contamination Contamination Microbial Contamination Unknown
ventilation from inside from outside contamination from building sources
building building fabric EPA

Symptoms of SBS

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Effect of temperature, RH and

CO2
Temperature Relative humidity CO2
• Has a direct impact on • Too high RH can • Provides good
perceived comfort and, in contribute to the growth indication of ventilation
turn, concentration and and spread of biological rates
productivity contaminants and • Generated in indoor
• As per ASHRAE Standard people think it feels primarily through
55, the recommended ‘sticky’ human metabolism
temperature ranges • RH below 25% - • CO2 build up in indoor
perceived as increased discomfort is attributed to in-
"comfortable" are 73 to and drying of skin and efficient or non-
79°F(22.8 to 26.1°C) in the mucous membrane functioning of
summer and 68 to 74.5°F ventilation system
• As per ASHRAE
(20.0 to 23.6°C) in the • As per ASHRAE, above
Standard 55, indoor
winter. 1000ppm CO2 –requires
humidity levels should
be maintained between adjustment of building’s
30 percent and 65 ventilation system
percent for optimum • Building shows SBS
comfort. symptoms if CO2
concentration > 1000
ppm

IAQ standards and guidelines

1. Canada
2. Singapore
3. UK
4. Germany
5. USA
6. China
7. India??

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Summary of guidelines
NAAQS/EPA
Parameter WHO guideline value* ASHRAE** OSHA***
(2000)****

PM10 50µg/m3 (24-hr mean) -- 15mg/m3 (total) 150µg/m3 (24-hr)

PM2.5 25µg/m3 (24-hr mean) -- 5mg/m3(resp.) 65µg/m3 (24-hr)

140ppb (24-hr)
SO2 20µg/m3 (24-hr mean) -- 5ppm (8-hr)
75ppb (1-yr)

200µg/m3 (1-hr) 53ppb (annual)

NO2 -- 5ppm (8-hr)
40µg/m3(annual mean) 100ppb (1-hr)

CO 10ppm (8-hr) 9ppm (8-hr) 50ppm (8-hr) 9ppm (8-hr)

CO2 -- 1000ppm (8-hr) 5000ppm
Humidity -- 30% - 65% --
68°F – 74.5°F
(20-23.6oC)(winter)
Temperature -- --
73°F – 79F°
22.8-26.1oC)(summer)

*** Occupational Safety and Health Administration Permissible Exposure Limit — this level is a time-weighted average and is an enforceable standard
that must not be exceeded during any eight-hour work shift of a 40-hour work week
** ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers Inc.) Standard 55
* WHO air quality guidelines global update 2005 and WHO guideline value for the ―classical‖ air pollutants (WHO 1999a
**** The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) were developed by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Air Act (last amended in 1990). These enforceable standards were developed for outdoor air
quality, but they are also applicable for indoor air contaminant levels. The concentrations are set conservatively in order to protect the most sensitive
individuals, such children, the elderly, and those with asthma.

Comparison of Regulations & Guidelines

Pertinent to Indoor Environments

*Unless otherwise specified, values are given in parts per million (ppm)
*Where no time is specified, the averaging time is eight hours.

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Mitigation strategies

Source Management

Preventing use of
substances containing
harmful materials

Administrative
Controls Engineering
Controls
Controlling human
factors causing Controlling activities
exposure causing indoor air
pollution
Policy making

1. Source management

• Lot of indoor air pollutants directly linked to items of

daily use
– Cleaning items (low VOC products)
– Fuels and cook-stoves (Clean fuels)
– Building materials and furnishings (low VOC
products)

• Building occupants may be the source of pollutants -

perfumes or colognes, cigarette smoke (OSHA, 2011)

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2. Administrative controls

• Eliminate or reduce the amount of time a worker is

exposed to a pollutant
Work schedules • Reduce the amount of chemicals being used by or near
workers
• Control the location of chemical use

• Inform about the sources and effects of pollutants

Education and • Inform about proper operation of ventilation system
Awareness • Awareness about clean alternatives, mitigation solutions

• Prevent dirt from entering the environment

• Dispose garbage timely
Housekeeping •
•
Store food properly
Choose cleaning products, methods that minimize
introduction of pollutants into the building

3. Engineering controls

• HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air

conditioning systems) control and
management

• IAQ improving plants

• Air purifiers

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Interventions required

• National standards and/or guidelines on indoor air quality

• Verifying claims of products – certifications

• Evaluation of important existing buildings

• GRIHA Rating evaluation to be included in building

projects

• Improving outdoor air quality will help in improving IAQ

also.

Thank you

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