INDOOR AIR QUALITY
The Indoor Air Quality Section provides consultation, partnering with public health officials, outreach and other initiatives to improve the quality of air in our homes, schools and offices. It also, provides more comprehensive services for state owned facilities that are managed by the Division of Facilities Management.
Concerns with Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) have increased since energy conservation measures were instituted in office buildings during the 1970s, minimizing the amount of outside air into the building. This contributes to the buildup of indoor air contaminants. IAQ generally refers to the quality of the air in an office environment. Complaints about IAQ range from simple complaints such as the air smelling odd, too hot or to cold. The more complex issues are when air quality causes illness and loss of work time. It may not be easy to identify a single reason for IAQ complaints because of the number and variety of possible sources, causes, and varying individual sensitivities.
Since most people spend a majority of their lives indoors, the quality of indoor air is a major area of concern. Sources of indoor air pollution includes oil, gas, wood, tobacco products, and building materials and furnishings, mold, damp carpets, household cleaning products, and lead-based paints.
