IAQ Control: A Framework for Action

From Indoor Air Quality Wiki
EDIAQI FRAMEWORK · CORE STRATEGIES
Integrated Strategies for Indoor Air Quality Management
Achieving healthy indoor environments requires a coordinated approach that targets pollutants at each stage of their life cycle: preventing their introduction, capturing them at emission points, diluting accumulated air, and cleaning recirculated airflow.
Principle 1
Prevention First
Eliminating sources indoors is always more effective and energy-efficient than attempting to dilute or filter heavy pollution afterwards.
Principle 2
Continuous Renewal
Ventilation is the only engineering control capable of replenishing oxygen and evacuating human bioeffluents, CO2, and indoor moisture.
Principle 3
Targeted Protection
Filtration removes fine particulate matter (PM2.5, PM1) and allergens, shielding occupants when outdoor air quality is compromised.

The Four Pillars of IAQ Control

Managing indoor air quality is a multifaceted endeavor that links human health, building physics, and occupant behavior.[1] Rather than relying on a single measure, effective building management combines four complementary lines of action:[2][3]

1. Source Control Primary Prevention

Identify and eliminate or minimize pollutant emissions directly at the origin before they disperse into the indoor atmosphere.[4]

  • Select low-emission building products, furnishings, and paints certified under recognized environmental labels.[4]
  • Eliminate unvented combustion processes, indoor smoking, and the use of synthetic fragrances, scented candles, or incense.[4]
  • Substitute aggressive solvent-based detergents with low-VOC alternatives and avoid using air fresheners as a substitute for cleaning.[4]

2. Local Extraction Point-Source Capture

Capture high-intensity moisture and pollutant plumes at the exact point of generation before they mix into adjacent living or working spaces.[5]

  • Operate dedicated kitchen cooker hoods venting directly outdoors whenever frying, boiling, or baking.[5]
  • Maintain mechanical exhaust ventilation in wet rooms (bathrooms, laundries) to evacuate moisture and prevent mould growth.[6]
  • Isolate and exhaust printing, photocopying, and chemical preparation areas in commercial and educational buildings.[7]

3. Ventilation Dilution & Air Renewal

Exchange stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air to dilute metabolic bioeffluents, control relative humidity, and remove background chemical accumulation.[1]

  • Select the most suitable strategy (natural cross-ventilation, mechanical supply-exhaust with heat recovery, or hybrid mixed-mode) based on building design, climate, and occupancy.[7]
  • Maintain baseline fresh airflow rates (typically 4 to 10 l/s per person) and use continuous CO2 monitoring (< 1000 ppm) as a reliable proxy for adequate fresh air delivery.[7]
  • In naturally ventilated buildings near busy roads, schedule window airing outside peak morning and evening traffic rush hours.[8]

4. Filtration and Air Cleaning Aerosol & Particle Removal

Physically capture airborne particles, pollen, and combustion aerosols, and adsorb volatile gases where outdoor air is heavily contaminated or natural ventilation is constrained.[5][8]

  • Upgrade central HVAC air filters to certified ISO 16890 ePM1 standards or deploy HEPA H13 purifiers for sensitive occupied spaces.[9][10]
  • Understand system boundaries: particulate filters do not remove CO2 or generate oxygen; dedicated fresh air exchange remains necessary.[8]
  • Ensure regular inspection and filter replacement schedules (pre-filters every 1 to 3 months, HEPA every 6 to 12 months) to maintain clean air delivery rates and prevent secondary bypass.[8]

Diagnose and solve your building's air quality issues
Consult The EDIAQI Decision Tree → for a four-step roadmap: determining why to measure, where to place sensors, whether a problem originates indoors or outdoors, and selecting the optimal combination of source control, ventilation, and filtration.

Related wiki pages

Source Control
Eliminating indoor emissions at the origin.
Local Extraction
Exhaust hoods and point-source capture.
Ventilation
Air exchange mechanisms and flow rates.
Filtration & Cleaning
Filter media, purifiers, and maintenance.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1
    Sundell, J., et al. (2011). Ventilation rates and health: multidisciplinary review of the scientific literature. Indoor Air, 21(3), 191-204.
  2. ↑
    Carrer, P., de Oliveira Fernandes, E., Santos, H., Hänninen, O., Kephalopoulos, S., & Wargocki, P. (2018). On the Development of Health-Based Ventilation Guidelines: Principles and Framework. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(7), 1360.
  3. ↑
    Asikainen, A., Carrer, P., Kephalopoulos, S., de Oliveira Fernandes, E., Wargocki, P., & Hänninen, O. (2016). Reducing burden of disease from residential indoor air exposures in Europe (HEALTHVENT project). Environmental Health, 15(Suppl 1), S35.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2
    Cheek, E., Guercio, V., Shrubsole, C., & Dimitroulopoulou, S. (2021). Portable air purification: Review of impacts on indoor air quality and health. Science of The Total Environment, 766, 142585.
  6. ↑
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3
  9. ↑
    International Organization for Standardization. (2016). Air filters for general ventilation (ISO 16890:2016). Geneva: ISO.
  10. ↑
    Comité Européen de Normalisation (CEN). (2019). High efficiency air filters (EPA, HEPA and ULPA) - Part 1: Classification, performance testing, marking (EN 1822-1:2019). Brussels: CEN.
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