Indoor Air Quality in Office Buildings: A Technical Guide

1. Introduction and Scope

1.1 Purpose of Document

This document will provide guidance for those people responsible for conducting indoor air quality (IAQ) investigations in office buildings. It will assist them in determining the cause of poor IAQ, in establishing at what point specific professional services are required, and in defining the methodology and scope of a particular IAQ study.

1.2 Users

This report is designed for use by property managers, building maintenance staff, health and safety officials, and consultants working in the occupational environment field. It will facilitate communication between those responsible for investigating IAQ complaints and all other concerned persons.

1.3 Investigation Methods

An IAQ investigation attempts to isolate and mitigate one or more problems of the office building environment. The approach is solution-oriented and systematically narrows the range of possibilities. The investigator must search through the clues carefully to solve the problem. Most complaints, especially in smaller buildings, can be handled on site by a person who understands the building operation and the technical framework of IAQ issues.

The investigation generally proceeds from simple consultation and observation through a cycle of information gathering, hypothesis formation, and testing until a solution is obtained.