The strategy makes sense, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that Americans spend an average of 90 percent of their time indoors — with at least 50 percent of that time in a work environment. With many employees putting in more time, businesses are looking at ways to improve employee health, comfort and safety.
While no studies have been conducted to quantify indoor air quality and sick-building litigation costs, a recent Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory report cites one insurance firm as paying out $24 million from 1989 to 1993 in illness claims resulting from faulty heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. The most common occurrences were in office settings.
Experts estimate that nearly 30 percent of office buildings nationwide experience some form of indoor air quality problems, often due to such faulty systems. Even new buildings in desirable locations can have poor air quality due to things such as mold infestation and oversight.
Among the steps landlords and corporate property managers can take to reduce IAQ risks are keeping a close watch on tenant renovations and buildouts, as any change to a building's interior space can reduce air quality; overseeing all maintenance schedules and supplies; and including air quality provisions in all leases and building regulations.
