Most non-residential indoor space is owned and/or operated by private sector and are frequented by employees, consumers or general public. Premises with high occupancy or where occupants stay for extended periods are at greater risk if indoor air quality (“IAQ”) is not managed.
While some simple measures for indoor air quality improvement are usually adopted (e.g. cleaning of ventilation system, installation of purifier at certain spots, etc), there is a lack of thoughtful or integrated approach (e.g. air quality monitoring and reporting components are not installed). The effectiveness and sufficiency of the ventilation system and purifiers is not known – it can be an inefficient use of resource for the company and also a missed opportunity to enhance health and productivity of staff.
Despite the availability of local and international voluntary recognition schemes that recognize premises meeting green building performances, the overall portion of companies implementing with IAQ management system is estimated to be below 5%. Majority of the buildings in Hong Kong do not adequately manage IAQ, exposing employees, customers, the general public, and other space users to the adverse effects of poor IAQ on health, productivity, and overall well-being.
Our long-term vision is that all private sector players will recognize the value of IAQ management for health, productivity and satisfaction of employees and customers, and include IAQ management in their regular business planning and operation.
