Health, Safety
and Environment
Home/Health/Public Health

Indoor Air Quality

Overview

Air quality is an important aspect of well-being in our residential homes and workplaces. Poor air quality indoors can lead to sensitivities in some people, and longer-term exposures may impact your health. These conditions include nausea, headaches, skin irritation, sick building syndrome, congestion, and runny nose. Typically, people spend around 90% indoors, and as a result, indoor air quality (IAQ) can have a significant impact on people’s health.


Most IAQ problems can be effectively diagnosed with educated observations, an awareness of odors, a sense of temperature and relative humidity, and a smoke tube to verify the existence and direction of air flows.

Occasionally, it may be appropriate to measure:


  • Airflow through or out of ducts/vents, or calculate the percent of outdoor air in the supply air stream.
  • Thermal comfort - Temperature and relative humidity.
  • Carbon dioxide levels in occupied spaces throughout the occupancy period, or to compare CO2 levels in the complaint area with levels in non-complaint areas.
  • IAQ pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), lead, dust, biological contaminants including mold, etc., when the source has been identified.
HSE can interpret the public health concerns with residents and guide ways to improve the indoor air quality of your residence at KAUST.
Overview

Residential Indoor Air Quality Practices

As a resident of KAUST, it is important to follow common sense practices in the home to reduce exposure to common indoor air quality contaminants. These include:

01

Regular cleaning and drying of your bed linen on hot cycles and using hypoallergenic pillows for allergy sufferers (e.g., dust mites living in/on bed linen and pillows can be a source of allergens for some people).

02

Refrain from smoking indoors (which includes vaping and cigarettes), especially in the vicinity of vulnerable people such as small children or people who are sick.

03

Be aware that new carpets and/or laminate furniture may off-gas VOCs for a short time in the indoor environment. Consider buying low-VOC products.

04

Run your bathroom fan before, during, and after bathing and showering. (*excess moisture on walls can be wiped off after showering).

05

Reduce the use of fragrances indoors (sprays, cologne, perfume, air fresheners).

06

Operate all air conditioner units continuously on AUTO setting.

07

Where possible, use fragrance-free detergents, soaps, and fabric softeners.

08

Avoid the burning of candles and/or incense.

09

Use a HEPA-filtered vacuum cleaner, especially if you have pets or allergies.

10

Ensure you are following the planned preventative maintenance PPM schedules as defined for your residence to maximize the effectiveness of the residential unit’s HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system and filters) and any other operational requirements required as part of the schedule.

Training Resources

Coming soon…

Resources

KAUST Weather Environmental Protection Agency EPA. IAQ Standards and Guidelines (EPA and ASHRAE Standard) Residential Indoor Air Quality Study within KAUST