Delhiites affected by AC pollution — Study

Worried by the alarming air quality in the city, a few MNCs have taken the help of Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI) to find out the quality of air inside their buildings. Embassies have hired technicians to remove pollutants from the air inside the building because the quality did not come up to the required standards.

“Although relatively little is known about the hazards of substances in indoor air, the need to understand this partof our environment is obvious. On an average, one spends 80-90 per cent of the time indoors,” says Sumeet Saksena, a member of TERI.

The problem is that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is yet to come up with standards for indoor air quality standards. The Pahadpur Business Centre in Nehru Place which houses 24 offices including many of the leading MNCs like INTEL and Essar was the first to wake up to the reality of indoor pollution.

The initial findings in the building revealed that nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide levels have been lower than outdoors but the Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) was way too high indoors.

To make matters worse, the Respirable Particulate Matter (RPM) which are smaller particles of SPM and extremely difficult to monitor are more indoors. Nearly 99 per cent of the offices have ACs whose filters are only able to filter the bigger particles. The result is that the ratio of this more harmful RPM becomes much more.

Taking note of the recommendations made byTERI, the Pahadpur Business Centre upgraded its air handling Units. A state-of-the-art system called HEPA system (High Efficiency Particulate Air) was installed to provide a high ventilation rate. It even has the capacity to filter particles below 10 microns which is carcinogenic and has the capacity to lodge themselves in the lungs.

Specific green plants were put inside the building based on the research done by NASA to absorb harmful chemicals.

After a recent second study, the Business Centre claims to have the cleanest air inside the city. They even have an indoor air quality manager on their payrolls. It took them three years to work on the project with the help of TERI, IIT and information on the Internet.

“It is almost like breathing in Shimla. If it increases the efficiency of the employees by 10 per cent it is worth it. They can stay there for 10 hours without feeling they are in an air-conditioned building,” said Kamal Meattle of the Pahadpur Business Centre. They are even packaging thisconcept to sell the know-how to other buildings interested in doing this.

This concept is slowly catching up. A company called Indoor Environment Service sells the concept of cleaning the air ducts (the place where particulate matter settles) inside offices without dismantling the false ceiling. They are into “concept selling” and more and more companies are showing serious interest.

DANGERS INSIDE

Harmful effects: Can cause lung cancer, middle ear effusion, reduced lung function and reduced lung growth in children.

Harmful effects: angina, ischemic heart disease, mucosa of the eyes, nose, throat and respiratory tract, acute or chronic bronchitis.

Harmful effects: conjunctival irritation, nose and throat irritation, headache, allergic skin reaction and nausea.