Dubai, UAE, 18 February 2018: While good management of indoor air quality (IAQ) is a critical practice in the GCC region, it also presents excellent opportunities for the HVAC industry, said David O’Riley, Managing Partner, Britannia International.

Sharing his thoughts on the subject, O’Riley said: “Most towers in the UAE do not meet actual IAQ standards, although the government agencies have published regulations. Apart from monitoring of relative humidity and CO₂ levels, issues such as particulate matter are of paramount importance. It has been established that particulate matter of up to 2.5 microns can find their way into the human bloodstream and lungs.”

He added that currently, there are few systems in this part of the world capable of extracting particulate matter of those levels, and this is one opportunity.

The other opportunity, he further added, is the prevention of high levels of humidity in buildings, along with moisture and mould. “Mould colonies are like tribes, so you have two different colonies growing next to each other, and they want to defend their own space. To defend their space, they release mycotoxins into the air, and mycotoxins are proving to be carcinogenic,” he said.

He further said that the danger to human health in air conditioned buildings is substantially based on the fact that the indoor environment, which includes elements like materials used in the construction, are conducive to mould build-up. To tackle the issue, he added, buildings need to have the right technology, which the industry can provide, but the government agencies must mandate these practices.