Once
natural air enters a building through ventilation, its composition can be
altered through chemicals in ways that can be harmful to human health. Sick
Building Syndrome (SBS) is a term used to refer to symptoms caused by toxic
environmental conditions in living, work or office spaces. Chest tightness,
headaches, fatigue, lethargy, and emotional irritability are some symptoms
associated with the syndrome.
The
concentration of indoor pollution is often greater than outdoors yet in some
countries many people spend most of their time inside. This increases their
risk of exposure to toxic elements in their environment. The prime cause of
toxicity has to do with a building’s engineering, construction and ventilation
system. There may be issues of inadequate flow of fresh outside air; poor
filtration of outdoor pollutants; poor distribution of air within the occupied
space; or standing water which encourages biological growth.