Brace for the Haze - Healthy Indoor Air Quality via Smog Protection in Perspective

Abstract

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) belongs to the family of basic human needs in absence of which occupants’ actions can be hampered. The intake of fresh (considered “healthy”) outside air plays not only a vital role to avoid occupants’ dissatisfaction. Its lack can even result in lack of concentration, initiative, strategic thinking and even obscure detrimental lounge diseases. Especially during the more rampant haze periods in South East Asia, IAQ in the built environment seems to be just barely achievable. Closing oneself up making homes as air-tight as possible and running purifiers at the same time seems to be a quick fix, but it is the prevailing strategy of those who can afford the tools. Setting up air purifiers is widely deemed necessary, but it is contradictory to the natural effort receiving enough fresh indoor air 24/7. In the literature review of the presentation, concepts how to brace for the haze by Healthy IAQ for standard residential buildings in a tropical environment will be discussed by revisiting the ASHRAE and the international tropical green building certification standard “Green Mark” with focus on Singapore. Based upon own findings for insulated and air-tight buildings, in the methodology initial experiments will be prepared, comparing different methods for measuring and mastering the haze by proposing a lead-user study with air purifiers in combination with filtered fresh air intake. As a conclusion that comes out of the respective findings, a supplementary prototype assessment tool for the overarching IAQ will be derived where haze protection might be just the trigger. It is revealed that pollution is a phenomenon that needs to be addressed not only in terms of indoor haze prevention, but through a holistic approach to make use of more healthy fresh air despite the somber reality of increasing worldwide pollution.