Energy Guide

INDOOR AIR QUALITY
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) estimates about 30 percent of commercial
buildings (1.4 million) in the United States may have
indoor air quality (IAQ) problems. Specific chemical
and biological contaminants can affect occupants’
comfort and health. In many cases, poor indoor air
quality is the result of inadequate ventilation and
chemical emissions from multiple indoor sources.
Many factors affect IAQ, including outdoor air
quality. Commercial buildings are self-contained
environments, usually connected to the much
larger environment by a mechanical heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
If the outdoor air is polluted, as is the case in
many areas, indoor air will also be polluted.
Good IAQ depends on solid building design,
effective building operations and maintenance
programs, and the appropriate selection of
low-emitting interior products. The United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emphasizes
the importance of source reduction measures,
such as specifying low-emitting products and
performing effective and frequent cleaning for the
maintenance of acceptable indoor air quality.
Responsible manufacturers are following the EPA’s
recommendations by scrutinizing products that
emit chemicals when used indoors and by developing
ways to further reduce product emissions. Through
diligent efforts to scrutinize their products, carpet
manufacturers have continually tested carpet to
learn about its role in indoor air quality.
CARPET’S ROLE IN THE INDOOR
ENVIRONMENT
Scientific research studies, including those done by
the EPA and independent laboratories, have concluded
that carpet is one of the lowest emitters of volatile
organiccompounds(VOCs) in the indoor environment.
All man-made products impact indoor air. Other
products, such as paint, wall coverings, and other
floor coverings, emit VOC levels up to ten times
higher.
SECTION 5
5-1
THE ENVIRONMENT