As building owners, operators, and developers adapt to a hybrid work model, creating a welcoming office space is more important than ever. In an article for Propmodo’s Perspectives series, ESD now Stantec Senior Acoustics Project Manager Scott Hamilton shares his views on the evolution of the open office and why acoustics play such a critical role to the health, comfort, and productivity of returning workers. (Learn more about open office design.)
Studies reveal indoor concentration of contaminants can be up to five times higher than the concentration outside.
The EPA says billions of dollars are lost annually due to decreased productivity and absenteeism when workers fall sick to indoor contaminants, and it has ranked indoor air pollution among the top five risks to public health. Considering people spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, that’s alarming.
Saahil Tumber will present “Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality” at the ASHRAE Illinois Spring Conference on March 8. He will discuss the codes and standards pertinent to maintaining acceptable indoor air quality and show why it requires a team effort among engineers, facility managers, commissioning agents and others to make sure people are safe breathing in buildings.
