Yes - There is Such a Thing as a Sick Building
November 15, 2017
Many office workers in urban environments often complain about feeling ill during the workday. In fact, they believe that their symptoms are present only at work. In extreme cases, experts will refer to this as sick building syndrome. And it’s no wonder – buildings new and old are filled with fumes, off-gases, moisture, and even mold. Worse still, a sick building can impact a worker’s productivity and threaten long-term health. This does not benefit the worker or the company.
Make sure your building isn’t suffering from sick building syndrome
For a landlord, running a sick building can also be an expensive proposition, let alone a health hazard. Statistics show that the North American office worker will spend upwards of 90% of the time indoors. This is a big problem, mainly because indoor air could be five times as toxic as outdoor air. One of the major culprits is off-gassing – that’s the release of airborne chemicals from furniture coverings, wall-to-wall carpeting, and other man-made synthetic materials.
A sick building can also result from mechanical defects in the building envelope – like higher than average air moisture, uncontrollable air leakage, and poorly performing air ventilation. In short, a poorly performing building, in other words a sick building, can cost a company dearly over the long term. On the flip side, a building that is well sealed, well insulated, and well ventilated will operate to its full potential, and provide a healthy environment for both workers and occupants.
For building owners, industry statistics clearly show a good return-on-investment when building performance is optimized. Study after study has shown that the cost of building improvements was well justified based on the payback with worker health and productivity. Simply put, keeping a building healthy, with regular maintenance, and continuing upgrades makes good business sense. At the same time, not meeting these challenges will result in a heavy cost down the line.
For a building to be properly sealed, insulated, and ventilated, building owners must understand the benefits of comprehensive upgrades and retrofits. With a three-pronged approach – sealing, insulating, and ventilating – a building “system” is in place that ensures seasonal comfort, clean flowing air, and controlled levels of air moisture. Needless to say, it’s a “system” that guarantees a healthy building and a healthy workforce – and the benefits are both economic and social.
Creating a healthy building with Great Northern Insulation
Throughout southern Ontario, Great Northern Insulation provides building envelope retrofits for residential, commercial, and industrial clients. GNI offers a wide range of products and services to enhance structural durability, increase energy efficiency, and improve occupant comfort.
For buildings large and small, GNI can do it all – from building diagnostics; to high-performance insulation; to air sealing and weatherizing; to mechanical ventilation. GNI also has the most experienced staff in the business, with the best installer teams and superior technical support.
With GNI, customers are assured of complete satisfaction – with brand name products, superior installations, and prompt project scheduling. To find out more, call the professionals at GNI directly at 1-800-265-1914, or visit the company website at www.gni.ca.
