Indoor Air Quality - Mechanism @ Paharpur Business Centre

Paharpur Business Centre & Software Technology Incubator Park (PBC™-STIP) is a state-of-the-art one-stop-shop for companies planning foray into the Indian Market. It offers fully furnished offices solutions & conferencing facilities in a near mountain fresh environment.

Indoor Air refers to the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of air inside a building. In a cut-throat competition like today, IAQ is a tool to enhance productivity & reduce health risk.

Did you know that Indoor air can be ten times more polluted than outdoor air?

Hundreds of poisonous chemicals are released into our homes and offices from furniture, carpets, and building material. Ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and many other airborne toxins are often trapped inside, thanks to closed ventilation systems resulting into a number of allergic reactions and respiratory problems.

The best method for improving indoor air quality is to grow houseplants. Research has shown that you can dramatically improve the indoor air quality with a few plants. It is tested that these houseplants not only convert CO₂ to O₂ but also filters common air pollutants effectively.

The idea has been rigorously tested at our facility for the past 15 years with over 1,200 plants – 4 for every occupant. Air is cleansed by passing it through a water tank so that soluble pollutants dissolve or settle down. It is then passed through ultraviolet light, which kills the bacteria. This clean air is then flown over the plants in the greenhouse set on the rooftop of our building. For daily updates on Indoor Air Quality data log on our website, www.pbcnet.com

CleanAir™ is a division of PBC™-STIP offering Indoor Air Quality management & consultancy services. It provides solutions & recommendations to maintain healthy indoors through scientific processes. CleanAir™ is one of the leading organization with more than a decade’s experience in IAQ. The company is certified with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22000, SA (Social Accountability) 8000, OSHAS (Occupational Health & Safety Standards) 18001 for rendering environment friendly services. Consistent with its Environmental Quality Policy, it maintains IAQ conforming to the standards defined by ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air -Conditioning Engineers).

We have a full-fledged laboratory to perform tests and analysis at our centre. We monitor & analyze indoor air system, sampling of particulate matters like VOC, SPM, PM10, PM2.5, CO2, SOX, NOX, etc., case wise IAQ survey, testing of specific parameters, review the existing records and provide consultancy on improvement & implementation.

IAQ Mechanism at our centre

Air Washer

• Air is filtered using Pre-filters of MERV 6 rating
• Air is scrubbed using UV treated soft water.
• Water is tested for specific parameters like microbial growth (test report attached)
• Treated water in the unit is cleansed continuously using sand filter

Greenhouse

• Approx. 120 plants of specific species are housed.
• Plants are picked based on usage namely day, night and toxin removal use
• Besides normal plants, they are also grown using hydroponics
• It has combination of white and yellow lights for plants
• Temperature is monitored & maintained under 30 degree C using air washer
• Plant leaves are cleaned twice a week to increase photosynthesis & toxin absorbing efficiency
• Vermi-Manure is used in plants, which is sterile and high in micro nutrients

Heat Recovery Wheel Unit

• Increases the efficiency of HVAC system by pre-cooling the incoming air
• It has chemical cartridge to remove SOx & NOx contaminants present in the air.
• Bag filters in the unit takes care of the suspended impurities

Air Handling Units

• Demand control ventilation system is used using CO₂ sensors
• UV lights installed on the cooling coil have a germicidal effect on micro-organisms
• Combination of pre-filters and bag filters is used to clean air
• Electronic filters are used to further clean the incoming fresh air
• Regular duct cleaning ensures that the ducts are free of dust and microbial growth

Other IAQ Improvement Initiatives

• Besides Greenhouse, there are toxin removing plants placed all over the building
• Air Purifier with activated carbon filter and ionizers in conference rooms
• Smoking/Eating is allowed only in designated areas
• Elevator Area & building envelope are sealed to avoid untreated air ingress
• Air curtains at two entrances of the office
• Regular training and awareness to members on IAQ system
• Planning to include our existing balconies as extension to greenhouse by putting up vertical garden

According to a study carried out at PBC™-STIP by Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata and Central Pollution Control Board, people working at PBC™-STIP which has filters to clean air pollutants were found to have 10-12 percent less lung impairment than those working in Nirman or Mausam Bhawan, where there are no air filters. These plants not only lead to fresher indoor air, but also increase productivity by almost 20%. The study also reflected that there was a 42% probability of increasing blood oxygen by 1% simply by being in the building for 8 hours.