What is Sick Building Syndrome?

Sick building syndrome or SBS is the term use to describe the condition, in which building occupants suffer from health problems and discomfort, but no specific illness could be identified to the sufferers. Health problems of the occupants may localized in one compartment or the whole building. There is another similar term used related to building is called Building related illness or BRI, in which illness are specific and causes related to the building are identifiable. Recovery from illness takes days or weeks after leaving the building.

In sick building syndrome, health problems are unidentifiable and no co-relation could be established directly with the building. The occupants complains of headache, itchy skin, irritation of eyes and nose, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, difficulty and in concentration and similar other problems of severe discomfort. The symptoms relieved soon after leaving the building.

Most of the high rise buildings have very less scope of entering natural fresh air by manual arrangement. The air handling system called HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) is does all the functions of keeping inside atmosphere of the building comfortable by heating, cooling and mixing measured quantity of fresh air from outside with recalculated air inside. The system is set to do a complete air change few times a day depending on the number of occupants, types and numbers of office equipment and other sources of airborne pollutant in the building.

Some building may set complete air change or mixing of outside air too less to save the energy and in turn the environment inside becomes uncomfortable. Another reason could be poor design of HVAC, where the fresh air intake is too close to pollutant emitting atmosphere like multistory car park, toilet or kitchen exhaust vents, etc. Filters of the building's HVAC system is able to filter out solid particles but fine gasses mixed with air can easily pass through the filter.

Bacteria, molds, pollen, and viruses can breed at many components of the building's air handling system due to ageing, poor design allowing water to stagnant in ducts, dehumidifier and drain pans. The breeding of contaminants could be from inappropriate maintenance of the HVAC system also. Molds and polen can form in wet ceiling, carpeting or insulations also.
There could sources og indoor pollutants. Example of indoor pollutants could be adhesives, carpeting, upholstery, manufactured wood products, copy machines, pesticides, and cleaning agents.

When sick building syndrome become prevalent, foremost responsibilities of the building management authority would be to carry out investigations, identify root causes of the pollutant, eliminate the source or sources and alleviate sufferings of the building occupants.

References: http://epa.gov/iedweb00/pubs/s bs.html.

http://en.wikipedia.or g/wiki/Sick_building_syndrome