by Dawn R. Cole

Created on: October 10, 2008   Last Updated: September 19, 2011

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) normally occurs within a commercial or residential structure that has poor indoor air quality (IAQ). When buildings or homes do not have proper heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, various pollutants, chemicals, biological contaminants and airborne microorganisms get trapped in the building's stagnant air and are breathed in by the occupants. SBS can affect a particular room, wing, or an entire building or house.

SYMPTOMS OF SBS

SBS produces rather vague but uncomfortable symptoms in people confined within these "stale-air" indoor environments. The most common symptoms are:

* Headaches, dizziness, or difficulty in concentrating.

* Fatigue or lethargy.

* Irritation of the throat, nose and eyes.

* Dry and itchy skin.

* Increased sensitivity to odors.

These symptoms improve, or completely disappear, once the affected individual(s) is no longer in the confines of the particular building.

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS OF SBS

There is no known specific cause of SBS. There are elements that have been identified as contributing factors to the syndrome but symptoms could also be caused by temperature, humidity or lighting deficiencies.

The identified SBS elements include:

* Outdoor chemical contaminants = enter indoor air from the outside through plumbing vents, bathroom and kitchen exhausts, poorly sealed windows, air intake vents or other potential openings. (Vehicle exhaust fumes and landscaping pesticides are big offenders.)

* Indoor chemical contaminants = cleaners, adhesives, carpeting, furniture, stoves, space heaters, fireplaces, and certain wood products can all emit volatile organic compounds (VOC), like formaldehyde, into the air. (A manufacturing facility that is not adequately ventilated, but routinely uses chemicals in its production processes, emits chemicals and odors that remain in the air and can contribute to SBS symptoms.)

* Biological contaminants = stagnant water in humidifiers, ducts, drain pans or wet ceiling tiles, insulation, and carpeting can breed molds, pollens, viruses and bacteria. (Legionnaire's Disease and Pontiac Fever are two examples.)

* Inadequate ventilation = airtight buildings, commonly built in the 1970's, offered increased energy efficiency but decreased the outdoor air ventilation. When ventilation is reduced, there is an insufficient exchange and filtration within a building and the health and comfort of the occupants is compromised.

While anyone forced to breathe in chemicals

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