Introduction to Citygate’s New IAQ Monitoring System

Background

Nowadays, people spend over 90% of their time indoors in Hong Kong. Inhalation of indoor air pollutants can lead to a variety of negative short and long-term health and well-being conditions that can vary in severity.

With the implementation of our central air-conditioning system consisting of a high-quality filtration system and fresh air supply, we aim to deliver a high level of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) within our premises in order to optimise conditions for productivity, well-being and health.

Therefore, we have introduced an IAQ continuous monitoring system consisting of smart online IAQ sensors to monitor our IAQ on a 24/7 basis and enabling occupants to read the IAQ in real time, wherever they may be.

System reference

Our smart IAQ monitoring system is referenced from the established and world-known WELL Building Standard™ version 2. The WELL Building Standard takes a holistic approach to health in the built environment, addressing behavior, operations and design. It is a performance-based system for measuring, certifying, and monitoring features of the built environment that may impact human health and well-being.

IAQ parameters and why these parameters?

8 key parameters have been selected to monitor in our buildings, namely
  • Indoor Temperature (Unit: oC) details
  • Indoor Relative Humidity (Unit: %) details
  • Carbon Dioxide (CO2, Unit: ppm) details
  • Carbon Monoxide (CO, Unit: ppm) details
  • Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC, Unit: µg/m3) details
  • Respirable and Fine Suspended Particles (PM2.5, Unit: µg/m3) details
  • Respirable and Fine Suspended Particles (PM10, Unit: µg/m3) details
  • Ozone (O3, Unit: ppb) details

The 8 parameters have been identified as the most potentially hazardous to health and are the most prevalent in Hong Kong.

IAQ Classifications

The IAQ is defined in two classifications:
  • Great Quality - represents a good IAQ protecting building users including the young and the aged
  • Prime Quality - represents a best in class IAQ for a high-end and healthy environment

These objectives are comparable to the international health-based air quality standards which are intended to protect a more diverse target population including the young and the aged.

In case the IAQ is out of the above-mentioned classifications, prolonged exposure to those pollutants may cause health issues.

Sources of pollutants and impact to humans

  • Dust, exhaust from vehicles, photocopiers, printers and fax machines, emissions from furniture, adhesives and paints, and exhalation from occupants are the main sources of these 8 pollutants
  • Less severe symptoms of short-term exposure can include headaches, dry throat, eye irritation or runny nose, while more severe health outcomes can include asthma attacks, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, heart diseases or cancer.

For more details, please visit Indoor Air Quality Information Centre by Environmental Protection Department.



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