Shanghai plans to launch a survey of the indoor air quality in
downtown office buildings and publish a list of buildings where air
doesn't meet health standards, according to a local environment
association.
The project aims to improve the general air quality of office
buildings as a recent survey shows that most professionals are not
satisfied with the air quality in their offices.
"We want to promote public awareness of building a healthy
working environment," said Wang Fang, an official with the Shanghai
Association of Environmental Protection Industries who is in charge
of the project.
During the survey, environmental experts from the association
will use scientific devices to test the density of harmful
chemicals in the air within a batch of downtown office buildings.
They will also design a questionnaire to ask people working in
office buildings about their health.
Wang said the association is currently picking the buildings it
will study during the survey, which will begin later this year.
The ultimate purpose of the survey is to stimulate building
managers to improve the maintenance of air-conditioning systems or
to install air purifying equipment.
Wang said the project was inspired by Hong Kong's action during
the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in 2003. During
that period, Hong Kong initiated a citywide survey of indoor air
quality in major office buildings.
According to a recent preliminary survey of 100 randomly
selected professionals in office buildings in Xujiahui and the
Bund, some 70 respondents said they were not happy with the
ventilation system in their office and 60 respondents said they
were victims of second hand smoke.
Poor air quality is caused by the use of substandard materials
during construction, poor maintenance of air-conditioning systems,
and ineffective ventilation systems, experts said.
"I am very curious about the sanitation of our central air
conditioning system as I never noticed our property guys cleaning
them," said Wang Jianqun, a professional working in a highrise
office building near People's Square.
(Xinhua News Agency July 28, 2007)
