Indoor Air Quality, as described in the previous chapter, is determined by a multitude of factors; ambient air being only one of them.

IAQ is also a very specific to its context. It is seen that two adjoining enclosed space could have two different sets of issues. For instance, consider two adjoining apartments: One apartment has a marble flooring, the other a carpet flooring. Assuming all other factors to be the same, just this little difference could potentially result in the VOC levels in the second apartment being higher than the first.

Therefore, it is obvious that there cannot be a one-size-fit-all approach to managing IAQ.  Nor can any single piece of equipment—whether it be a ventilator or humidifier or air purifier or something else—fulfill the complex task of ensuring acceptable quality of indoor air.

A comprehensive and multi-pronged approach to managing IAQ therefore requires an understanding of the major indoor pollutants and the technology available to mitigate or control them.

Major IAQ issues and the equipment available as solutions