Controlling humidity in buildings is crucial to maintaining healthy indoor environments, as excessive humidity can lead to significant health risks and reduced productivity.
Studies conducted in Europe, Canada, and the United States reveal that up to 36% of homes and 85% of office buildings have experienced water damage, contributing to mold growth and related health issues.
Why Humidity Matters:
Mold thrives in damp conditions, often unnoticed in materials such as wall panels, carpets, or ventilation systems.
Common sources of humidity include leaks, condensation, poor insulation, and inadequate ventilation in kitchens and shower rooms.
Humidity creates ideal conditions for mold spores to grow on surfaces such as carpets, ceiling tiles, floors, and walls. Exposure to mold releases irritating spores and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that degrade air quality.
How it Affects Health:
Excessive humidity can trigger respiratory problems, such as asthma and allergic reactions, especially in vulnerable populations like children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that residential dampness and mold exposure contribute to 21% of asthma cases annually, worsening symptoms (sneezing, runny nose, eye irritation, coughing, skin rashes…) for millions of individuals.
How Humidity Affects Productivity:
The negative effects of humidity also impact productivity and learning environments.
In office buildings, employees exposed to mold-related issues report increased asthma, allergies, and respiratory infections, leading to absenteeism and reduced work performance. A Swedish study revealed that humidity-related problems in offices led to an increase in complaints and health issues, particularly in older, poorly ventilated buildings.
Schools are also heavily affected, with teachers and students suffering from mold-related health problems. The prevalence of asthma among teachers is higher, comparable to that of blue-collar workers, leading to a reduced quality of life, decreased productivity, and a higher number of sick days.
Students, who spend thousands of hours in school buildings, also face higher absenteeism and a reduction in learning performance due to respiratory symptoms caused by mold. These symptoms often subside during weekends and holidays, highlighting the impact of damp-damaged learning environments on students’ well-being and academic success.
Effective humidity control is therefore essential for healthier and more productive indoor environments, both in workplaces and schools.
@CAMPUS CONTERN is:
- We monitor for leaks both visually and by measuring water consumption to detect any malfunction
- Solutions and tests are quickly implemented and are monitored for an extended period after the event to ensure the problem is properly resolved
- Damaged areas are disinfected and carefully repaired to prevent potential fungal growth
- The ventilation is adjusted to ensure proper humidity levels
- Fitness areas, changing rooms, restrooms, and kitchens are equipped with extraction and ventilation suitable for wet rooms.
- Our indoor air purification system helps prevent fungal growth, as positive bacteria are effective in eliminating microscopic spores.
Our Goal:
- To ensure our tenants benefit from a healthy and safe working environment. They spend a lot of time in our buildings, and it is our responsibility to do our best to reduce the causes of fatigue and absenteeism, and to promote concentration and performance.
- Protecting our tenants from chronic diseases and playing our part in the National Health Plan
Source: “The 9 Foundations of a Healthy Building” Harvard School of Public Health – forhealth.org