Brussels, 25 July 2019. The Eurovent Association has developed a plain and concise Position Paper recommending the European Commission to introduce limits on the particulate matter concentration in the supply air of ventilation systems and to develop a comprehensive approach to PM in indoor air itself. The Position Paper reflects the industry’s support for regulatory requirements that level the playing field and foster recognition of the importance of adequate ventilation for the health and well-being of building occupants.
Indoor air quality is a preeminent concern for Eurovent and its members, who always emphatically welcome the stricter air purity norms coming with the development of more demanding legislation, standards, and health-conscious attitudes. Although air quality considerations were incorporated in the recast Energy Performance in Buildings Directive, there are still no concrete enforceable IAQ requirements in the EU. Ventilation systems play a crucial role in the quality of indoor air, but in the absence of EU regulatory requirements, they are not always adequately serviced, nor their components timely replaced.
Jan Andersson of Camfil, Chairman of the Eurovent Product Group ‘Air Filters’, has said:
“Developing a regulatory regime on Indoor Air Quality is complex and we recognise that there are no silver bullets. However, without any concrete legislation, the clean air needs of building occupants and the IAQ solutions that can meet them will remain undervalued. With this Position Paper, we hope to make clear that a first concrete step towards enforceable limits on certain indoor pollutants – short of being a perfect solution – is better than the status quo. Eurovent does, and will continue to, support initiatives to make the building engineering sector more energy efficient and sustainable, but we cannot lose sight of functionality, health and safety considerations as well.”
The Position Paper was developed in the Eurovent Product Group ‘Air Filters’ and focusses on particulate matter, which affects more people than any other pollutant. Exposure to PM can cause decreased lung function, skin and eye problems, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and dementia. The introduction of harmonised enforceable requirements across the Single Market would help protect building occupants from those risks and level the playing field for companies providing IAQ solutions.
