Indoor Air Quality in Construction Site Offices

Abstract

Construction workers and staff that are situated in temporary site offices are often neglected and forgotten, with little-to-no consideration of how healthy and comfortable the work environment is. Accordingly, this research is dedicated to study, measure, and evaluate the indoor air quality (IAQ) of these offices by gaining access to active construction sites in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the aim of the study is to determine the amount of pollutants and compare them with local and international guidelines. Offices constructed on sites are usually temporary buildings, and may not be mechanically ventilated or have environmental control systems compared to permanent buildings. A mixed methodology was conducted in this research including field measurements within certain areas in the temporary site office, determined by the second method, which was a questionnaire. The findings indicate that the level of pollutants was often above the recommended levels, especially when in confined spaces and where ventilation was poor. The results indicate an evident necessity to apply specific IAQ measures in site offices, that are discussed in detail within the research, along with suggestions to facilitate the advancement of regulations as well as the effective application of low-cost IAQ solutions, towards healthier working environments in the UAE construction industry that will be able to preserve its most valuable asset, its people. Keywords: indoor air quality, construction, temporary offices, pollutants, field measurements