Indoor air quality is an important part of a sustainable and healthy building. It can also have a large impact on a company’s bottom line. That is the conclusion of a Buildings magazine article.
In “4 Ways to Improve IAQ and Your Property’s Bottom Line,” Joe Derhake wrote:
“When searching for return on investment, energy efficiency investments are often a more obvious choice due to their noticeable reductions to operational costs. Yet one of the most cost-efficient, beneficial and profitable investments a company can make is in its indoor air quality.”
The article outlined four ways to improve air quality with an eye toward impacting the bottom line. Here’s how Draper can help you address these areas:
Be Proactive, Not Reactive
Revisiting the issue of indoor air quality later in a building’s life can mean additional operating costs through lost productivity and reduced wellness. It can also be more expensive than addressing IAQ in the planning stages.
Draper offers a huge number of window shade fabric options that address indoor air quality and we make them easy to find. Visit our fabrics web page and filter results by GREENGUARD and GREENGUARD GOLD. For many fabrics you will find GREENGUARD certificates, health product declarations, and material health certificates.
Optimize Your HVAC
HVAC systems are integral to a building’s air quality. Making HVAC operations as efficient as possible is an obvious area to look for savings.
A daylighting plan that includes an automated shading system to maximize solar heat gain during winter and reduce it in the warmer months can help reduce HVAC system usage and size. The shades also protect occupants from glare, allowing them to work more efficiently.
Add Greenery to Get Some Green
The Buildings article focuses on plant walls and greenery, and the connection between indoor air quality and biophilia. It also mentions the “complementary impact” of natural views. This is where Draper comes in.
Darker mesh fabrics allow better view-through than lighter colors so even when shades are deployed natural views are available. Graphics of natural settings can also be printed on shades for interior spaces or windows where the view is not of nature.
Avoid Major Liabilities
Moisture in a building can create conditions for mold growth. This can create health issues for building occupants and lead to costly remediation.
Draper shades with Phifer fabrics containing Microban antimicrobial additives proactively address this issue. These fabrics meet ASTM E 2180 (Bacterial and Fungal Resistance) and GREENGUARD Mold and Bacteria Standard ASTM 6329.
Draper can help you plan a shading solution that will address indoor air quality and improve the building’s impact on the bottom line. Click here to consult your Draper representative. To read the original Buildings article, click here.
