Indoor Air Cartoon Journal

Indoor Air Cartoon Journal, November 2023, Volume 6, #148

[Cite as: Fadeyi MO (2023). Analysis of human excellence in tasks performed indoors and the role of indoor air quality. Indoor Air Cartoon Journal, November 2023, Volume 6, #148.]

Fictional Case Story (Audio – available online) – Part 1 

Fictional Case Story (Audio – available online) – Part 2

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Ifetedo was a country experiencing a low and declining economy. The country’s economic problem was due to productivity loss, low educational impact, poor value-driven innovation and competitive environment, poor healthcare and public services, wastage of resources, and poor global perception. These causes of the poor economic problem the country was experiencing had one thing in common. That was poor indoor air quality in schools, workplaces, and residential buildings. The poor indoor air quality was compromising human excellence in performing tasks in indoor environments. Unfortunately, the country’s economic problem was not linked to poor indoor air quality as the root cause of the problem by the country’s government and leaders of the built environment industry. Even when a professor of environmental engineering specialising in indoor air quality provided evidence of the link, her claim was disregarded. Thus, no action was taken by the government and the leaders of the built environment. The professor’s journey in facilitating the needed interventions and restoring the lost glory of the country, Ifetedo, is the subject of this short fiction story.

1……………………………….

This is the story of a girl called Ananya Jacobs. Ananya’s story began in the heart of Mandiba in a country called Ifetedo, where the rhythm of life echoed through the streets lined with vibrant markets and bustling neighbourhoods. Born into a modest family, Ananya was the eldest daughter of Mr. Adam Jacobs and Mrs. Maria Jacobs, hardworking individuals who served as domestic helpers in affluent households.

From a tender age, Ananya witnessed her parents’ dedication to their work and tireless efforts to ensure the homes they tended were immaculate and welcoming. Their meager earnings sustained the family, providing the necessities but little else. Ananya, however, was captivated by her parents’ hard work and commitment.

As the eldest child in a family of four siblings, Ananya felt a deep sense of responsibility to assist her parents. Determined to lighten the financial burden on her family, Ananya, at the age of sixteen, took the courageous step to seek employment as a maid in one of the affluent households in the city.

Ananya took on a part-time maid job, typically in the evenings and on weekends, alongside her schooling commitments during the day. She would go to her employer’s house in the evenings after her regular school hours and then return to her parents’ house afterward. Ananya also went to her employer’s house to perform her duties during the weekends from early morning to late afternoon.

This arrangement allowed Ananya to contribute to her family’s finances by working part-time as a maid while continuing her education during the day on weekdays. Her determination and dedication were evident in her ability to balance her responsibilities, study diligently to pursue her academic goals and fulfill her duties as a maid in the evenings and on weekends.

Though the decision to work at such a young age was challenging, Ananya approached her responsibilities with an unyielding determination and a keen eye for learning. Her dedication did not go unnoticed. Ananya’s employers admired her diligence, work ethic, and eagerness to learn. They recognised her potential and offered encouragement, providing her with access to educational resources and opportunities to develop her skills.

Despite Ananya attending high school and performing admirably in her studies, her hunger for knowledge extended beyond the curriculum. Her curiosity craved more challenging material to broaden her understanding of various subjects. In the households where Ananya worked as a maid, the family’s older children were attending university. Ananya, intrigued by their textbooks and academic materials, expressed genuine interest in exploring these advanced resources.

Encouraged by Ananya’s dedication to learning and recognising her potential, the family graciously allowed her access to their older children’s university-level textbooks and academic resources. These materials provided Ananya with a unique and exceptional opportunity to delve into subjects and concepts beyond the scope of her high school education.

In her spare time after work and school, Ananya delved into these higher-level books, immersing herself in complex topics such as advanced mathematics, sciences, literature, and other academic disciplines. She relished challenging herself with university-level material, eagerly absorbing the knowledge from these books.

This extraordinary opportunity expanded Ananya’s intellectual horizons, offering her insights and information beyond what was typically available to students at her level. Through these borrowed university-level textbooks, Ananya was able to satisfy her thirst for deeper knowledge, laying a robust foundation for her future academic pursuits and aspirations. With unwavering determination, Ananya navigated the challenges of her dual life as a maid and a student. Her tenacity propelled her through high school, where she excelled academically despite the arduous balancing act between work and education.

As Ananya diligently carried out her maid duties, she gradually began noticing subtle nuances within the household environment. While she lacked technical knowledge about indoor air quality science and engineering, her observations were rooted in qualitative assessments. Moving about the different rooms, Ananya observed noticeable differences in the feel of various spaces. Some areas seemed fresher, well-ventilated, and bathed in natural light, creating an inviting ambiance. Conversely, other rooms felt stuffy or dimly lit, lacking proper ventilation, which appeared to impact the comfort of the occupants.

Ananya paid attention to the reactions and behaviours of the household members, noticing correlations between the environmental conditions and their overall mood and wellbeing. For instance, she observed that people appeared more energetic and cheerful in spaces with better ventilation and natural light. In contrast, poorly ventilated areas seemed to make them feel less energetic or fatigued. Ananya’s insights were not based on scientific measurements.

Additionally, Ananya noticed instances where family members experienced respiratory discomfort or allergies, particularly in areas with inadequate airflow. These observations sparked her curiosity about how indoor environments might influence human health and wellbeing, even though she lacked formal scientific knowledge about indoor air quality. Overhearing discussions among family members about the importance of a comfortable home environment further piqued Ananya’s interest. These conversations, albeit informal, highlighted the impact of changes in the household environment on sleep quality, energy levels, and focus.

Driven by her genuine curiosity and desire to understand these observations, Ananya embarked on a personal quest for knowledge. She read articles, watched documentaries, and explored online resources during her limited spare time. She aimed to comprehend the broader scientific aspects of indoor environments and their potential effects on human health and wellbeing.

Ananya’s early observations, though qualitative, ignited her passion to uncover more about indoor environments’ impact on human health, mood, productivity, and overall quality of life. These initial impressions laid the groundwork for her future exploration and understanding of the intricacies of indoor air quality and its effects on human excellence in performing tasks in indoor environments.

2……………………………….

In Ananya’s quest for knowledge about indoor air quality and its impact on human health, her spare moments became precious windows of opportunity. Despite her maid job and school demands, Ananya dedicated every free moment to educating herself on this intriguing subject. With an unquenchable thirst for understanding, Ananya voraciously read books and articles about indoor air quality during her breaks and evenings.

She scoured libraries, seeking literature that shed light on the complexities of indoor air quality and their effects on humans. Ananya meticulously absorbed the content, eagerly seeking insights that could explain the observations she had made in the household.

Eager to expand her understanding further, Ananya actively sought opportunities to learn from professionals in the field. Whenever feasible, she attended workshops, seminars, and talks related to environmental science and indoor air quality. These occasions were rare and often required her to sacrifice leisure or rest, but Ananya was undeterred, recognising the value of these learning experiences.

During these workshops and seminars, Ananya absorbed every nugget of information shared by experts. She listened intently to presentations, engaged in discussions, and even asked thoughtful questions whenever possible. Despite her limited background in the subject, Ananya’s genuine curiosity and passion for learning made her a diligent and eager participant. Ananya’s interactions with professionals allowed her to gain practical insights and knowledge that complemented her self-study efforts. The following are some things Ananya learnt about indoor air quality from her readings and interactions with industry professionals.

To fundamentally reduce the concentration of indoor air pollutants, efforts should be made to reduce the source of the air pollutants and increase the sink, i.e., the removal of the air pollutants. This is because the concentration of an air pollutant is equal to the source rate divided by the sink rate of the pollutant. Thus, the concentration of an indoor air pollutant will increase with the increase in the rate at which a source introduces a pollutant into the indoor air relative to the sink rate.

Likewise, the concentration of an indoor air pollutant will decrease with an increase in the rate at which a sink removes a pollutant from indoor air relative to the source rate. The pollutant in this context means a harmful substance that alters the nature of the indoor air carrying it, thus potentially making the indoor air harmful depending on its concentration in the air and toxicity.

Fundamentally, there are two kinds of air pollutants. They include particulate matter and gaseous air pollutants. Particulate matter is a tiny solid or liquid particle of a certain size in the air. Thus, there are four kinds of particles in the air defined based on the size of the particles. They are ultrafine (d_pa ≤ 0.1 µm), fine (0.1 µm < d_pa ≤ 10 µm), coarse particles (2..5 µm < d_pa ≤10 µm), super coarse (d_pa > 10 µm) particles. For better understanding, “d_pa” means the diameter of a particle. The diameter represents the size being conveyed. 

Other terms used for particles in the air are aerosols and airborne particles. Aerosol means a tiny solid or liquid in the air. From the definition, the difference between the terms particulate matter and aerosol is that the particulate matter term emphasises the size of a particle in the definition. In contrast, the aerosol term emphasises the suspended nature of the particles in the air without specifying their sizes.

Airborne particle is a term used to emphasise that a particle is present and residing in the air. The operative word here is residing. The definition does not specify the particle’s size, composition, or origin. Particles in the air can be of chemical, biological, or physical origin. Particles of physical origin are non-chemical and non-biological based. Physical particles are generated from mechanical or natural processes. Mechanical processes may include abrasion of surfaces, construction activities, or other physical activities that generate particles into the air. Natural processes include dust, sand, sea salt, and volcanic ash.

Particulate matters of biological origin may originate from organisms like viruses, moulds, bacteria, pollens, etc. The presence of biological pollutants generating spores (particulate matter) can be influenced by environmental conditions like relative humidity (RH) and temperature levels. Poor control leading to inappropriate high RH and temperature levels in an indoor environment may increase the presence of biological organisms.

Gaseous pollutants are chemical-based. Gaseous pollutants are pollutants that typically lack a fixed shape or volume. Gaseous pollutants are in the form of vapours or gases. Gases generally refer to substances that exist as gases at standard temperature and pressure (STP). These substances do not necessarily need to be emitted through evaporation or be volatile to exist in the gaseous state. Examples include CO, CO₂, NO_x, O₃, SO₂, etc.

On the other hand, vapours are substances that are typically in a liquid or solid state at room temperature but can transition to the gas phase when heated or when the surrounding pressure is reduced. Volatile substances can readily evaporate into the air at normal temperatures and pressures. These compounds, which are organic, are referred to as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). For the sake of explanation in this story. These VOCs will be called typical VOCs. Examples of the typical VOCs are toluene, benzene, xylene, formaldehyde, acetone, etc.

There are two variations of typical VOCs. These kinds of VOCs are either very volatile or semi-volatile in reference to the standard volatility attributed to typical VOCs. Thus, these two variations are very volatile organic compounds (VVOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). VVOCs have extremely low boiling points and high vapor pressures, causing them to evaporate readily, even at room temperature. Examples of VVOCs are methane, ethane, propane, etc.

SVOCs have lower vapor pressures and higher boiling points compared to typical VOCs and VVOCs. They tend to be less volatile and evaporate more slowly at room temperature. Examples of SVOCs are pesticides, plasticizers (phthalates), fire retardants – e.g., Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) and Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), etc.

Many times, in indoor air quality audits, it can be very expensive and tedious to measure the concentration of each of the typical VOCs, VVOCs, and SVOCs, in the indoor air. Thus, the concentrations of all the VOCs are measured as an aggregate to have a sense of their total amount in the indoor air. The aggregation of VOCs is called total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs). A high RH and temperature levels in an indoor environment may lead to an increase in the emission of gaseous pollutants (e.g., vapours) into the indoor air.

There are three main strategies for reducing concentrations of particulate matter and gaseous air pollutants in indoor environments, which are not restricted to buildings alone. These strategies include (i) source presence and rate elimination and mitigation, (ii) ventilation and air movement, and (iii) air cleaning – air filtration, air purification, or disinfection. Sources of indoor air pollutants may be from indoor or outdoor environments.

Sources of indoor air pollutants may include materials, equipment, humans and their activities, animals, and indoor air chemistry and dynamics. Outdoor sources of indoor air pollutants are primarily due to human activities, natural phenomena, and human-produced equipment, instruments, machinery, infrastructure, transportation medium, etc.

The air pollutants from outdoor sources find their way into the indoor environment through deliberate attempts to exchange outdoor air with indoor air, a process known as ventilation, or through unintended exchange of outdoor air with indoor, a process known as infiltration. Infiltration happens, for example, through gaps between building enclosures, under doors, etc. The second and third strategies are designed or expected to be the sink of indoor air pollutants. However, if poorly designed, manufactured, constructed, installed, and managed, they can become sources of indoor air pollutants.

To make any of the three strategies become a solution, i.e., solve building or enclosure indoor air problem, the cause of the problem needs to be known and used to inform any or a combination of the three strategies to be adopted. Causes of building indoor air problems may be related to the presence of the sources in the indoor or outdoor environment and the source’s strength, frequency, or rate of introducing pollutants into indoor air.

The causes of building indoor air problems may be related to the absence of a sink, the sink’s ineffectiveness in removing pollutants from the indoor air when present, or sinks becoming sources of indoor air pollutants. Thus, the practice of indoor air quality audits appropriately in building indoor air problem-solving processes is necessary.

The fundamental principle guiding indoor air quality audits is “it is essential to monitor what is expected to provide direction for what is expected to be done to achieve what is expected.” Interdisciplinary human discipline capability, building occupants, facility managers, owners, other stakeholders, and digital solutions, instruments, and technologies, preferably artificial intelligence-based, are needed to effectively define the problem, identify the cause of the problem, and explore and determine appropriate strategies for eliminating or reducing the cause of the problem to eliminate or minimise the building indoor air problem effectively.

An indoor air quality audit aims to reduce indoor air pollutant concentrations in a value-oriented manner to the level at which indoor air effectively supports the functioning of the body and activities of humans (and animals) exposed to the air. That means an indoor air quality audit aims to achieve healthy indoor air, not just to reduce indoor air pollutant concentration.

To achieve this goal, an indoor air quality audit strives to answer questions that will ultimately lead to experience, i.e., knowledge, understanding, and skills. The experience will guide effective and practical ways of eliminating and mitigating sources and the effect of their emissions in contaminating the indoor air and introduce effective sinks to remove air pollutants from the indoor environment.

An indoor air quality audit wants to facilitate the experience needed to know the duration, when, and rate of clean outdoor air required to be supplied into an indoor environment, i.e., ventilation, and how it should be done. It is not limited to ventilation. It provides consideration for the duration, when, rate of, and how indoor air is moved in the indoor environment to reduce residence time that will encourage the build-up of air pollutants concentrations and indoor air chemistry phenomenon that leads to the formation of new unwanted air pollutants that may even be more harmful than the primary air pollutants reacting to form the secondary air pollutants.

The design for healthy indoor air and the experience generated from an indoor air quality audit are also expected to inform decisions to adopt an appropriate filter with the required efficiency in an air handling unit to effectively remove particulate matter or gaseous air pollutants from the indoor air. Filter efficiency for an air pollutant is the multiplication of the change in concentration of an air pollutant divided by the concentration of the air pollutant before the filter with 100. Filters are typically designed to remove particle matter or gaseous air pollutants.

It is not uncommon for a filter designed to remove particulate matter to remove gaseous air pollutants and vice versa, albeit a filter may not be effective in removing the kind of air pollutants it was not designed to remove. For example, particle filters are effective in removing particulate matter air pollutants, while activated carbon filters are effective in removing gaseous air pollutants. However, some filters are designed to effectively remove both particulate matter and gaseous air pollutants because, in these filters, for example, the particle filter is impregnated with activated carbon.

When choosing an air cleaner unit, e.g., a filter or an air purifier unit, for reducing the particulate matter concentration, the rate at which the air cleaner unit delivers clean air with lowest possible concentration of particulate matter should be given a priority. This rate is termed “the clean air delivery rate (CADR).” The higher the rate, the better. CADR of an air cleaner unit is equal to the volume of particles removed from indoor air divided by the time taken to do the removal.

The volume of particles removed from indoor air is equal to the change in particle concentration multiplied by the volume of the room. Thus, the volume of a room should be considered when choosing an air cleaner unit. The change in particle concentration is equal to the subtraction of the particle concentration after the filter from the particle concentration before the filter. CADR is applicable only to particulate matter. It is not applicable to gaseous air pollutants.

While CADR is a useful metric for assessing the effectiveness of an air cleaner unit in removing particulate matter from indoor air and the rate of the volume of clean air delivered, it does not provide information about the air cleaner unit’s effectiveness in eliminating gaseous air pollutants. To this effect, some air cleaner units may have additional features or technologies designed to target and remove gases and vapours, but the CADR ratings do not capture these aspects.

Using ventilation rate and air cleaner units as sinks for reducing indoor air pollutant concentrations is essential. Why? When air pollutants are present, especially at high concentrations, because the source effect is greater than the sink effect, the air serves as a medium or vehicle for transporting the pollutants to different microenvironments in the indoor environment. This means that even a person not present at the source of a pollutant can still be exposed to the generated pollutant as the air moves the pollutant closer to them.

If the pollutant is in the personal space of the exposed person, the pollutant can find its way into the human body through the nose (inhalation), sink (dermal uptake), or mouth (ingestion). Many times, especially in the case of inhalation and ingestion, part of the amount of an air pollutant that enters the human body is released back into the air through exhalation and spitting out, respectively. In the case of dermal uptake, only part of the amount of an air pollutant deposited on human skin will find its way into the human body.

Thus, the fraction of the amount of an air pollutant retained in the human body is called absorbed dose. Depending on the absorbed dose and toxicity of an air pollutant and the physiological vulnerability of the exposed person, the risk of the air pollutant disrupting or altering the bond of the physiological systems in the human body and the effects on the function of the systems in the body will vary. Higher risk means the health of the exposed person will be compromised more, and poor health will compromise the person’s ability to function effectively.

The health effects of exposure to poor indoor air quality can be broadly categorised as sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms and building-related illness (BRI). SBS symptoms are manifested symptoms that cannot be directly pinned to a particular exposure because they indicate a problem with a human system or that a human system is protecting itself from an attack caused by harmful substances an occupant is exposed to in the indoor environment.

The exposure that caused a SBS symptom may be due to an air pollutant, a combination of air pollutants, or unrelated to air pollutants. The exposure may be due to other indoor environmental quality conditions. SBS symptoms will disappear, or their intensities will reduce when occupants leave the building or enclosure where exposure occurred.

The symptom is expected to disappear or its intensity reduced because the attack on the human systems due to exposure in the indoor environment is no more because the occupant has left the indoor environment. SBS symptoms include poor perceived indoor air quality, respiratory symptoms, fatigue and headache, dizziness, skin irritation, etc. Respiratory symptoms may include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.

BRI is when an occupant suffers from a disease that manifests due to known exposure in the building specifically associated with the disease. The occupant will continue to suffer from the disease even after leaving the building where exposure took place. This is because the disease caused by exposure when the occupant was in the indoor environment will not disappear just because the occupant left the building and there was no exposure no exposure from the indoor environment. A disease means there is a problem with the human system. A problem with a human system means there is a deficient deviation from or absence of the features (i.e., specific function, benefit, or characteristics) of a system contributing to effective human functioning.

Examples of BRI include asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and legionnaires’ disease. Other diseases, which include cancer and cardiovascular diseases if linked to exposure to poor indoor air quality, are examples of BRI. Building occupants suffering from BRI are more susceptible to SBS symptoms. In addition to toxicity and concentrations of indoor air pollutants, the risk of SBS and BRI occurrence depends on the vulnerabilities of occupants.

Thus, an indoor air quality audit should also consider the duration of exposure and the occupants’ physiological, psychological, social, and economic conditions. Getting an indoor air quality audit done appropriately is important because SBS symptoms and BRI resulting from exposure to poor indoor air quality can inhibit human functioning. However, it was unclear in the literature how poor indoor air quality and poor health directly cause low human excellence in tasks performed at works, schools, and residences.

3……………………………….

At this point, the the question that guided the direction of Ananya’s academic career and the impact she had on the lives of many was conceived. The question was, “How does poor indoor air quality, and by extension poor indoor environmental quality, impact human excellence in performing tasks in indoor environments?” The question was part of a larger question that had been bothering her since age six.

The larger question is, what makes humans excel in what they do? This larger question emanated from her fear of how she would perform in primary school a few weeks before school started. She did not have the opportunity to attend nursery and kindergarten schools. Thus, she lived since six, trying to unravel the mysteries behind human excellence in task performance.

The sophistication of her approach to finding answers to the question changed with age. Ananya used her findings on indoor air quality through self-learning to develop an essay for an assignment in the General Paper module she took during her A-level studies. Despite her challenges, Ananya graduated from her A-level studies with a result good enough for her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering as a major and a minor in psychology.

Ananya gained admission to the Ifetedo Institute of Technology, Mandiba. The university was popularly called IIT Mandiba. IIT Mandiba was ranked the number one university in Ifetedo. IIT Mandiba was also well respected worldwide, especially for the engineering education it provided.

Ananya’s unrelenting pursuit of knowledge to answer the question that has been bothering her for most of her life and the need to continue to be able to provide for her family led her to pursue her university education part-time. These night classes allowed Ananya to pursue higher education while balancing her employment commitments.

Navigating her daily responsibilities as a maid, Ananya devoted her evenings to attending university-level courses. These classes allowed her to delve deeper into academic subjects, expand her horizons, and progress toward achieving her academic aspirations. Her decision to pursue higher education in the evenings showcased her determination to advance her learning despite her demanding schedule during the day.

Despite the fatigue from long days of work, Ananya displayed remarkable perseverance. She meticulously managed her time, creating a diligent schedule that accommodated her professional responsibilities and academic pursuits. Night after night, she would diligently attend classes, immersing herself in subjects that fueled her curiosity and passion.

Ananya’s journey through higher education while working a physically and mentally demanding job was far from easy. She encountered societal biases and challenges that often underestimated her capabilities or discouraged her pursuit of education. Specifically, she experienced social stigma surrounding her job as a maid. Due to societal expectations or norms based on socioeconomic background, there were limited expectations for her to pursue higher education.

There was a preconceived notion about her potential. The preconceptions of Ananya’s socioeconomic background created barriers, making it challenging to gain support or encouragement for her educational aspirations. Societal norms or traditional roles dictated that women from Ananya’s background prioritise family responsibilities over educational or career aspirations, making it challenging for her to pursue academic advancement.

Coming from a humble background, financial constraints posed significant challenges for Ananya. As access to higher education required financial resources, she encountered barriers due to the cost of tuition, educational materials, or expenses associated with attending university. Most of the money she made from her maid job went to supporting her family’s income and her siblings’ education.

Ananya lacked role models or mentors from similar backgrounds who successfully pursued higher education. The absence of guidance or support systems tailored to individuals from her socioeconomic background made her journey more challenging. However, she steadfastly defied these obstacles, driven by her unyielding determination to overcome them.

Through sheer determination and hard work, Ananya excelled academically and graduated with a second-class honour upper division with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.37 out of 5. She subsequently pursued a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Environmental Engineering at IIT Mandiba. She worked as a research assistant at the university to fund her MPhil and support herself and her family.

Ananya graduated from her MPhil programme with distinction and earned a scholarship that enabled her to pursue PhD research studies. Ananya’s PhD research was a continuation of her MPhil research, which was based on the question she asked after embarking on extensive self-learning on indoor air quality during her A-level studies – “How does poor indoor air quality impact human excellence in tasks performed.”

The following sub-five questions of the main question that made Ananya embark on the indoor air quality journey were addressed in her research from her MPhil and PhD studies. These five questions are (i) “How do indoor air quality conditions affect the degree of human engagement to convert potential cognitive ability to demonstrated cognitive ability in a value-oriented manner?” (ii) “How do indoor air pollution levels affect the level of enhanced actual cognitive ability achieved from potential cognitive ability?” (iii) “How do indoor air pollution levels affect the degree of human engagement in physical activities required to perform a task?” (iv) “How do dynamism and complexity of a task to be performed affect human excellence in performing the task at different indoor air pollution levels?” (v) “How does human leverage level in performing a task affect their frustration level at different indoor air pollution levels?”

Ananya’s MPhil research studies was exploratory in nature and based on comprehensive and extensive survey studies conducted in schools, workplaces, and residences. The outcome of her MPhil research studies led to the development of an equation she termed “the human excellence equation”. More information about the equation will be provided later in this story.

Her PhD research studies were conducted in a controlled field environmental chamber (FEC) to answer the five questions. A concise summary of the research methods and findings is provided in this story. Ozone and limonene were injected into the FEC at concentrations deemed not dangerous to human health and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The chemistry between the injected ozone and limonene generated particulate matter and VOCs, and subjects were exposed to the reactants and their products continuously for four hours.

Four injection rate scenarios were studied. The first scenario was “low” ozone and “low” limonene injection rates. The second scenario was “low” ozone and “high” limonene injection rates. The third scenario was “High” ozone and “low” limonene injection rates. The fourth scenario was “high” ozone and “high” limonene injection rate. The four injection rate scenarios were conducted at different ventilation rates and filter efficiency conditions.

The first condition was “low” ventilation rate and “low” filter efficiency. The second condition was “low” ventilation and “high” filter efficiency. The third condition was “high” ventilation rate and “low” filter efficiency. The fourth condition was a “high” ventilation rate and a “high” filter efficiency. Thus, there was a total of 16 experimental studies.

Subjects performed standardised tests to determine their excellence in performing a task. The concentrations of indoor air pollutants measured were expressed as an indoor air quality index. A detailed analysis of the indoor air chemistry phenomenon and the impact of ventilation and filter efficiency was addressed in Ananya’s PhD thesis but not in this story.

The indoor air pollutants index is a simplified scale used to convey the overall quality of indoor air. The lower the index, the better. In addition to performing written tests, subjects filled out survey questions to rate their SBS symptoms. Subjects’ ratings for their perceived or experienced symptoms were converted to the SBS symptoms index.

A specially designed and fabricated cap with artificial intelligence-based sensors was worn by the subjects an hour before they entered the FEC to measure the physiological condition of the parts of the brain needed for the firing of neurons and the transmission of signals in the brain to determine the level of their potential cognitive capability.

Subjects continued wearing the cap during their exposure and written tests in the FEC to determine their demonstrated cognitive ability based on the measured firing of neurons and the transmission of signals in the brain when performing tests.

The measured actual cognitive ability is a function of the potential cognitive ability of the subjects and their value-driven mental effort for processing (i.e., using) their potential cognitive ability, i.e., the degree of engagement of the brain in a value-oriented manner to convert the potential cognitive ability to actual cognitive ability. So once potential and actual cognitive abilities are known, the value driven mental effort can be determined by the AI sensors-based cap used by the subjects.

In between, cognitive ability include (i) acquiring or generating and storing information. (ii) processing of information to generate experience. Experience = Information x Learning. Learning is the act or process of processing information using thinking as a tool. Thinking is the use of questions to dissect, sort, organise, analyse, evaluate, and interpret information to generate experience. (iii) storing experience (knowledge, understanding, and skills). (iv) using experience to solve or prevent problems.

Video recordings were used to record and analyse subjects’ behaviour during task execution objectively. Signs of enthusiasm, commitment, or dedication displayed by individuals as they perform the tasks were recorded and analysed. Body language, facial expressions, or gestures indicating dedication, engagement, and controlled motivation and passion, which align with the required ethics for performing the task in a given time, were analysed with the aid of the artificial intelligence capability of the video recording equipment.

The data from the video recording was also collected to determine the degree of subjects’ engagement in carrying out physical activities for performing a task in a value-oriented manner, i.e., value driven physical effort. The assumption is that the degree of human engagement in physically performing a task in a value-oriented manner and the actual cognitive ability when performing the task are essential to achieving excellence in the task performed.

The parameters used to determine human excellence in performing a task are expressed with a mathematical equation called “the human excellence equation”. “E = H_c/T = [(C_p x M_Ev) + P_Ev]/T.” “E” is the human excellence level in the task performed. “H_c” means human capability. “T” is the dynamism and complexity of the task to be performed. “C_P” is the inherent human potential cognitive ability, i.e., the condition of the human physiological systems determining the potential cognitive ability. “M_Ev” is the value-driven mental effort, i.e., the degree of engagement in a value-oriented manner to convert the potential cognitive ability to actual cognitive ability (i.e., C_p x M_Ev). “P_Ev” is the value-driven physical effort, i.e., the degree of engagement in a value-oriented manner to carry out physical activities for performing tasks. M_Ev, P_Ev, and C_p can be influenced by human physical and mental conditions prone to IAQ and IEQ conditions and many other factors in life.

As the equation suggests, an increase in human intelligence relative to the dynamism and complexity of the task to be performed will increase human excellence in the task performed. An increase in dynamism and complexity of the task to be performed relative to human intelligence will reduce human excellence in the task performed. Demonstrated human intelligence is a function of M_Ev, P_Ev, and C_p, as suggested in the above equation. Through meticulous experimentation and analysis, Ananya unearthed compelling evidence demonstrating the direct correlation between optimal indoor air quality conditions and heightened human excellence in performing tasks in indoor environments.

The key answers (findings) to the first research question are as follows: The higher the indoor air pollutants index the subjects were exposed to in the FEC, the lower the degree of engagement in converting potential cognitive ability to actual cognitive ability. The higher the filter efficiency and ventilation rate, the higher the degree of engagement. An increase in the subjects’ SBS symptom index due to an increase in indoor air pollutants index correlates with a decrease in their degree of engagement in converting potential cognitive ability to actual cognitive ability.

The key answers to the second research question are as follows: An increase in indoor air pollutants index decreases the level of enhanced actual cognitive ability achieved from potential cognitive ability. A lower indoor air pollutants index, due to higher filter efficiency, an increase in ventilation rate, and lower concentrations of reactants injected, increases the level of enhanced actual cognitive ability achieved from potential cognitive ability. An increase in the subjects’ SBS symptom index due to an increase in indoor air pollutants index correlates with a decrease in the level of enhanced actual cognitive ability achieved from potential cognitive ability.

The key answers to the third research question are as follows: An increase in the indoor air pollutants index leads to reduced engagement in carrying out physical activities required for performing a task. A lower indoor air pollutants index, due to higher filter efficiency, increased ventilation rate, and lower concentrations of reactants injected, corresponds to increased engagement in carrying out physical activities required for performing a task. An increase in the subjects’ SBS symptom index due to an increase in indoor air pollutants index correlates with a decrease in their degree of engagement in a value-oriented manner in carrying out physical activities required for performing a task.

The key answers to the fourth research question are as follows: An increase in the indoor air pollutants index reduces excellence in performing a task. The impact was more evident as the complexity and dynamism of a task to be performed increased. A lower indoor air pollutants index, due to higher filter efficiency, an increase in ventilation rate, and lower concentrations of reactants injected, is associated with better excellence in performing a task. The effect was more obvious as the complexity and dynamism of the task to be performed increased.

The key answers to the fifth research question are as follows: An increase in the indoor air pollutants index increases frustration levels as the difficulty in meeting the set goal for excellence in the task performed increases. A lower indoor air pollutants index, due to higher filter efficiency, increased ventilation rate, and lower concentrations of reactants injected, decreases frustration levels as the ease or potential in meeting the set goal for excellence in the task performed increases.

Ananya’s PhD studies emphasised the importance of monitoring indoor air quality conditions to determine the actions or strategies that should be taken to ensure the appropriate indoor air quality condition that will support healthy human living and excellence in performing tasks in indoor environments. Her PhD studies showed evidence that poor indoor air quality could compromise the degree of engagement in a value-oriented manner in carrying out physical activities for performing tasks.

Ananya’s PhD studies showed that poor indoor air quality conditions can compromise the mental effort required to get the best out of the potential cognitive ability. Her PhD studies suggested the importance of adopting high filter efficiency and increased ventilation rate to improve indoor air quality.

It was also documented that excellence in performing a task can be compromised when poor indoor air quality compromises human physiological systems needed for cognitive activities. Poor indoor air quality condition does not influence the complexity and dynamism of the task to be performed. However, the risk of a high complexity and dynamic task causing low human excellence in the task performed will be higher as the impact of poor indoor air quality in compromising human capability increases.

Ananya concluded in her studies that when human capability is compromised due to compromise to human comfort, convenience, and awareness (related to cognitive ability) by poor indoor air quality, humans’ excellence in performing their tasks will be compromised. For clarity, compromising humans’ comfort and convenience will compromise the mental and physical effort needed for human capability, as suggested in “the human excellence equation.” It was emphasised in her PhD studies that the impact of poor indoor air quality on human excellence will be more evident with the increase in complexity and dynamism of the task to be performed.

4……………………………….

Ananya’s PhD research studies earned her a PhD. in Environmental Engineering. Ananya’s expertise and dedication to her PhD studies caught the attention of prestigious institutions. However, she decided to receive the offer to a tenure track professorship position at IIT Mandiba to stay closer to her parents, siblings, and husband she married closer to the end of her PhD studies. This appointment granted her a platform to impart her wisdom, influence future generations, and advocate for healthy indoor air and environment to support human excellence in performing tasks..

Ananya performed several groundbreaking research and garnered widespread acclaim and recognition within the academic realm. The depth of her discoveries and the implications they held for society’s well-being propelled her to emerge as a researcher and a thought leader in the field.

Years went by, and she became a full professor. As a full professor, Ananya continued her research, focusing on developing comprehensive frameworks and innovative solutions for indoor air management and improving human excellence in tasks performed in indoor environments. As it turned out, there was a prevalence of poor human excellence in tasks performed in schools, workplaces, and residential buildings.

Professor Ananya Jacobs made several efforts to work with the government of Ifetedo and leaders in the built environment industry to make interventions to improve human excellence in tasks performed in indoor environments but to no avail. Although Professor Ananya was well respected, there was no motivation by leaders in the industry to make meaningful changes to address the concerns she raised. The decision to make necessary changes by leaders in the industry emerged after a court case in which Professor Ananya Jacobs was involved.

In a landmark case that revolutionised the indoor air quality management approach, the plaintiff, a group of employees working in a corporate building, took legal action against the building owner, the defendant. They claimed that the indoor air quality within the premises severely compromised their ability to perform tasks effectively, impacted their cognitive abilities, and caused health problems.

These employees include investment bankers, stock traders and financial analysts, software developers, project managers, etc. The works of these employees are dynamic and complex and require a high level of concentration, experience, willingness, and mental and physical efforts, to carry out their works.

Many of them have been sacked from their jobs with their employers, citing high errors and incompetence in work done. Many of these employees have also been accused of not having the mental and physical willingness to perform tasks given to them. The employees were sacked by their employers because their employers were losing money because of their low excellence in work performed.

The plaintiff had heard about Ananya’s research documenting the significant role of poor indoor air quality in compromising human excellence in tasks performed. The plaintiff got to know about Professor Ananya’s work through the publicity of her work in the local and international media.

The defendant was Aaroban Holding Inc., which was a real estate company. The company was owned by a real estate mogul called Mr. Aaron Banitez. Aaroban Holding Inc. was one of Mr. Benitez’s companies in the country. Mr. Benitez, a billionaire, had a very strong political connection because he sponsored many politicians, including the president of the country. So, it was a big deal for one of Mr. Benitez’s major companies to be dragged to court despite many political obstacles along the way. Thus, the case got significant media attention in the country.

The plaintiff argued that the defendant’s failure to differentiate between the meaning of a problem and a symptom led to the creation of poor indoor air quality that hindered their excellence in functioning. They alleged that the defendant mistook the symptoms of poor indoor air quality—such as employee complaints about discomfort, decreased productivity, and health issues—as mere inconveniences rather than identifying them as indicative of a deeper problem within the building’s system.

As the case unfolded in court, expert testimony became pivotal. Professor Ananya Jacobs, now a renowned professor in environmental engineering, was called upon as a witness for the plaintiff. Professor Ananya Jacobs presented a compelling and insightful testimony that clarified the distinction between a symptom and a problem in the context of indoor air quality.

Professor Ananya Jacobs stated that a symptom, in this case, was the discomfort, reduced cognitive abilities, poor perceived air quality, and frustration experienced by the building occupants—employees. However, the root cause of these symptoms lies in the building itself, constituting a problem in the indoor air quality system. The building’s indoor air failed to support human functioning in a manner necessary for delivering value to its occupants, encompassing health, cognitive performance, and overall well-being.

The professor emphasised that addressing the symptoms—such as treating employee health issues or providing temporary ventilation—would not suffice if the underlying problem within the building’s system remained unaddressed. Instead, a systematic approach was necessary to define the indoor air quality problem, identify its causes, and implement effective solutions to rectify it through an effective indoor air quality audit. Professor Ananya Jacobs’s specific words were as follows.

“A symptom is a sign or expression of discomfort, inconvenience, or inadequate awareness observed in users or consumers of a system (product, process, service, or people) meant to provide them value. A problem is an absence, a deficient deviation from, or a potential room for improvement in the features (specific function, benefit, or characteristics) of a system meant to provide value to its users or consumers.

A building is a system. When its indoor air (feature) does not support human functioning in a value-delivery manner or as required, the building has a problem. Poor health and wellbeing, poor cognitive abilities and task excellence, poor perceived air quality, and human frustration are symptoms of such a problem.”

A system only becomes a solution if it solves or prevents a problem. Its extent depends on its effectiveness. When a system has a problem, another system will be needed to solve the problem through investigation to define the problem and then identify and eliminate or mitigate the cause of the problem. The provision of a system to solve or prevent a building’s indoor air problem must consider other indoor environmental conditions to improve overall safety.”

The key message from Professor Ananya Jacobs’s testimony about what the defendant did wrong was that the company confused fixing a problem with solving a problem. She went to discuss what the company should have done with a well-informed and systematic indoor air quality audit to aid effective problem solving and not problem fixing. Her expert testimony highlighted that solving the indoor air quality problem required a comprehensive investigation of the building’s environmental conditions beyond just air quality.

She stressed the interconnectedness of various indoor environmental factors and the need to consider them collectively to enhance safety and human leverage for excellence within indoor spaces. She noted that the intervention for improving indoor air quality should not compromise lighting or visual, thermal, acoustic, spatial, and the overall building integrity conditions.

Ultimately, the court ruled in favour of the plaintiff, recognising the importance of distinguishing between symptoms and underlying problems in indoor air quality management. Due to the high level of publicity of the case, Professor Ananya Jacobs’s testimony in court had a significant impact on industry practices.

Post-trial, Professor Ananya was given an audience by the government of Ifetedo and leaders of the built environment with the determination to make changes. Professor Ananya used this opportunity to emphasise outcomes of her research over the years and her concerns if meaningful changes are not made to reduce the impact of poor indoor air quality, and by extension indoor environmental quality in general, on human excellence in performing tasks in indoor environments. She shared the following.

“When individuals do not perform tasks with excellence, productivity suffers. In workplaces, inefficiencies due to subpar task performance resulted in lower output, decreased quality of goods and services, and slower overall economic growth. In schools, when students and educators do not excel in tasks related to teaching and learning, it can lead to an inadequately skilled workforce.

This can limit innovation, technological advancements, and the overall competitiveness of the workforce, impacting economic development. Low human excellence can hamper innovation and creativity in various sectors. When individuals lack the skills or motivation to perform tasks exceptionally, it inhibits the development of new ideas, technologies, and industries, reducing a country’s competitiveness in the global market.

In residential buildings, low human excellence in tasks can cause tensions in the family. Such tensions can compromise an individual mental and physical efforts. In healthcare, maintenance or infrastructure management can impact public health and safety. Poorly maintained infrastructure or inadequate services can strain public resources and negatively affect citizens’ well-being, leading to increased healthcare costs and reduced overall quality of life.

Subpar task performance often results in wastage of resources, both tangible and intangible. Whether it is an inefficient use of materials in manufacturing processes or ineffective utilisation of human capital in various sectors, such inefficiencies lead to economic losses for the country.

Rectifying the consequences of low human excellence requires additional resources. Whether through retraining workers, investing in educational reforms, or addressing infrastructure deficiencies, remediation efforts demand economic resources that could otherwise have been allocated for development and growth.

Ifetedo’s reputation and global perception are being affected by the quality of work produced. If we do not make interventions to improve indoor air quality and, in general, make our buildings healthy, our country will consistently demonstrate low standards in various sectors. I am afraid it can diminish investor confidence, hinder foreign investment in our country, and weaken international partnerships, impacting our economic prospects.”

Industry leaders and stakeholders reassessed their indoor air and environmental quality management practices, shifting from merely patching up indoor air quality problems to adopting a comprehensive problem-solving approach. Inspired by Professor Ananya Jacobs’s testimony in the court, industry leaders and stakeholders recognised the need to delve deeper, identifying and rectifying the systemic deficiencies causing poor indoor air quality rather than superficially addressing the symptoms.

Consequently, new industry standards emerged, emphasising proactive measures to ensure optimal indoor air quality. Collaborative efforts between architects, engineers, environmental scientists, and health experts became the norm, aiming not just to fix immediate issues but to implement designs and systems that prevent indoor air quality problems from occurring.

Ifetedo’s commitment to enhancing indoor air quality did not just elevate human excellence in work environments; it became the catalyst for the nation’s economic revival. The cumulative effect of improved indoor air quality on health, productivity, innovation, resource efficiency, and global reputation solidified Ifetedo’s position as a beacon of progress and prosperity—a testament to the transformative power of investing in better indoor environments for the nation’s overall well-being and economic advancement.

In essence, Professor Ananya Jacobs’s testimony ignited a movement towards holistic indoor air quality solutions, fostering innovative technologies, stringent maintenance protocols, and a shift in building designs aimed at promoting healthier indoor environments. Professor Ananya Jacobs’s influence reshaped industry practices, marking a pivotal moment where the focus shifted from short-term fixes to long-term, sustainable solutions, ensuring healthier and more conducive indoor spaces for human excellence and well-being.

5……………………………….

The inspiring journey of Ananya who, despite facing financial hardships as a teenager, worked tirelessly as a maid to support her family and laid the foundation for her academic achievements and recognition in the field of environmental engineering with specialisation in indoor air quality.

As the eldest sibling, her support extended beyond financial contributions. Ananya’s academic achievements opened new horizons for her and became a catalyst for her siblings’ success. Inspired by her perseverance and support, her younger siblings blossomed in their respective fields, pursuing their passions, making notable strides in their careers, and contributing their talents to society.

Ananya’s parents, whose resilience and sacrifices laid the foundation for their children’s success, witnessed the remarkable achievements of their eldest daughter with immense pride. Ananya’s determination to support the family in their difficult times served as an inspiration for her siblings and a source of immense gratitude and admiration from her parents.

With Ananya’s support, her parents found a renewed sense of hope and stability. Encouraged by Ananya’s achievements, they embraced a comfortable life, free from the financial struggles they once faced. Ananya’s success became a testament to their unwavering support and the values of hard work and determination they instilled in their children.

As Ananya reached new heights in her academic and professional endeavours, her parents stood as pillars of strength and support, basking in the glow of her achievements. Their pride in her accomplishments was matched only by the love and gratitude they felt for the opportunities she had created for the entire family.

In her marriage life, Ananya found a supportive husband, an architect, who shared her values and aspirations. Together, they built a financially stable life, enjoying a happy marriage filled with love, understanding, and mutual respect. Their children, raised in an environment that valued education and hard work, excelled academically and professionally, following in their parents’ footsteps to make significant contributions to their chosen careers.

Ananya’s remarkable journey from a hardworking teenager supporting her family to a renowned professor of environmental engineering not only transformed her own life but also uplifted the lives of her family and the community at large and industry professionals practice on indoor air value delivery management. The End!