Maintaining good IAQ in the workplace is essential for employee health and productivity. Poor IAQ can lead to respiratory (lung) illnesses and other issues, such as headaches, fatigue, and irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. Specific air contaminants and conditions, like damp environments, can trigger or worsen conditions such as asthma.  

Good IAQ can help control the spread of infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Airborne viruses spread when an infected person exhales the virus, which can then be inhaled by others nearby. Improving IAQ helps reduce the amount of virus in the air, lowering the risk of spreading the infection.  

IAQ impacts people’s health, comfort, well-being, learning outcomes, and work performance. Improved IAQ brings substantial health and economic benefits from a broad public health perspective, as well as to individual building owners and occupants (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers,​ ASHRAE, 2023). Learn more about ASHRAE's position on IAQ (PDF). ​