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Enhancing Physical and Psychological Health by Reducing

Sick Building Syndrome
Matthew McNeill
Global Seminar: Senior Capstone
January 8, 2015

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INTRODUCTION
The link between psychological and physical health has been observed for many
years in order to provide the most effective forms of health and wellness programs.
The link found between these two does in fact exist, and can be observed in a
multitude of ways. In addition to this, many medical researchers believe that an
individuals environment is directly related to the health of the individual in the long
term and thus tied directly into mental and physical health. With this in mind it can be
said with sound reasoning that certain environments are more likely to produce
better functioning and healthier individuals.
Many human ailments (diseases or even disabilities) are believed to be caused by
environmental factors rather than strictly a persons genes. Specific diseases, called
developmental diseases, are in fact only created during the development period of a
childs life. This category includes disabilities such as ADHD, other learning
disabilities, asthma, and even autism. Expectant mothers have to be especially
careful of what environment they spend most of their time in as a result of this. This
same idea applies to the average working person as much as anyone else.
The EPA describes an illness which affects a group as limited as a single room or as
widespread as an entire indoor environment. This illness, called Sick Building
Syndrome (SBS), affects individuals occupying a space with a variety of symptoms.
Some of the most often occurring symptoms that cannot be linked to any other

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specific disease in fact find their home with Sick Building Syndrome. Chronic
migraines or headaches, sluggishness, fogginess, chest tightness, fever, chills,
respiratory problems, itching eyes or skin, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, and
nausea are all possible side effects of this increasingly common sickness.
The cause of SBS along with its side effects is linked to indoor air quality. This is
especially true in urban environments or those with high amounts of hydrocarbon
pollutants or those of another kind. This lack of clean air disrupts your bodys natural
homeostatic processes, thus causing a wide range of side effects. Without clean air,
the brain cannot function properly and the rest of the body with it. While this can be
an alarming fact, the cure of this sickness could be surprisingly simple.
SECTION 1: SBS
As stated, SBS is the direct result of an insufficient amount of clean air, specifically
indoors. The severity of this can vary depending on which area a building is located,
the concentration of pollutants in the air, and the amount of time a person spends in
this environment. For example, a person working in a sick building for 8 hours a day
will experience a greater effect from it than a person working a half day, and a
person who frequently takes breaks out of the office will experience a lesser result
than someone confined to a room for the duration of the day. Typically, individuals
will be said to experience alleviation from SBS symptoms shortly after leaving an
environment known to cause it. This means that the solutions to this widespread
disease can be as simple as stepping outside for fresh air. However, this leaves the

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issue of how to relieve a building of the toxic qualities it possesses. Commonly,
buildings known to cause SBS are thought to be located in a particularly toxic area.
This is not always the case. Two buildings located in the same area may not
produce the same results; one may even prove to not produce any symptoms of
SBS in workers. Instead, the problem often lies with the ventilation and layout of the
property. Without proper ventilation, airborne pollutants such as hydrocarbons tend
to build up in enclosed spaces. The concentration in these spaces then becomes
high enough to produce negative effects on living things in this enclosed space. The
origin of impure indoor air is often machinery, office supplies, paint, and other
common fume creating objects. Proper ventilation would see that the indoor air is
recycled, and a natural air flow would carry away many of these harsh pollutants.
SECTION 2: SBS AND ECONOMICS
SBS aside from being uncomfortable will produce economic inefficiency when
viewing the long term effects. The sickness common symptoms include the inability
to concentrate, dizziness, and increased sluggishness. These factors will ultimately
cause workers to do their jobs at a decreased rate, at a lower standard, or perhaps
both. From an economic standpoint, this is an issue. Businesses and corporations
core value is efficiency. A lack of efficiency means increased waste, and decreased
profit. For example, a factory operating in a building prone to SBS will have workers
which, according to the EPA, will on average be less productive than those who
work in a factory not affected by it. This second factory will produce less waste, be

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more efficient, produce more goods, and as a successful business contribute
positively to the economy. It is on the publics best interest to eradicate SBS.

SECTION 3: ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH

In addition to physical health, psychological health is extremely important to an
individual operating at their very best. Happy workers, those who are at their best,
are more productive and healthier than those who are not. Psychological health has
a major impact on the physical well-being of a person as well. One such example
may be depression, which is known to likely have aching, sore muscles a side effect.
People who are depressed are also more likely to become sick, as their immune
system is not operating as well as it could be. This is the perfect example to
represent the relationship between mind and body. In the same way, workers inside
of bleak environments are more likely to suffer from psychological illness such as
depression. In the wet, rainy states of Washington and Oregon depression occurs
more often, likely the result of sun deprivation. In areas which are near the Arctic
Circle, human actions and mental conditions as extreme as suicide occur more often
than they do in warm, sunny climates. The environment is a direct contributor to
mental health, and can be used for the betterment of peoples lives.
Readdressing the earlier problem, the issue of how to relieve a building of the toxic
qualities it possesses, a solution may be found in several forms. One previously
stated form of course is proper ventilation. Ventilation will in fact remove the

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chemicals which cause sick building syndrome from the occupied space, but this
does not address the secondary cause of SBS - the psychological aspect. If the
building is suffering from both physical and psychological ailments, a better method
of building revival may exist and can easily be implemented. This method is the
hydroponic green wall or living Wall.

SECTION 4: HYDROPONICS
Bringing positive environmental factors into buildings suffering from sick building
syndrome is a process only recently implemented and shown to have powerful
results for varying reasons. The process being described is bringing outdoor
vegetation indoors. This can be done in the form of a green wall, vertical garden, or
any other form which implements the use of vegetation to recycle indoor air. It is
known that during the process of photosynthesis (a process which all plants undergo
to create food), plants intake carbon dioxide from their surroundings in order to
produce glucose and release oxygen. Carbon dioxide in abundance is shown to
have negative effects on people in enclosed spaces, thus it may be a cause of SBS.
Just as breathing into a paper bag relieves panic attacks, breathing carbon dioxide
in excess for long periods of time will produce the symptoms of sick building
syndrome. Indoor plants would remove some of this carbon dioxide from the air and
release fresh oxygen gas, which is essential for proper respiration. These plants will

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also increase air flow from room to room in buildings, and in a decent amount may
alleviate physical SBS symptoms. They also address the psychological aspect.
Bleak environments, as prior stated, affect workers minds negatively. The
implementation of green walls or vertical gardens into the workplace is relatively
simple form of addressing this issue. Green walls are used in urban environments to
remove eyesores from busy places. Empty lots and abandoned building may be
transformed into outdoor vertical gardens in order to remove a negative from society
and replace it with something positive and beautiful. This is essentially the idea
behind indoor vertical gardens. These plant systems can be created in an indoor
setting through growing techniques called hydroponics. Hydroponics is the process
of growing plants through a medium other than dirt, often using nutrient enriched
water instead of soil. This often produces lush green plants which are healthier and
more active than those grown in soil. In addition to this, they can be grown indoors
with the addition of proper lighting and the right care. These systems can be made
from nearly any materials as long as the process is done correctly and each
individual plant receives the proper nutrients needed. This gives growers many
opportunities to implement these systems. Home systems may be made from a
basic pump and PVC pipe while more elaborate ones can be professionally
engineered for an entire building.

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SECTION 5: POSSIBLE IMPLEMENTATIONS
Temporarily digressing from the primary concern of SBS, indoor hydroponic systems
have huge potential to benefit workers and the surrounding community. These
systems have shown to have enormous positive impacts on the growing plants.
Hydroponic systems, by bypassing the growing medium (soil), are able to produce
plants using only water, light, and any nutrients the plants need. This is done by
mixing a solution of water and nutrients which flow across plants roots. The process
allows the plants to fully absorb nutrients they need very easily which in turn
produces fuller, healthier plants. This may not seem as significant when concerning
the plant on a worker's desk, but it can easily be applied to a number of
circumstances to better a community. One example of this was recently brought up
in discussion for a similar project. The project involved setting up community
managed gardens which are intended to clear unused city space and also provide
fresh food in areas of poverty. This same idea can be used alongside the benefits of
hydroponic growing systems in areas of poverty.

SECTION 6: IMPLEMENTATION
The introduction of green wall systems to a building can be a daunting task if it is not
approached correctly. These systems must be thought out and planned thoroughly
prior to installation in order to maintain their effectiveness. Beginning in the planning

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phase of implementation, a building should meet the criteria for needing a green
wall. These systems are otherwise an unnecessary expense if they aren't necessary,
and can become costly. Secondly, knowing how to produce an effective garden is
essential. The health of the plants is the main focus of the wall, so understanding
how to keep them healthy should be the main concern.
Many different systems exist, and all have some specific quality which may make it
easier to maintain. Understanding the differences and requirements of each system
should be done prior to making the decision to buy. Larger, more expensive systems
in a building may not always be as beneficial. Instead in some situations, it may be
better to have a series of smaller operations running throughout a building to
regulate fresh air-flow.
The typical requirements of a green wall will usually be a series of pipes that run
water along plants roots, a basic pump system (so long as it does not become too
large), and occasional maintenance to balance the PH level of the mineral fluid.
Installation may require a professional in large walls, in small ones; it can be done
by almost anyone who understands the process. Many DIY installation videos are
available and teach exactly how to create and maintain systems.
Expense will vary from building to building and system to system. The most basic
form of this idea can be bought for less than a hundred dollars or built for even less.
The long term benefits in areas of more serious concern will far outweigh the initial

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expense. This can be seen in a simple business diagram of expense and gain.
Eventually, the money saved on employee health care, sick days, and medical
expense will overcome the cost.
CONCLUSION
Though Sick Building Syndrome can easily plague urban environments, solutions
exist that can alleviate the crisis. Even if hydrocarbon pollutants are becoming more
abundant in the air supply, systems exist which can reduce the abundance and
restore clean air and proper ventilation to a building. Hydroponic systems have a
variety of uses for which both businesses and employees can benefit from, but
especially in the form of eradicating SBS. In the near future these systems may even
be used to grow local produce for areas of poverty while at the same time ensuring
psychological health of a community of workers. Sick buildings are a problem, but
they will soon be a problem of the past.

References
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is no specific identifiable cause.

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identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may
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Environmental psychology is a field of study that examines the

interrelationship between environments and human affect, cognition and
behavior