The rising number of chronic diseases linked to poor indoor air quality has brought to light the urgency for a better understanding in addressing the problem.
uHoo co-founder and CEO Dustin Onghanseng said sick building syndrome (SBS) or building-related illness (BRI) has been a cause of concern for most building occupants who fall ill due to poor indoor air quality.
However, he said recent innovations in low-cost air pollution sensors have enabled a new generation of air quality monitoring devices that provide actionable high-resolution data at a fraction of the cost of traditional monitoring systems.
“Air quality used to be something that people rely on manual methods for information.
“However, the technology behind the Internet of Things has improved dramatically that sensors are now so small that you can monitor the quality of air you breathe in your homes or offices,” he said at the launch of the Enviro InteliAQ System in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
According to Onghansen, a survey revealed that tenants were willing to pay 25% higher rent on better healthy building systems.
“Healthy buildings help shape the competitive price scale for the real estate market and may soon become the dealmaker or breaker in commercial property decisions.
“Also, 64% (of the tenants) in Asia Pacific are willing to pay extra for products and services produced or offered from companies that are committed to positive social and environmental impact,” he said.
Onghanseng added that companies could save up to RM30,000 on return on investment productivity per person per year by enhancing the wellbeing of occupants.
“Having good indoor air quality would lead to the increase of productivity and better decision-making. This is important because we spend more than 80% of our time indoors,” he said.
The Enviro InteliAQ System, which features nine air quality sensors packed into a tiny device about the size of a coffee mug, is first launched in Malaysia before being introduced in other regional markets.
The system, launched by Enviro Group Asia through its subsidiary Enviroverks (M) Sdn Bhd, also saw the group partnering boutique hotel Alila Bangsar.
Its group CEO Nitesh Malani said the collaboration will be a game-changer for the hospitality industry in the country as the company would help Alila Bangsar to ensure that its guests and staff are exposed to fewer pollutants and contaminations overall.
Enviro Group Asia has also entered into a collaborative distribution and research and development agreement with uHoo International, which will see the group expanding its regional footprint in the building sciences and environmental engineering sector.
Source: The Malaysian Reserve
