- © 2007 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors
When the $21-million David Strangway Building opened at the University of British Columbia nearly 2 years ago, it was a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient edifice. But almost immediately, the 30 faculty and staff at the UBC medical school's department of family practice as well as students, part-time physicians and patients complained of an unhealthy indoor environment in the 5-storey building named after the school's former president and the former head of the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
Temperatures range from stifling 35° heat in south-facing offices that melts rubber finger protectors, to 12° cold in examining rooms, which prompts the clinic to equip patients with blankets, says Christie Newton, assistant professor of family practice.
The odour of fried food from 2 restaurants on the ground floor permeates the entire building, primarily because of poor air circulation, adds the chair of the department's health and safety committee. “Initially, it might make you hungry, but after 18 months, you tend to be turned off.”
In short, faculty and staff — along with commercial tenants — are getting first-hand experience about indoor air quality as an emerging health issue. “The number of related complaints has increased in recent years with increased building tightness, the growing use of synthetic materials, and energy conservation measures that reduce the amount of outside air supply,” notes a Health Canada technical guide on Sick Building Syndrome.
“We are developing nausea and headaches and general malaise based on air quality,” says Newton. “We have sick leaves documented, with each staff person away at about 1 day every 2 weeks, and that doesn't include the 3 o'clock in the afternoon [moment], where your headache is bothering you to the point where you can't work anymore.”
Worksafe B.C. is monitoring the building, but Newton said remedial measures, such as extending the length of the restaurant ventilation system, have thus far proven inadequate.