Sick building syndrome

The sick building syndrome (SEE), in English, Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is a group of discomforts and diseases caused by poor ventilation, decompensation of temperatures, suspended particles, poor lighting, gases and vapors of chemical origin and bioaerosols, among other identified causal agents.

The World Health Organization has defined it as a group of diseases caused or stimulated by air pollution in these closed spaces.

The type of discomfort that these situations produce and stimulate is varied: migraines, nausea, dizziness, persistent colds, irritations of the respiratory tract, skin and eyes, etc. Among these discomforts, allergies play an important role.

Causes

Factors that contribute to the syndrome are related to the design of the built environment, and may include combinations of some or all of the following causes:

• Interior air pollution
• Artificial perfumes
• Poor or inappropriate and even excessive lighting. Excessive lighting generates reflexes on working screens.
• Absence of natural light, performing activities with 100% artificial lighting generates visual fatigue.
• Poor heating or cooling of rooms and/or ventilation
• Poor positioning of heating and air conditioning systems
• Bad acoustics
• Poor furniture and equipment designs (e.g. Pcs monitors, photocopiers, etc.).
• Poor ergonomics.
• Chemical contamination.
• Biological pollution.