REPORT SCOPE
INTRODUCTION
Recent media attention given to toxic mold and related health effects and resulting litigation, as well as the outbreak of infections diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), has led to new interest in, and attention to, indoor air quality in homes, commercial buildings, schools and hospitals. The recent bout of media attention to toxic mold and to families that abandoned their homes as a result of unsuccessful mold remediation, as well as the attention paid to litigation resulting from instances of mold contamination in homes or commercial buildings, has furthered this renewed interest.
This “mold rush” is fueling growth for the industry, and media attention has brought other aspects of indoor air quality to the forefront. People are rediscovering research related to the health of their indoor environments. Scientific evidence now suggests that indoor air has the potential to be 100 times more polluted than outdoor air, a significant problem because people now spend an estimated 90% of their time indoors, and, the buildings they are in exacerbate the problem. Following the energy crisis of the 1970s, new structures were designed and built to become more energy efficient, but in too many cases, this meant poor ventilation.
This timely BCC report determines the size of the overall indoor air quality (IAQ) market and its subcategories such as IAQ equipment and technologies, IAQ consulting services and environmental services. The report also defines and outlines the end-use market segments and settings that are expected to absorb most of the IAQ equipment and services. In addition, it discusses the indoor air contaminants that are of greatest concern to these end-use markets, including mold and other biological contaminants, allergens, airborne pollutants and radon.
SCOPE OF STUDY
The report contains:
- Assessments of indoor air quality issues of concern to residences, commercial buildings, schools and hospitals
- Detailed discussions of the most relevant equipment, including air cleaners, HVAC equipment and replacement filters and IAQ instrumentation
- Detailed discussions of the most relevant services, including consulting, remediation and recovery
- Detailed discussions of technologies, trends, market value and growth in each category, with market forecasts through 2008
- An examination of end-use markets, including specific contaminants, problems, and solutions in each setting, as well as the types of equipment and services appropriate to each.
METHODOLOGIES
The author first determined the size of the overall indoor air quality market through extensive research including first person interviews and secondary sources of information. Through these same avenues, the author broke down the overall market into distinct subcategories and determined the size and growth potential for each category and environmental service. Through first person interviews, documented research, and available government data the author then determined which settings were most in need of IAQ equipment and services and how much of this each setting might absorb. The potential market for IAQ products and services for each setting is determined based on the number of buildings in each category and the number of these establishments potentially affected by IAQ problems.
INFORMATION SOURCES
The author first reviewed extensive secondary sources on the general topic of indoor air quality, on equipment such as air cleaners, HVAC replacement filters, HVAC systems, and IAQ instrumentation, on environmental services, and on the settings in which these services and products are used. This information was supplemented with primary research, including extensive first person interviews with industry experts, consultants, manufacturers of equipment, service providers, government officials, trade and professional associations, and personnel from public health, environmental, and regulatory agencies.
ANALYSTS CREDENTIALS
Joy LePree is an experienced freelance writer, editor, researcher and author. Through her work on publications such as Industrial Maintenance & Plant Operation, Industrial Safety & Hygiene News and Industrial Product Bulletin, Joy has become knowledgeable about the issues in the Indoor Air Quality Market, especially the IAQ equipment industry. Other BCC titles by Joy include GA-109R Functional Foods and Beverages and GB-142U Protective Clothing and Body Armor Industry: Fire, Chemical and Bullets.
