Innovator: Kamal Meattle, CEO – PBC, is the brain behind this technology. He Himself being a sufferer of the air pollution, chose to come up with an air quality solution than leaving the city, twenty years back. This is what he writes in smepost.com on the criticality of Wellness @ work.
Having been accorded with high priority in the industrial policy for playing a vital role in the country’s growth economy, MSME sector has added a significant mileage to the creative entrepreneurship and employment.
This sector is accounted for 45% of India’s manufacturing output; 40% of India’s total exports and approx. 73 million people’s employment across the country. It offers over 6,000 products ranging from traditional to high-tech items. Undoubtedly, it has given a shelter, in fact a platform to the existing as well new ideas and has promoted the country’s potential on different levels of the globe. On the similar grounds, Paharpur Business Centre (PBC), an MSME in the real estate and service sector has showcased a unique and innovative technology that helps one breathing clean and fresh air, indoors.
We all are aware of the threat that “Air Pollution” throws on our health. We can live with food for few weeks and few days without water but not more than 5 minutes without air. Oxygen is fundamental to our survival. It is necessary for us to think, “What are we actually breathing – oxygen or with it the pollutants?
The toxic air pollutants like VOCs, PM 2.5 & 10 (Particulate Matter), Sulphur & Nitrogen Oxides, Ozone etc. are carcinogenic. They not just lead to chronic respiratory symptoms; restricted heart and brain functionality; damage to liver and central nervous system; weakening of eyesight etc., they also result in deaths, and increased premature mortality rate.
The worst part: indoors, air is up to 10 times more polluted.
Solution: However, with the help of its Indoor Air Quality system (IAQ), PBC has been successfully rendering mountain fresh workplace to its occupants in Delhi (World’s Most Polluted City) for over 20 years now.
PBC grows its own fresh air with the help of more than 1,200 air-purifying houseplants and mechanical air filtration system. The three plants that PBC uses for cleansing and oxygenating the indoor air are: Money Plant, Areca Plant and Snake Plant. Of three, Snake Plant (aka Mother-in-Law’s Tongue) is also a bedroom plants for it produces oxygen during the night time while the rest two maintain oxygen levels in day hours.
IAQ has been a critical component of occupants’ better health for being able to reduce the incidences of health hazards at work like eye irritation, respiratory symptoms, headaches, lung impairment and Asthma by 52%, 34%, 24% and 12% respectively, further, increasing the probability of SPO2 levels by 1% and Productivity up to 20% (as per a study by CPCB, MoEF, GoI & CNCI, Kolkata). IAQ at PBC conforms to ASHRAE & WHO standards. www.pbcnet.com.
We spend over 90% of our time indoors and the most productive hours working. Hence, it is imperative for us to pay attention to the indoor environment, of which air quality is a vital component as it affects one’s productivity.
PBC, the winner of CII-IGBC’s Green Building demonstrating the Best Health of Occupants through IEQ (Indoor Environment Quality), believes that it is more of an Experience Centre than just an office space. Health and wellness of the occupants indoors is of utmost importance. It has never been an easy path for PBC to establish the concept of “Working in Fresh Indoor Environment and Drawing Benefits”. Air pollution is a silent and invisible killer and awareness about it is still lagging.
The Hope: This technology is energy efficient (helps PBC save 10% energy costs), and can be replicated in other buildings, including homes. Breathe Easy, Air Quality division of PBC has helped over 1,700 homes in Delhi/ NCR, schools like American Embassy School, German School etc., and other commercial buildings in achieving good indoor air quality .
PBC, an MSME, has contributed significantly to a global wellness movement and given us all a Ray of Hope to fight with the global health threat – Air Pollution.
Image Courtesy: news.nationalgeographic
