RIYADH: Dyson has revealed the results of their recent indoor air quality (IAQ) awareness survey, conducted in collaboration with YouGov in Saudi Arabia, which investigates attitudes toward IAQ and our understanding of common indoor pollutants.
The study looked at the precautionary measures taken to maintain a healthy indoor environment at a time when well-being and home hygiene is more important than ever. Surveying 1,000 respondents in the Kingdom, results showed that an overwhelming majority of residents are concerned about air quality in their homes and have taken preliminary measures to optimize it in the last year. However, an alarmingly few are aware of potentially dangerous airborne pollutants like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including formaldehyde — an invisible and common indoor pollutant that can be released daily into our homes by furniture and cleaning products.
While 83 percent have taken proactive measures to protect the air quality of their homes since the outbreak of COVID-19, only 32 percent of respondents are aware of the harmful pollutants introduced into their homes through decorating items and refurbishing materials, which is particularly crucial to highlight with many people having used the past year to remodel their homes and home retailers reporting an increase in sales of paint and wallpaper during the lockdown.
Furthermore, the Dyson/YouGov survey showed that only a third of respondents are aware of formaldehyde and of the long-term adverse health effects of continuous exposure to it.
Being 500 times smaller than particles the size of 0.1 microns, formaldehyde is particularly difficult to capture and, if left undetected, can lead to prolonged exposure due to the continuous release of airborne chemicals, known as off-gassing.
Alex Knox, vice president of environmental care at Dyson, said: “The off-gassing tendency of indoor pollutants like formaldehyde means that it can go undetected in a home for years. Every day, humans breathe up to 9,000 liters of air, and even prior to 2020 spent as much as 90 percent of their time indoors. As our homes increasingly become spaces where we work and exercise as well as sleep and play, the quality of the air we breathe in all aspects of our routine is non-negotiable. Increased awareness of what these pollutants are and the range of activities that causes air quality indoors to deteriorate, could lead to a habitual change focused on maintaining and enhancing the air they breathe regularly.”
While results of the Dyson/YouGov survey show a need for greater IAQ understanding, it also showcases a positive shift in consumer behavior toward IAQ. In fact, three in four respondents indicated that they would “feel safer” having real time monitoring of IAQ in their homes, workplaces, and in commercial spaces such as hotels and salons, showing an interest in the air we breathe each day.
It is the reason why at Dyson we’ve spent more than 25 years filtering air. Our engineers ensure filtration is a principle that extends to all Dyson technologies — and hair care is not to be excluded. Across our UK, Singapore and Malaysia technology campuses, our experts conduct robust in-house testing on Dyson filtration technologies. Our separation systems laboratories are home to filtration testing and development — measuring filtration metrics as diverse as cyclone efficiency and particle reduction at both component and whole-machine level. To understand pollutants present in air, household dust, and in our machine filters, our dedicated microbiology and household dust labs allow Dyson scientists to get under the skin of indoor pollution — and ensure that Dyson technology works properly in real-world environments.
Designed to efficiently capture ultrafine dust and allergens while destroying potentially dangerous VOCs, including formaldehyde, the Dyson Purifier Formaldehyde range has been launched in Saudi Arabia. It captures H1N1 virus and 99.95 percent of particles as small as 0.1 microns such as allergens, bacteria, pollen and mold spores. Dyson engineers took a forensic approach to achieving a fully-sealed machine, creating high pressure seals at an additional 24 critical points to prevent dirty air from bypassing the filters and carrying pollutants back into the room.
While other gel-based formaldehyde sensors can deteriorate overtime and are easily confused with other VOCs pollution, Dyson’s new, solid-state formaldehyde sensor works alongside Dyson’s unique algorithm to precisely monitor formaldehyde levels, intelligently ignoring other gases that are detected by a dedicated VOC sensor.
The Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde purifying fan heater is now available in Saudi Arabia, at sa.dyson.com, in Dyson demo zones, and in partner retail outlets, priced at SR3,199 ($850).
