December 10, 2013 by CallisonRTKL

What am I Breathing?

By Ian Marcus When asked to name the basic needs for sustaining daily life, people generally identify food and water. They’re right if you take air for granted, as most of us do. We’ve always had air, so why would we think to worry about it? Should we worry about it? How would we even know that there is a problem with the quality of our air? Some would answer the last question by relying on their senses. Comedian Demetri Martin once said, “Whenever I decide to investigate a smell, the answer is never good.” For example, it’s well known that cigarettes contaminate the air with carcinogens. We can smell cigarette smoke and we know it’s bad for us. The same goes for the smell of anything rotten. Poor air quality can also be observed visually. According to a recent Huffington Post article, the visible smog in the city of Harbin, China was so severe that the effects were felt by over 11 million people. The city was forced to cancel public bus routes and suspend flights at the local airport. While the five senses are powerful, they cannot detect all air pollutants. Over the past few decades, asbestos has become well-known for its dangerous effects. Certain refrigerants are also odorless. Both can be harmful when inhaled. Fortunately, asbestos in buildings is easily visible and can be traced back to construction from a certain time period. The refrigerant used in buildings has to follow guidelines that limit the quantity to a relatively safe amount. Currently, the EPA’s Clean Air Act requires the release of air quality data in real time to the public. The EPA has created an Air Quality Index (AQI) which takes into account six of the most common air pollutants. This is a great start, but I’d like to see air quality information on visible displays placed in walkable cities, particularly at locations of public transit. I’d also like to see more electric vehicles, which produce zero-emissions, in areas with high foot traffic. You shouldn’t have to suffer from poor air quality during your daily commute. Hopefully, verifiable clean air will become the norm in the near future.

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CallisonRTKL

For more than five decades, Callison and RTKL have created some of the world’s most memorable and successful environments for developers, retailers, investors, institutions and public entities. In 2015, our two practices came together under the Arcadis umbrella, expanding our sphere of influence and the depth and breadth of our resources. Our team is comprised of nearly 2,000 creative, innovative professionals throughout the world who are committed to advancing our client’s businesses and enhancing quality of life.