Improving Indoor Air Quality with Functional Coatings

By Paul Doll, Francois Huby, Sudhakar Balijepalli, Al Maurice

Maintaining indoor air quality (IAQ) is a growing concern in the United States as people spend more time indoors and new insulation/air sealing methods are used to improve energy efficiency. Tightening the building envelope is an effective and popular upgrade that lowers heating and cooling costs by up to 20%.1 These savings are generated by restricting air exchange and heat transfer, which can have unintended consequences on indoor air quality, including a build-up of formaldehyde emissions emanating from common household items.

Exposure to formaldehyde is known to cause eye, nose, and throat irritation; wheezing and coughing; fatigue; skin rash; and severe allergic reactions. Improving indoor air quality is a complex issue often requiring multiple strategies. Functional paints and coatings can play a role by abating undesired volatiles, such as formaldehyde, from various sources within a room.

This article will review indoor air pollutants, their sources, testing methodologies, and the reduction of formaldehyde levels through the use of functional coating technology.