Sick Building Syndrome

In the discussion of VOCs, people often refer to the term "sick building syndrome". Sick building syndrome is used to describe illnesses relating to the indoor air quality (IAQ) of a building, but to no known specific source. People suffering from sick building syndrome can have many symptoms, including fatigue, dry eyes, and headaches. Sick building syndrome, though it is a non-specific illness, is suspected when one feels ill while inside a particular building, but the symptoms disappear soon after one leaves the building. VOCs are believed to be a cause of some cases of sick building syndrome.

By contrast, the term "building related illness" refers to a disease caused by a specific building contaminant, such as asbestos or formaldehyde. A building related illness is a less ambiguous diagnosis than sick building syndrome, and the symptoms of a specific building related illness, such as formaldehyde poisoning, are known and defined.

Poor indoor air quality is known to decrease productivity and increase absenteeism. Though sick building syndrome is a rather vague term, it is not surprising that poor IAQ can cause illness which presents in a variety of ways for different people.