A Theoretical Overview of Sick Building Syndrome in the Built Environment

Abstract

The phrase ‘Sick building syndrome’ is very hazy and means many things to many people and thus the users and facility managers of the built environment attach less importance to the cause and upshot of this symptoms and illness due to due to shallow knowledge and understanding of the health challenge experienced in the building. The paper examines the notion explicitly. It identifies various symptoms of sick building syndrome. The paper concludes that most building related illness is due to poor awareness of building users on the consequence of unhealthy activities, furniture and electrical gadget in the building that slowly release toxic vapours, gases and pollutants into the air at room temperature. The paper will be of great use to researchers, construction professionals, building users, built environment policy makers as well as students in the environmental studies.