This paper aims to explore the phenomenon of Sick Building Syndrome
(SBS), which is believed to cause adverse effects in occupants of specifi c buildings.
The major feature of SBS is that the effects experienced usually begin to disappear
upon leaving the ‘ sick ’ environment. Although there is no controlling legislation for
SBS, its effects have been documented, ‘ Sick Building Syndrome ’ appears in the
Oxford English Dictionary, and recognised organisations, such as the Health and
Safety Executive (HSE), have carried out extensive research on the syndrome. As SBS
has no single specifi c cause, this paper seeks to identify the likely contributors, and
uses a range of academic, medical, statistical and recognised organisational data to
do so. The contributors include poor indoor air quality, excessive background noise,
emissions from certain synthetic building and furnishing materials, inappropriate
temperatures and airborne pollution. A link between SBS and inadequate levels of
maintenance is suggested. This paper offers information to those engaged in the
design and maintenance of buildings, while giving specifi c advice to both employers
and employees, especially those who work in offi ce environments, to provide the
reader with a better understanding and to highlight the measures that can be taken
to reduce, if not eliminate, SBS.

• Sick building syndrome: An overview to raise awareness