You might expect to get great views of the city, and maybe even get a sense of removal from cities like Mumbai, Pune, or Delhi, if you are living above the 16th floor of a high-rise. But with increasing AQI and increased pollution levels in those cities, experts say living at an altitude would not necessarily keep you safe from air pollution. This is what happens when you are residing above the 16th floor of high-rise buildings, especially in areas where the quality of air is low.
According to Dr Tamorish Kole, Director – Emergency Medicine, DPU Super Specialty Hospital, Pimpri, Pune, living at a higher altitude does not necessarily remove all the environmental hazards. Ground-level ozone is one of the major pollutants, which may rise and settle at a greater height depending upon the weather conditions, and it can also pose some respiratory irritants to the people living there. This ozone causes early death, damaged lungs, cardiovascular disease, reproductive problems including decreased fertility, and cancer. Also, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and indoor pollutants from building materials or furnishings stay at any level without ventilation.
Air Quality and Altitude
When we spoke to Dr Murarji Ghadge, ENT consultant at Ruby Hall Clinic, he said there is a general conception that the quality of air will be better at greater heights because the air at a high altitude is less dense, but this may not happen often in cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi with high pollution. Long-range pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5) reach even higher floors even from a long distance. The pollutant PM2.5 is associated with very serious health conditions such as respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer, which can be found in the whole mass of air, even at higher elevations.
Exposure to Airborne Pollutants
According to scientists, pollutants including particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, ozone, and volatile organic compounds may be carried by the wind currents through many floors of a building in case there are significant emissions from vehicles and industries. Therefore, you might be staying on the 20th floor and your breathing air is highly polluted.
Plumes of Air pollution typically remain at a level close to the ground or are mostly found within urban settings with intensive population growth, and traffic conditions. This could make such buildings face pockets of high-altitude wind-driven plumes when a particular time arrives during the daytime, or particular patterns happen regarding directions of air mass movements in an atmosphere.
Ventilating and air-filtrating
Central air conditioning systems often installed in high-rise buildings, while helpful during hot seasons may not always filter out harmful pollutants, especially if circulation of air is poor and filtration systems are not the most recent. The rising condition of air pollution demands having advanced air purifiers in apartments.
Health Hazards of Prolonged Exposure
Experts warn of the long-term health risks of staying in cities with a growing AQI:
- Respiratory Problems: Prolonged exposure to PM2.5 pollutants will increase asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory problems.
- Cardiovascular Diseases: The constant exposure to air pollution has been associated with heart diseases and stroke.
- Psychological Impact: There is a relationship between air pollution and mental health disorders, which are characterized by anxiety and depression. It's because of chronic stress that the body and the brain undergo.
The Role of Local Topography
For cities like Delhi where there are weather conditions that usually trap air pollution, residents at higher altitudes may not be protective against hazardous levels of air pollution.
In areas near the Aravalli Range in Delhi, or the coastal areas of Mumbai, the dispersion of air pollutants can be quite uneven. On particularly hazy days or during the winter months when smog is prevalent, high-rise buildings may be exposed to elevated levels of air pollution as well.
The Urban Heat Island Effect
The urban heat island effect implies the phenomenon whereby an area within the city faces higher temperatures as opposed to that which occurs within an area in the nearby countryside. In the case of cities, if they have poor AQI, then the concentration of air pollutants would easily get aggravated since the chemicals would persist suspended in that warmer air close to the ground. High-rise residents are still being exposed since thermal inversions trap cooler air at certain levels, which acts by keeping the pollutants at certain levels close to the surface, too.
Some benefits of high-altitude residence
Living high has its perks. For example, in a high-altitude region, winds can bring cleaner air on those occasions when there is little traffic or when it is a windy day. As pollution continues to grow, this is no longer a reliable factor.
Take Away Points
Not Fully Protected: Standing on the 16th floor and above does not make for clean air; that could penetrate to that floor level.
Ventilation Impact: Advanced air filtration in buildings is needed to offset indoor pollution.
Health Monitoring: Monitoring AQI and personal health status, especially for people with existing respiratory conditions.
Environmental Awareness: As air pollution worsens, the requirements for stricter regulations and urban planning regarding air quality become more relevant.
Thus, in Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi, where the AQI goes daily above safety standards, most residents of such tall buildings must take precautions not to fall ill in their respective apartments.
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