sick building syndrome

sick build·ing syndrome

noun \-ˈbil-diŋ-\

Definition of SICK BUILDING SYNDROME

: a set of symptoms (as headache, fatigue, eye irritation, and breathing difficulties) that typically affect workers in modern airtight office buildings, that are believed to be caused by indoor pollutants (as formaldehyde fumes, particulate matter, or microorganisms), and that tend to disappear when affected individuals leave the building—abbreviation SBS; compare building-related illness