Healthy Buildings Need Healthy Air
The importance of indoor air quality (IAQ) and its effects on our health – both positive and negative – are top of mind. Over the past few years, trusted sources and thought leaders in the healthy buildings field have come into the spotlight to guide the conversation around improving indoor air quality.
Whether the research and standards are coming from the EPA, Harvard professors or ASHRAE, the research is undeniable around the need for increased ventilation, filtration and disinfection within indoor spaces.
Explore the different factors and guidelines to effectively improve indoor air quality.
The Impact of Air
Indoor Environment Quality – Air
A healthy space equals improved indoor environmental quality (IEQ). IEQ consists of multiple facets, including air. Learn how air quality impacts overall occupant well-being.
Clean Air In Buildings
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Launches Clean Air In Buildings (CAIB) Challenge
Recognizing the need for leadership and a grassroots approach to bettering the air quality and health of the buildings we spend the most time in, the EPA and White House took action.
The Clean Air in Buildings Challenge outlines four actionable steps to create better air quality in all public spaces:
● Create a clean indoor air action plan
● Optimize fresh air ventilation
● Enhance air filtration and cleaning
● Conduct community engagement, communication, and education
Using the appropriate strategy for each space will change the game for our health and well-being in the future.
"We need to establish the foundations to ensure that the air in our buildings is clean...just as we expect for the water coming out of our taps.”
- Dr. Joseph G. Allen, DSc, MPH, CIH | Director, Healthy Buildings Program, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Dr. Joe Allen was instrumental in the creation of the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge and is the leader of Harvard Healthy Buildings and 9 Foundations
ASHRAE
Shaping Tomorrow's Built Environment Today
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is an internationally recognized organization dedicated to advancing the standards and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC).
ASHRAE’s focus on indoor environmental quality calls for the indoor environment to become a higher priority for building owners & developers, stating that "The indoor environment of the future identifies and optimizes interactions between air quality, thermal comfort, lighting and acoustics based on a firm understanding of implications for occupants’ health and wellness."
