Why Improved Indoor Air Quality Must Be Part of the Climate and Health Conversation

Airborne transmission in enclosed environments can directly influence public health outcomes.

The recent United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week drew attention to climate commitments, emissions targets, and long-term sustainability strategies. Yet one of the most immediate and actionable issues affecting human health and environmental performance is much closer to home: indoor air quality.

People spend the vast majority of their time indoors - at home, at work, in schools, hospitals, and public buildings. The quality of the air within these spaces plays a fundamental role in health, well-being, and productivity. The COVID-19 pandemic brought this reality sharply into focus, demonstrating how airborne transmission in enclosed environments can directly influence public health outcomes.

Indoor air quality is no longer a niche technical concern. It is a core health, resilience, and sustainability issue.

The Health Impact of Poor Indoor Air

Poor indoor air quality has been linked to a wide range of health effects, including:

• Respiratory conditions and aggravated asthma

• Allergies and chronic irritation

• Fatigue, headaches, and reduced cognitive performance

• Long-term exposure risks that contribute to chronic illness

In many cases, these impacts are preventable. Indoor environments can be optimised through practical, sustainable measures such as effective ventilation strategies, low-emission building materials, and technologies that actively reduce airborne contaminants.

Improving indoor air quality is one of the most direct steps individuals and organisations can take to protect health while reducing environmental impact.

Awareness as the Catalyst for Change

Raising awareness about improved indoor air quality is critical. When people understand the direct relationship between the air they breathe indoors and their health, behaviour begins to change.

Awareness empowers action. It encourages building owners to invest in better systems, facility managers to prioritise maintenance and monitoring, and organisations to advocate for higher building performance standards. Informed decision-making leads to practical solutions that improve daily life while supporting broader sustainability goals.

The Responsibility of the Built Environment Sector

Those involved in the built environment - architects, engineers, contractors, facility managers, and building owners - play a decisive role in shaping indoor air quality outcomes.

By planning for IAQ from the earliest stages of design, and by selecting solutions that are both energy-efficient and cost-effective, buildings can deliver healthier environments without increasing operating costs. In fact, many IAQ strategies reduce energy use by optimising ventilation, filtration, and system performance. This leads to much improved indoor air quality

This represents a clear win-win: better health for occupants and stronger economic and environmental performance over the life of the building.

A New Standard for Improved Indoor Air Quality

A major milestone in this field was the introduction of ASHRAE Standard 241, the first standard developed specifically to define criteria for both the design and ongoing performance of healthy indoor environments.

The standard establishes clear guidance for ventilation, filtration, and air cleaning, ensuring that buildings are better equipped to manage airborne risks and maintain safe indoor conditions over time. Its development reflects a growing recognition that indoor air quality must be treated as essential building infrastructure - not an optional upgrade.

Technology as an Enabler of Healthy, Efficient Buildings

Achieving healthy and sustainable residential and commercial buildings increasingly depends on the integration of advanced air purification and monitoring technologies.

Modern systems equipped with 24/7 sensors continuously track key air quality parameters and automatically adjust ventilation and filtration in response to real-time conditions. This data-driven approach ensures consistent air quality, reduces unnecessary energy use, and allows potential issues to be addressed proactively.

For occupants, this means cleaner, healthier air every day. For owners and operators, it delivers improved operational efficiency, reduced risk, and stronger sustainability performance.

Acting Now for Health and Climate Resilience

Climate change and global warming are no longer abstract challenges. The discussions at Climate Week and the United Nations General Assembly reinforced the urgency of collective action.

While the scale of the challenge is significant, many solutions are already available - and indoor air quality is one of the most practical and immediate areas where meaningful progress can be made. Improving the air inside buildings protects health, supports sustainability objectives, and strengthens resilience in the face of future challenges.

The time to act is not in the future. It is now.