INDAIRPOLLNET

ABSTRACT

In developed countries, we spend 80-90% of our time indoors, where we receive most of our exposure to air pollution. However, regulation for air pollution focuses mainly on outdoors and the indoor environment is much less well characterised. The concentrations of many air pollutants can be higher indoors than out, particularly following activities such as cleaning and cooking. With increasing climate change impacts, related energy efficiency measures are making buildings considerably more airtight. Such measures can increase indoor pollutant concentrations even further. Therefore, to reduce our exposure to air pollution, we must consider both the indoor and outdoor environments and the role of ventilation, in order to mitigate through appropriate building operation, use and design.

INDAIRPOLLNET (INDoor AIR POLLution NETwork) will improve our understanding of the cause of high concentrations of indoor air pollutants. It will assemble experts in laboratory and chamber experiments, modelling studies and measurements of relevance to indoor air quality (IAQ), including outdoor air chemists. Our network includes experts in chemistry, biology, standardisation, particulate matter characterisation, toxicology, exposure assessment, building materials (including those manufactured specifically to improve IAQ such as green materials), building physics and engineering (including ventilation and energy) and building design. This Action aims to significantly advance the field of indoor air pollution science, to highlight future research areas and to bridge the gap between research and business to identify appropriate mitigation strategies that optimise IAQ. The findings will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders such as architects, building engineers and instrument manufacturers.