People around the world spend increasing amounts of time in air-tight environments, buildings where a focus on energy efficiency often emphasises the value of centrally controlled conditions over indoor air quality. I think we need to make indoor air quality a higher priority during the design process if we’re to successfully support occupants’ health and wellbeing.
Studies by the American Environmental Protection Agency have found that indoor air pollution can potentially be significantly worse than outdoors. Given that people spend up to 90% of their time indoors, the quality and effects of indoor air needs more attention. Indeed, public health awareness of indoor air quality lags well behind existing concerns about city smog and vehicles’ production of carbon monoxide and other pollutants.