Global Framework for Healthy Indoor Air Quality
The Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air has introduced the Global Framework for Action: Advancing Healthy Indoor Air through Societal Engagement and Market Transformation, a worldwide roadmap intended to make healthy indoor air a central public-health concern and an important market priority. The initiative seeks to establish good indoor air quality as a standard expectation in buildings around the world.
The Framework was unveiled during Climate Week in New York, approximately one year after the Commission was established at the United Nations. It presents a coordinated approach to addressing indoor air pollution, a major health challenge that often receives less attention than other environmental risks. The document encourages governments, international organizations, public-health agencies, companies, building professionals, researchers, financial institutions, professional bodies and local communities to coordinate their efforts rather than pursuing disconnected initiatives.
Its focus is on aligning policies, investment, research, technology and everyday building-management decisions that influence the quality of indoor air.
The Framework incorporates current scientific research and is the product of a year-long collaboration involving more than 200 Commissioners representing more than 40 countries. Experts from a broad range of disciplines and industries identified 40 strategic areas for action and nearly 180 recommendations. Together, these recommendations address the principal mechanisms through which markets and institutions can move from awareness of indoor-air problems toward long-term implementation.
The broader objective is to create a world in which indoor air quality is routinely expected, measured, valued, funded, regulated and improved in homes, schools, workplaces, healthcare facilities and other buildings.
In practical terms, the initiative seeks to make healthy indoor air an ordinary feature of the built environment rather than an exception.
“Last year, we came together at the United Nations to launch the Global Commission and affirm through the Global Pledge for Healthy Indoor Air that healthy indoor air is a fundamental human right,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO of the International WELL Building Institute.
“Today, we are putting that commitment into action. Over the past year, more than 200 leaders from more than 40 countries, including many of the world’s leading scientists, technical experts and advocates in healthy indoor air, have come together to build a first-of-its-kind global roadmap that aligns science, education, policy, innovation, investment and public demand. We did not need another report diagnosing the problem or explaining why it matters. We needed an actionable plan for changing the systems, markets and expectations that shape the air inside our buildings. That is what this Framework delivers: a practical path for leaders all around the world to align their efforts and uphold the right to healthy indoor air for everyone, everywhere.”
The Framework was unveiled during Climate Week in New York, approximately one year after the Commission was established at the United Nations. It presents a coordinated approach to addressing indoor air pollution, a major health challenge that often receives less attention than other environmental risks. The document encourages governments, international organizations, public-health agencies, companies, building professionals, researchers, financial institutions, professional bodies and local communities to coordinate their efforts rather than pursuing disconnected initiatives.
Its focus is on aligning policies, investment, research, technology and everyday building-management decisions that influence the quality of indoor air.
The Framework incorporates current scientific research and is the product of a year-long collaboration involving more than 200 Commissioners representing more than 40 countries. Experts from a broad range of disciplines and industries identified 40 strategic areas for action and nearly 180 recommendations. Together, these recommendations address the principal mechanisms through which markets and institutions can move from awareness of indoor-air problems toward long-term implementation.
The broader objective is to create a world in which indoor air quality is routinely expected, measured, valued, funded, regulated and improved in homes, schools, workplaces, healthcare facilities and other buildings.
In practical terms, the initiative seeks to make healthy indoor air an ordinary feature of the built environment rather than an exception.
“Last year, we came together at the United Nations to launch the Global Commission and affirm through the Global Pledge for Healthy Indoor Air that healthy indoor air is a fundamental human right,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO of the International WELL Building Institute.
“Today, we are putting that commitment into action. Over the past year, more than 200 leaders from more than 40 countries, including many of the world’s leading scientists, technical experts and advocates in healthy indoor air, have come together to build a first-of-its-kind global roadmap that aligns science, education, policy, innovation, investment and public demand. We did not need another report diagnosing the problem or explaining why it matters. We needed an actionable plan for changing the systems, markets and expectations that shape the air inside our buildings. That is what this Framework delivers: a practical path for leaders all around the world to align their efforts and uphold the right to healthy indoor air for everyone, everywhere.”
A Growing Public-Health Challenge
The Framework arrives as concerns about indoor air pollution continue to grow. Household air pollution alone is associated with more than three million premature deaths each year. Its impact extends beyond mortality, with polluted indoor environments linked to respiratory and cardiovascular problems, aggravated asthma and allergies, and the transmission of airborne infections.
Poor indoor air can also affect learning, concentration, cognitive performance, workplace productivity and overall quality of life.
At the same time, many of the technologies and practices needed to improve indoor environments already exist. Measures such as controlling pollution at its source, preventing excess moisture and mold, selecting healthier materials, improving ventilation, using filtration, monitoring air quality and managing building systems effectively can reduce exposure to harmful pollutants.
These approaches can be applied across homes, schools, offices, healthcare facilities, public buildings and other essential infrastructure.
“For decades, we have advanced the science and unequivocally demonstrated that better indoor air is essential to human health. It can help prevent premature deaths, reduce acute and chronic health risks and improve learning, thinking, creativity, productivity, performance and quality of life,” said Dr. Lidia Morawska, Co-Chair of the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air and Distinguished Professor at Queensland University of Technology.
“We know the difference better indoor air can make, and many of the tools we need to support it are already available. What has been missing is a coordinated, transdisciplinary strategy for applying what we know at the scale this fundamental requirement for human health demands. The Global Framework for Action provides the bridge from research to decisions, and from decisions to healthier buildings and healthier lives.”
Poor indoor air can also affect learning, concentration, cognitive performance, workplace productivity and overall quality of life.
At the same time, many of the technologies and practices needed to improve indoor environments already exist. Measures such as controlling pollution at its source, preventing excess moisture and mold, selecting healthier materials, improving ventilation, using filtration, monitoring air quality and managing building systems effectively can reduce exposure to harmful pollutants.
These approaches can be applied across homes, schools, offices, healthcare facilities, public buildings and other essential infrastructure.
“For decades, we have advanced the science and unequivocally demonstrated that better indoor air is essential to human health. It can help prevent premature deaths, reduce acute and chronic health risks and improve learning, thinking, creativity, productivity, performance and quality of life,” said Dr. Lidia Morawska, Co-Chair of the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air and Distinguished Professor at Queensland University of Technology.
“We know the difference better indoor air can make, and many of the tools we need to support it are already available. What has been missing is a coordinated, transdisciplinary strategy for applying what we know at the scale this fundamental requirement for human health demands. The Global Framework for Action provides the bridge from research to decisions, and from decisions to healthier buildings and healthier lives.”
Nine Areas for Coordinated Action
The Framework identifies nine interconnected mechanisms intended to influence markets, institutions, professional practices and public expectations:
- Public awareness and community engagement
- Research, innovation and development
- Policy development and advocacy
- Education and workforce training
- Market demand and financial incentives
- Financing and mobilization of resources
- Building codes, standards and leadership certifications
- Partnerships and cross-sector collaboration
- Implementation, measurement and evaluation
The nine areas are intended to work together rather than independently.
Scientific research can inform standards and construction practices, while technological innovation can improve the affordability, availability and effectiveness of solutions. Government policies can establish requirements and create accountability, while financing can help speed up adoption. Education can develop the skilled workforce necessary to implement improvements, and public awareness can strengthen demand for reliable information and healthier buildings.
“Partnership is leadership at its best, and this Framework shows what becomes possible when committed leaders across disciplines and regions focus on what they can accomplish together,” said Jason Hartke, Secretariat of the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air and Executive Vice President at IWBI.
“The defining strength of this Framework lies not in any single recommendation, but in how it aligns the full range of levers needed to drive market transformation and deliver healthy indoor air at scale. That coordination creates momentum no discipline or sector could generate alone. It also makes clear that we all have a role to play and invites each of us to step forward and do our part to bring healthier indoor air within reach for all.”
Scientific research can inform standards and construction practices, while technological innovation can improve the affordability, availability and effectiveness of solutions. Government policies can establish requirements and create accountability, while financing can help speed up adoption. Education can develop the skilled workforce necessary to implement improvements, and public awareness can strengthen demand for reliable information and healthier buildings.
“Partnership is leadership at its best, and this Framework shows what becomes possible when committed leaders across disciplines and regions focus on what they can accomplish together,” said Jason Hartke, Secretariat of the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air and Executive Vice President at IWBI.
“The defining strength of this Framework lies not in any single recommendation, but in how it aligns the full range of levers needed to drive market transformation and deliver healthy indoor air at scale. That coordination creates momentum no discipline or sector could generate alone. It also makes clear that we all have a role to play and invites each of us to step forward and do our part to bring healthier indoor air within reach for all.”
Treating Indoor Air as a Public-Health Priority
The Framework is based on the Commission's position that access to healthy indoor air should be regarded as a fundamental human right. Its recommendations are shaped by principles that include equity, local conditions, public trust, scientific evidence, accountability, scalability and value creation.
The Framework also emphasizes the close relationship between human health, climate action and resilience.
“Public health’s greatest victories often come from preventing harm before it occurs,” said Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the United States and Co-Chair of the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air.
“Healthy indoor air is far more than a building issue. Ensuring that everyone can breathe healthy indoor air is a sacred responsibility, one that influences health, opportunity and resilience throughout life. This Framework brings public health and the building sector to the same table, uniting us behind a common vision and giving us a shared plan of action to protect people in every community.”
The Framework also emphasizes the close relationship between human health, climate action and resilience.
“Public health’s greatest victories often come from preventing harm before it occurs,” said Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the United States and Co-Chair of the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air.
“Healthy indoor air is far more than a building issue. Ensuring that everyone can breathe healthy indoor air is a sacred responsibility, one that influences health, opportunity and resilience throughout life. This Framework brings public health and the building sector to the same table, uniting us behind a common vision and giving us a shared plan of action to protect people in every community.”
A Framework That Can Be Adapted Locally
The Global Framework is intended to serve as a common foundation rather than a universal formula that every country must follow in exactly the same way.
Governments and communities can use it to determine which measures are most appropriate for their own regulatory systems, climates, building conditions, economies and public-health priorities.
The Commission's next stage of work is expected to help national organizations and coalitions create country-specific Blueprints for Action. These plans can translate the global recommendations into local priorities, implementation strategies, financing mechanisms and clearly defined responsibilities.
The Commission also plans to continue building partnerships, expanding professional capabilities, encouraging innovation and keeping healthy indoor air on national and international policy agendas.
“We hope this Framework helps countries, organizations, industries, communities and leaders around the world join this growing movement, strengthen collaboration, turn ideas into action and propel this movement forward,” said the Commission Co-Chairs.
The Global Framework for Action is available through the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air at wellcertified.com/global-framework-for-action.
Governments and communities can use it to determine which measures are most appropriate for their own regulatory systems, climates, building conditions, economies and public-health priorities.
The Commission's next stage of work is expected to help national organizations and coalitions create country-specific Blueprints for Action. These plans can translate the global recommendations into local priorities, implementation strategies, financing mechanisms and clearly defined responsibilities.
The Commission also plans to continue building partnerships, expanding professional capabilities, encouraging innovation and keeping healthy indoor air on national and international policy agendas.
“We hope this Framework helps countries, organizations, industries, communities and leaders around the world join this growing movement, strengthen collaboration, turn ideas into action and propel this movement forward,” said the Commission Co-Chairs.
The Global Framework for Action is available through the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air at wellcertified.com/global-framework-for-action.
Perspectives From Global Commissioners
Commissioners from different sectors and regions also highlighted the importance of the new Framework.
Serene Almomen, PhD, CEO, Attune, described the initiative as a step toward moving indoor air from an acknowledged priority to coordinated action. She emphasized the importance of reliable evidence and practical guidance in helping decision-makers create lasting improvements.
Mark McKenna, Global Sustainability Director, Arcadis, noted that the Framework provides a common reference point for the built environment and emphasizes the importance of collective action.
Bahar Armaghani, Instructional Associate Professor, University of Florida, highlighted the role of education in preparing professionals to create healthier buildings and communities, emphasizing that indoor air quality affects people's ability to live, learn and work effectively.
Mauro J. Atalla, SVP and Chief Technology & Sustainability Officer, Trane Technologies, pointed to the relationship between energy efficiency, climate objectives and indoor environmental quality. He argued that current technologies can support healthier air while also addressing energy consumption and operating costs.
Jessica Bantom, Global Leader of Equity, Diversity and Belonging, DLR Group, emphasized that access to healthy indoor environments should remain central to discussions about the built environment and accountability.
John H. Barrett, Chairman Emeritus, ISSA, described the Commission's work as an unusually broad collaboration involving professionals from multiple areas of expertise.
Liam Bates, CEO and Co-Founder, Kaiterra, stressed the importance of moving from occasional indoor-air measurements toward continuous understanding and improvement.
Dr. Christine Bruckner, FAIA and Global Director at M Moser Associates, highlighted the importance of measurable PM2.5 targets, effective filtration, pressure management, continuous monitoring and clear operating procedures, particularly in regions such as Delhi NCR where outdoor pollution can be severe during winter.
Dr. Ranga Reddy Burri, President of the Infection Control Academy of India, characterized healthy indoor air as an important preventive-health measure with implications extending across the Global South.
Peter Cantone, Founder of Smart Air Defense, emphasized the potential application of the Framework in schools, where indoor environmental conditions can affect health, safety and learning.
Chris Castro, Founding Director and EVP-Chief Sustainability Officer of Climate First Bank, highlighted the role financial institutions can play in supporting healthier buildings and resilient communities.
Dr. Che-Ming Chiang, Distinguished Professor at National Cheng Kung University, emphasized that in hot, humid and polluted environments, indoor-air management can be particularly important because opening windows may not be a practical solution.
Leonardo Cozac, Chairman of the Board of ABRAVA, pointed to Brazil's longstanding indoor-air regulations and the country's National Indoor Air Quality Plan as examples of coordinated national activity.
Safiya Cummings, Public Health Medical Officer with the Port of Spain City Corporation, argued that healthcare professionals should consider indoor environmental exposures, including ventilation, mold and cooking fuels, when evaluating public-health risks.
Sandra Dedesko of EPFL emphasized the value of bringing experts from different professional backgrounds and countries together to address a challenge that cannot be addressed through a single discipline.
Ömer Döne, Head of Sustainable Workplace Certifications at Sanofi, highlighted indoor air as an important component of healthy workplaces and corporate real-estate strategies.
Jojo Ekuban, CEO of ChazahGlobal Ltd, described the Framework as an opportunity for governments, including those in Africa, to strengthen national approaches to indoor-air quality.
Nora Wang Esram, CEO of New Buildings Institute, emphasized the importance of incorporating indoor-air quality into building codes, performance standards and retrofit programs rather than treating it as an optional feature.
María Figols, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-founder of inBiot, stressed that continuous monitoring can make indoor air visible and manageable, while common standards can help turn monitoring into routine practice.
Adam Giandomenico, CEO of Particles Plus, emphasized the importance of accurate, repeatable and accessible measurements as the foundation for managing indoor-air quality.
Candi Hampton, VP Global Sustainability at Shaw Industries, described the Framework as an opportunity to improve indoor environments in the places where people live, work, learn and play.
Prof. Mukesh Khare, a Fellow of the Wessex Institute of Great Britain and the Institution of Engineers, India, emphasized the role of measurement and modeling in managing indoor-air quality and connecting exposure science with standards, technology and public policy.
Dave Kieft, CEO of Raven Delta Group, highlighted the value of combining reliable data with practical solutions to strengthen decision-making and accountability.
Dr. Khee Poh Lam, Professor of Architecture and the Built Environment at the National University of Singapore, called for continued efforts to create cleaner and healthier environments.
Joyce S. Lee, FAIA, emphasized the need for collaboration, expertise and consensus around indoor air as an important but historically undervalued resource.
Joakim Lindh, Managing Director of Airthings for Business, described healthy indoor air as essential infrastructure and stressed the importance of combining science, policy, technology and implementation.
Malisa Maynard, Chief Sustainability Officer at Mohawk Industries, said the company supports the Framework and highlighted its efforts to expand its range of products without volatile organic compounds.
Sean McCrady, Vice President Advisory at UL Solutions, emphasized the importance of converting global ambition into measurable outcomes through coordinated action.
Dr. Gráinne McGill, Lecturer at Queen's University Belfast, called attention to the need to understand how buildings perform during actual use and to connect building-performance data with population-health information.
Dr. John McKeon, Principal of the iAIR Institute and President of ASHRAE Ireland, emphasized that healthy indoor air needs to be measurable and verifiable and incorporated into building codes, standards and certification systems.
Jenna Mikus, CEO of Eudae Group and Honorary Fellow at the University of Melbourne, described indoor air as a fundamental consideration in designing environments intended to support health, well-being and performance.
Anil Namdeo, Professor of Air Quality at Northumbria University, characterized indoor pollution as a major but often overlooked environmental health concern and emphasized the need to close the gap between scientific evidence and implementation.
Paula Olsiewski, PhD, Contributing Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, described the Framework as an important development in efforts to improve indoor air quality.
Zakaria Oulad, Vice-President of the Urban Planning and Smart City Commission in Agadir, Morocco, compared the potential role of the Framework to the way common seismic building standards helped shape development following the 1960 Agadir earthquake. He also emphasized the importance of measurable indicators.
Guillermo Simon Padros, Executive Director of the Argentina Green Building Council, highlighted the relationship between healthy indoor environments, sustainable construction and resilient communities in rapidly urbanizing regions.
Sotirios Papathanasiou, Founder of Global Open Air Quality Standards, emphasized collaboration across the air-quality community and the importance of communicating the significance of indoor air.
Kay Sargent, FASID, FIIDA, CID, LEED AP and Senior Principal at HOK, highlighted indoor air as an important design consideration and argued that it should receive greater attention in the creation of healthy interior environments.
Deepa Sathiaram, LEED Fellow, USGBC & WELL Faculty and Executive Director of En3 Sustainability Solutions, emphasized the opportunity for India and other countries to use the Framework as a basis for developing locally appropriate approaches.
Andres Schwarz, Professor at the University of Buenos Aires, welcomed the increased international attention being given to indoor-air quality.
Paul Scialla, Founder and CEO of Delos, described the Framework as the beginning of a shared international agenda for organizations and professionals working to improve indoor air.
Chandra Sekhar, Professor in the Department of the Built Environment at the National University of Singapore, emphasized the connection between HVAC systems, indoor air, comfort and human health.
Drew Shula, Founder and CEO of Verdical Group, highlighted the importance of healthy air as a component of a healthy lifestyle and welcomed the Framework as a guide for future action.
Andrew Snowhite, Founder of Snowhite Strategies, emphasized the value of having consistent strategies that can be adapted to different countries, markets and stakeholder groups.
Federico Steinvorth, Partner and Sustainability Director at SPHERA, highlighted the importance of integrating indoor-air quality into public policy and community-scale development.
Steven Shuai Tao, Founder of Air Aurora, described healthy indoor air as an essential element of safe buildings and emphasized technological innovation, independent verification and practical improvements in schools, healthcare facilities and community spaces.
Martin Townsend, Growth Director at the British Standards Institution, emphasized the Framework's effort to combine policy, scientific evidence, public awareness and market mechanisms rather than relying on a single intervention.
Bert Van Hoof, CEO of Willow, highlighted the potential of operational artificial intelligence to continuously evaluate building conditions and coordinate responses while balancing health, comfort, energy use and sustainability.
Narendra Babu Vattem, Founder and CEO of iSpatial Techno Solutions and Founder of SmartEco.AI, emphasized that monitoring can make indoor environmental conditions visible and create a basis for accountability.
Nelzair Vianna, Researcher in Public Health at Fiocruz, Brazil, highlighted the connections between indoor environments, human health, climate, equity and planetary health.
Danjuma Waniko, President of Green Building Council Nigeria, emphasized the importance of considering indoor air alongside climate, energy and building resilience.
Sally Witcher, Founder and Director of Inclusive New Normal, highlighted the significant impact poor indoor air can have on people who face elevated risks from airborne infections and called for broader attention to the issue.
Nathan Wood, Managing Director of Farmwood Ltd, described the Framework as a mechanism for connecting international goals with practical improvements in ventilation and indoor-air quality.
Professor Yinping Zhang of Tsinghua University highlighted the substantial health and economic costs associated with indoor air pollution in China. He cited an estimated economic cost of 2,880 billion Chinese yuan in 2017, equivalent to 3.45% of China's GDP, and emphasized the potential health and economic benefits of improving indoor air quality.
Serene Almomen, PhD, CEO, Attune, described the initiative as a step toward moving indoor air from an acknowledged priority to coordinated action. She emphasized the importance of reliable evidence and practical guidance in helping decision-makers create lasting improvements.
Mark McKenna, Global Sustainability Director, Arcadis, noted that the Framework provides a common reference point for the built environment and emphasizes the importance of collective action.
Bahar Armaghani, Instructional Associate Professor, University of Florida, highlighted the role of education in preparing professionals to create healthier buildings and communities, emphasizing that indoor air quality affects people's ability to live, learn and work effectively.
Mauro J. Atalla, SVP and Chief Technology & Sustainability Officer, Trane Technologies, pointed to the relationship between energy efficiency, climate objectives and indoor environmental quality. He argued that current technologies can support healthier air while also addressing energy consumption and operating costs.
Jessica Bantom, Global Leader of Equity, Diversity and Belonging, DLR Group, emphasized that access to healthy indoor environments should remain central to discussions about the built environment and accountability.
John H. Barrett, Chairman Emeritus, ISSA, described the Commission's work as an unusually broad collaboration involving professionals from multiple areas of expertise.
Liam Bates, CEO and Co-Founder, Kaiterra, stressed the importance of moving from occasional indoor-air measurements toward continuous understanding and improvement.
Dr. Christine Bruckner, FAIA and Global Director at M Moser Associates, highlighted the importance of measurable PM2.5 targets, effective filtration, pressure management, continuous monitoring and clear operating procedures, particularly in regions such as Delhi NCR where outdoor pollution can be severe during winter.
Dr. Ranga Reddy Burri, President of the Infection Control Academy of India, characterized healthy indoor air as an important preventive-health measure with implications extending across the Global South.
Peter Cantone, Founder of Smart Air Defense, emphasized the potential application of the Framework in schools, where indoor environmental conditions can affect health, safety and learning.
Chris Castro, Founding Director and EVP-Chief Sustainability Officer of Climate First Bank, highlighted the role financial institutions can play in supporting healthier buildings and resilient communities.
Dr. Che-Ming Chiang, Distinguished Professor at National Cheng Kung University, emphasized that in hot, humid and polluted environments, indoor-air management can be particularly important because opening windows may not be a practical solution.
Leonardo Cozac, Chairman of the Board of ABRAVA, pointed to Brazil's longstanding indoor-air regulations and the country's National Indoor Air Quality Plan as examples of coordinated national activity.
Safiya Cummings, Public Health Medical Officer with the Port of Spain City Corporation, argued that healthcare professionals should consider indoor environmental exposures, including ventilation, mold and cooking fuels, when evaluating public-health risks.
Sandra Dedesko of EPFL emphasized the value of bringing experts from different professional backgrounds and countries together to address a challenge that cannot be addressed through a single discipline.
Ömer Döne, Head of Sustainable Workplace Certifications at Sanofi, highlighted indoor air as an important component of healthy workplaces and corporate real-estate strategies.
Jojo Ekuban, CEO of ChazahGlobal Ltd, described the Framework as an opportunity for governments, including those in Africa, to strengthen national approaches to indoor-air quality.
Nora Wang Esram, CEO of New Buildings Institute, emphasized the importance of incorporating indoor-air quality into building codes, performance standards and retrofit programs rather than treating it as an optional feature.
María Figols, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-founder of inBiot, stressed that continuous monitoring can make indoor air visible and manageable, while common standards can help turn monitoring into routine practice.
Adam Giandomenico, CEO of Particles Plus, emphasized the importance of accurate, repeatable and accessible measurements as the foundation for managing indoor-air quality.
Candi Hampton, VP Global Sustainability at Shaw Industries, described the Framework as an opportunity to improve indoor environments in the places where people live, work, learn and play.
Prof. Mukesh Khare, a Fellow of the Wessex Institute of Great Britain and the Institution of Engineers, India, emphasized the role of measurement and modeling in managing indoor-air quality and connecting exposure science with standards, technology and public policy.
Dave Kieft, CEO of Raven Delta Group, highlighted the value of combining reliable data with practical solutions to strengthen decision-making and accountability.
Dr. Khee Poh Lam, Professor of Architecture and the Built Environment at the National University of Singapore, called for continued efforts to create cleaner and healthier environments.
Joyce S. Lee, FAIA, emphasized the need for collaboration, expertise and consensus around indoor air as an important but historically undervalued resource.
Joakim Lindh, Managing Director of Airthings for Business, described healthy indoor air as essential infrastructure and stressed the importance of combining science, policy, technology and implementation.
Malisa Maynard, Chief Sustainability Officer at Mohawk Industries, said the company supports the Framework and highlighted its efforts to expand its range of products without volatile organic compounds.
Sean McCrady, Vice President Advisory at UL Solutions, emphasized the importance of converting global ambition into measurable outcomes through coordinated action.
Dr. Gráinne McGill, Lecturer at Queen's University Belfast, called attention to the need to understand how buildings perform during actual use and to connect building-performance data with population-health information.
Dr. John McKeon, Principal of the iAIR Institute and President of ASHRAE Ireland, emphasized that healthy indoor air needs to be measurable and verifiable and incorporated into building codes, standards and certification systems.
Jenna Mikus, CEO of Eudae Group and Honorary Fellow at the University of Melbourne, described indoor air as a fundamental consideration in designing environments intended to support health, well-being and performance.
Anil Namdeo, Professor of Air Quality at Northumbria University, characterized indoor pollution as a major but often overlooked environmental health concern and emphasized the need to close the gap between scientific evidence and implementation.
Paula Olsiewski, PhD, Contributing Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, described the Framework as an important development in efforts to improve indoor air quality.
Zakaria Oulad, Vice-President of the Urban Planning and Smart City Commission in Agadir, Morocco, compared the potential role of the Framework to the way common seismic building standards helped shape development following the 1960 Agadir earthquake. He also emphasized the importance of measurable indicators.
Guillermo Simon Padros, Executive Director of the Argentina Green Building Council, highlighted the relationship between healthy indoor environments, sustainable construction and resilient communities in rapidly urbanizing regions.
Sotirios Papathanasiou, Founder of Global Open Air Quality Standards, emphasized collaboration across the air-quality community and the importance of communicating the significance of indoor air.
Kay Sargent, FASID, FIIDA, CID, LEED AP and Senior Principal at HOK, highlighted indoor air as an important design consideration and argued that it should receive greater attention in the creation of healthy interior environments.
Deepa Sathiaram, LEED Fellow, USGBC & WELL Faculty and Executive Director of En3 Sustainability Solutions, emphasized the opportunity for India and other countries to use the Framework as a basis for developing locally appropriate approaches.
Andres Schwarz, Professor at the University of Buenos Aires, welcomed the increased international attention being given to indoor-air quality.
Paul Scialla, Founder and CEO of Delos, described the Framework as the beginning of a shared international agenda for organizations and professionals working to improve indoor air.
Chandra Sekhar, Professor in the Department of the Built Environment at the National University of Singapore, emphasized the connection between HVAC systems, indoor air, comfort and human health.
Drew Shula, Founder and CEO of Verdical Group, highlighted the importance of healthy air as a component of a healthy lifestyle and welcomed the Framework as a guide for future action.
Andrew Snowhite, Founder of Snowhite Strategies, emphasized the value of having consistent strategies that can be adapted to different countries, markets and stakeholder groups.
Federico Steinvorth, Partner and Sustainability Director at SPHERA, highlighted the importance of integrating indoor-air quality into public policy and community-scale development.
Steven Shuai Tao, Founder of Air Aurora, described healthy indoor air as an essential element of safe buildings and emphasized technological innovation, independent verification and practical improvements in schools, healthcare facilities and community spaces.
Martin Townsend, Growth Director at the British Standards Institution, emphasized the Framework's effort to combine policy, scientific evidence, public awareness and market mechanisms rather than relying on a single intervention.
Bert Van Hoof, CEO of Willow, highlighted the potential of operational artificial intelligence to continuously evaluate building conditions and coordinate responses while balancing health, comfort, energy use and sustainability.
Narendra Babu Vattem, Founder and CEO of iSpatial Techno Solutions and Founder of SmartEco.AI, emphasized that monitoring can make indoor environmental conditions visible and create a basis for accountability.
Nelzair Vianna, Researcher in Public Health at Fiocruz, Brazil, highlighted the connections between indoor environments, human health, climate, equity and planetary health.
Danjuma Waniko, President of Green Building Council Nigeria, emphasized the importance of considering indoor air alongside climate, energy and building resilience.
Sally Witcher, Founder and Director of Inclusive New Normal, highlighted the significant impact poor indoor air can have on people who face elevated risks from airborne infections and called for broader attention to the issue.
Nathan Wood, Managing Director of Farmwood Ltd, described the Framework as a mechanism for connecting international goals with practical improvements in ventilation and indoor-air quality.
Professor Yinping Zhang of Tsinghua University highlighted the substantial health and economic costs associated with indoor air pollution in China. He cited an estimated economic cost of 2,880 billion Chinese yuan in 2017, equivalent to 3.45% of China's GDP, and emphasized the potential health and economic benefits of improving indoor air quality.
Moving From Awareness to Implementation
The central message emerging from the Framework is that improving indoor air quality requires more than individual technologies or isolated building projects. Progress depends on coordinated action involving science, regulation, finance, education, building design, operations, monitoring, industry and public engagement.
By establishing a common international framework while allowing individual countries and communities to determine their own priorities, the initiative aims to connect scientific knowledge with practical implementation.
The long-term objective is to make healthy indoor air a measurable and routinely managed feature of the buildings in which people spend their daily lives.
By establishing a common international framework while allowing individual countries and communities to determine their own priorities, the initiative aims to connect scientific knowledge with practical implementation.
The long-term objective is to make healthy indoor air a measurable and routinely managed feature of the buildings in which people spend their daily lives.
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