Indoor Air Quality
“Indoor air quality” refers to how clean the air in a building is.
As buildings become more airtight and energy efficient, actively managing indoor air quality becomes more important. Some air pollutants, like carbon monoxide, are highly dangerous. Others, like volatile organic compounds, can cause short-term health problems as well as chronic ones.
Moisture management, adequate ventilation, and selection of low-VOC products are some of the best ways to ensure good IAQ.
Indoor Air Quality
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
-
Can Commercial Kitchens Go Electric?
Feature Article
An all-electric commercial kitchen offers potential energy and carbon savings over using natural gas, but making the switch can be complicated—and even controversial.
-
Mind the Gaps: Making Existing Buildings More Airtight
Feature Article
Leaky building enclosures create health hazards, comfort problems, and high energy bills. Fixing them isn’t rocket science; but you’d better know your building science.
-
Clean, Fresh Air: Getting What We Need
Feature Article
Human health probably benefits from more fresh air than current ventilation standards require. But pulling in outdoor air can mean pulling in pollution.
-
VOCs: Why They’re Still Here and What You Can Do About It
Feature Article
“Sick building syndrome” was one of the first problems the green building community tried to solve. We’ve come a long way, but we’re not done yet.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
-
Demand-Controlled Ventilation: Fresh Air Only When You Need It
Primer
Balancing the need for fresh air with minimizing energy use is difficult. Demand-controlled ventilation is the responsive solution.
-
VOC Testing: What It Can and Can’t Tell You
Primer
“Section 01350” has come a long way since it acquired its curious nickname. Here’s what it can tell you about indoor air quality—and what it can’t.
-
How Environmental Site Assessments Work
Primer
Existing buildings and previously developed sites are great, but they often need environmental cleanup. An ESA is the first step.
-
Three Sources of Air-Pressure Problems in Buildings
Primer
Air movement in and through buildings caused by pressure differentials has important effects on performance and safety.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
-
Composite Wood: EPA, California, and LEED v4 Requirements
Product Review
EPA criteria are similar to CARB’s and create a federal formaldehyde standard for composite wood. We explain the LEED ramifications of these emission standards.
-
Heat-Pump Energy Recovery Ventilation Gets an Update
Product Review
Build Equinox and Minotair Ventilation Inc. (MVI) have updated their heat-pump-based energy recovery ventilation systems, providing better control of humidity, heating, and cooling in a smaller footprint.
-
Do Living Walls Make for Cleaner Indoor Air?
Product Review
Nedlaw Living Wall Biofilters do more than most green walls to remove VOCs, but it’s unclear that they provide a true fresh air supply.
-
Façade as Ventilation: Moving beyond Open Windows
Product Review
AirFlow Panels supply air and recover energy on commercial building façades, improving air quality while reducing energy and space requirements.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
-
Continuous IAQ Monitoring: Wins and Pitfalls
News Brief
A BuildingGreen Peer Networks white paper dives into continuous air-quality monitoring, helping make the technology and practices accessible to more projects.
-
Green Seal’s LEED-Compliant GS-11 Paint Standard is Back
News Brief
Green Seal’s GS-11 Paint certification has been updated and can now be used to earn points in LEED v4.1.
-
IAQ Monitoring for COVID: What’s in a Score?
News Analysis
Occupants want access to IAQ data. But it’s a battle between simplicity and accuracy.
-
How Schools Can Use Federal Dollars for IAQ, Resilience, and More
News Brief
HVAC upgrades, climate education, and green cleaning are just a few of the ways schools can spend the billions available from the federal government.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
-
Clean, Fresh Air: Getting What We Need
Feature Article
Human health probably benefits from more fresh air than current ventilation standards require. But pulling in outdoor air can mean pulling in pollution.
-
VOCs: Why They’re Still Here and What You Can Do About It
Feature Article
“Sick building syndrome” was one of the first problems the green building community tried to solve. We’ve come a long way, but we’re not done yet.
-
Can Commercial Kitchens Go Electric?
Spotlight Report
Commercial kitchens are one of the most energy-intensive building spaces, consuming approximately five times the energy per square foot of a standard office.
