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.
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Biophilia in Practice: Buildings that Connect People with Nature
Feature Article
Biophilia, or human beings' inherent love for nature, has been called "the missing link in sustainable design." EBN's Alex Wilson helps readers understand biophilia, describes why it is important relative to building design, and presents specific design strategies for bringing people closer to nature.
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Measurement and Verification: Monitoring Building Systems for Optimal Performance
Feature Article
Tracking the performance of a building's mechanical and electrical systems is essential for energy savings that persist over time. In this article, EBN explores measurement and verification and explains why demand for these systems is growing. We also explain the LEED® Rating System's evolving treatment of M&V.
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How Six Affordable Housing Projects Got to Green
Feature Short
Stories of designers and developers who overcame the challenges of building affordable housing that is also green, sustainable, and healthy.
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The Questionable Science Behind VOC Emissions Testing
Feature Short
We need the protection that product VOC testing provides, but it’s far from the last word on human health in buildings.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Recovering Heat from Commercial Kitchen Exhaust
Product Review
The Halton Heat Recovery Unit captures heat in commercial kitchen exhaust to pre-heat incoming make-up air, reducing the HVAC demands on the kitchen. Optional domestic water heating loops and air-cooling coils are also available.
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Convia's Energy-Management Platform
Product Review
Convia and Wiremold have partnered to provide a modular, highly adjustable energy distribution infrastructure and reporting tool.
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Matrix Total Home System Offers All-in-One Efficiency
Product Review
The Matrix Total Home System from NTI is an energy-efficient mechanical system that includes forced-air and hydronic heating as well as energy recovery and ventilation in one space-efficient unit.
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NightBreeze Automates Ventilation Cooling
Product Review
NightBreeze uses off-peak power to provide ventilation cooling integrated with a home's mechanical system.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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ASHRAE Releases COVID-19 Recommendations
News Brief
ASHRAE offers guidance on how to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through HVAC systems.
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Air Filtration in Schools May Improve Test Scores
News Brief
Students with cleaner indoor air significantly out-performed their peers in a recent study.
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Smog Outdoors Saps Worker Productivity Indoors
News Brief
75% of small particulates in outdoor air pollution come indoors and cause workers to be less productive, putting a $2 billion dent in China’s service sector.
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Air in Fitness Centers Laden with Pollutants, Study Finds
News Analysis
Lack of ventilation and elevated levels of VOCs are common problems in gyms, according to European research, and pools have issues too.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
- Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
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