Episodes

  • OT29: From Every Minute to Every Hour - What 4 Years of Data Reveals About Sensor Placement

    OT29: From Every Minute to Every Hour - What 4 Years of Data Reveals About Sensor Placement
    Dec 4 2025
    Welcome back to Air Quality Matters and One Take, where we unpack the latest research shaping our understanding of indoor air and the built environment. This week, we're at a paper that tackles a fundamental question: Where exactly should we put indoor air quality sensors? How many do we actually need? And how often should they take readings? The paper is titled Long-term Indoor Air Quality Monitoring in Office Buildings: Data-Driven and Goal-Oriented Recommendations for Sensor Replacement and Sampling Frequency, and it's all about moving from guesswork to evidence-based monitoring strategies. The Problem: Existing standards are all over the place. One might say you need a sensor every 50 square meters, another says 325 is fine. One says sample every 15 minutes, another says 30 is okay. There's a real lack of clear, evidence-based guidance—and if you get it wrong, you're either spending a fortune on equipment you don't need, or you're collecting data that's useless or actively misleading. The Study: Researchers installed 16 sensors across three office sites in Shanghai and collected four years of data on PM2.5, PM10, and CO₂—taking readings every single minute. They then analyzed the spatial and temporal patterns to answer the critical questions: Does a sensor over here tell the same story as one over there? And what information do you lose if you sample every hour instead of every minute? Key Findings: Particulate Matter (PM2.5 & PM10): The dominant driver is outdoor air. Indoor PM levels tracked outdoor levels very closely, meaning infiltration is the key factor. For tracking general trends, you don't need a massive density of sensors—readings from different locations were highly correlated. CO₂: A Completely Different Story: CO₂ is generated indoors by occupants, and the study found huge differences depending on sensor location. Key factors included the type of HVAC system, room size, distance from windows, and proximity to air outlets. A single sensor in a large, complex office space just won't cut it. The Goal-Oriented Approach: Here's where the paper gets clever. The authors argue that we're often trying to do two different jobs with monitoring, and we need to separate them: Job #1 - Temporal Trend Monitoring: Understanding the big picture—daily cycles, seasonal changes, overall average conditions. For this, you can use about one sensor every 150 square meters, and sampling intervals of 90 minutes for PM and 130 minutes for CO₂ are sufficient without losing accuracy. This means less data to store, less energy use, and less maintenance. Job #2 - High Concentration Event Monitoring: Catching the bad stuff—short, sharp spikes in pollution when a meeting room fills up or outdoor smoke floods in. For this, you need much more frequent sampling: every 4 minutes for PM2.5 and CO₂, and every 15 minutes for PM10. You also need more sensors placed strategically in high-risk zones—large rooms, spaces with standalone AC units, and areas far from ventilation sources. The Big Takeaway: There's no single "right" way to monitor indoor air quality—it all depends on your goal. This paper gives us a data-driven framework for making that choice. If you want to understand long-term building performance, you can use a sparse network sampling infrequently. But if your primary goal is health and safety—protecting occupants from pollution peaks—you need a denser, targeted network sampling much more often. This is about being deliberate. It's about monitoring with purpose. Long-term indoor air quality monitoring in office buildings: Data-driven and goal-oriented recommendations for sensor placement and sampling frequency https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113392 The One Take Podcast in Partnership with SafeTraces and Inbiot Do check them out in the links and on the Air Quality Matters Website Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Fundamental Questions of Air Quality Monitoring 00:01:35 The Problem: Inconsistent Standards and Guidance Gaps 00:02:02 The Study Design: Four Years of Data from Shanghai Offices 00:02:38 Particulate Matter Findings: Outdoor Air Drives Indoor Trends 00:03:14 CO2 Findings: The Complexity of Indoor-Generated Pollutants 00:03:47 The Goal-Oriented Approach: Two Different Monitoring Jobs 00:04:37 Trend Monitoring: Less is More for General Performance 00:05:19 Event Monitoring: Frequent Sampling for Health and Safety 00:06:15 The Big Takeaway: No Single Right Way to Monitor 00:06:59 Closing: From Good Ideas to Smart Strategies
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  • Max Sherman: 100 Episodes, 40 Years of Research, and the Future of Indoor Air Quality - #100

    Max Sherman: 100 Episodes, 40 Years of Research, and the Future of Indoor Air Quality - #100
    Dec 1 2025
    To celebrate 100 episodes of the Air Quality Matters podcast, we welcome back our very first guest, the renowned Max, for a wide-ranging discussion on the past two years and the revolutionary future of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). Max, one of the leading voices in air quality standards, dives into the major themes that have dominated the conversation, including the post-pandemic landscape, the rise of health-focused standards, and the critical importance of Particulate Matter (PM) control. In this episode, you will learn: The Health Convergence: How the medical community and engineering discipline are finally converging to tackle IAQ, driven by the ability to measure environments more accurately. The Post-Pandemic Bubble: Why the huge spike in interest around airborne disease has led to a feeling of "general disappointment" in the industry, and where the real progress is being made. Particulate Matter (PM): The Big Problem, Simple Fix: Why PM is the major component of indoor air harm and how simple engineering controls like filtration are the cost-effective solution. The DALY Revolution: A deep dive into Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) and how Max’s work uses this public health metric to move away from arbitrary ventilation flow rates and quantify the actual harm of indoor contaminants in ASHRAE 62.2. The CO2 Myth: Max’s famously animated argument on why CO2 is not a good indicator of indoor air quality and is, in fact, an international engineering problem. A 9-Year Deadline: Max's personal mission to completely phase out ventilation flow rate requirements from air quality standards in less than a decade. Join us as we reflect on 100 episodes and look forward to a future where we can judge the success of a space by its ongoing performance, not just minimum standards. HOST: Simon Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-air-quality-matters/ GUEST: Max Sherman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-sherman-b7301514/ The Air Quality Matters Podcast in Partnership with Zehnder Group - Farmwood - Eurovent- Aico - Aereco - Ultra Protect - The One Take Podcast in Partnership with SafeTraces and Inbiot Do check them out in the links and on the Air Quality Matters Website. If you haven't checked out the YouTube channel its here. Do subscribe if you can, lots more content is coming soon.
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  • OT28: The Great Indoors - Why Australia's First Indoor Air Report Changes Everything

    OT28: The Great Indoors - Why Australia's First Indoor Air Report Changes Everything
    Nov 27 2025
    Welcome back to Air Quality Matters and One Take, where we unpack the latest research shaping our understanding of indoor air and the built environment. The State of Indoor Air in Australia 2025, produced by the Thrive Research Centre and key Australian institutions, represents the first real national stock take of indoor air quality in a country that has been measuring outdoor air for decades. The Shocking Reality: Australia has been producing national state of the environment reports for decades, but they have almost exclusively focused on outdoor air. The great indoors—where Australians spend 90% of their time—has been a massive blind spot. This document is the first real attempt to answer a very simple question: What do we actually know about the air inside our buildings? The answer is a bit of a shock. The Big Takeaway: The most important finding of this report is not about specific pollution levels—it's about the sheer vastness of what we don't know. The report's great contribution is that it authoritatively documents our collective ignorance. It holds up a mirror and shows us a reflection that's mostly blank. This report is intended as a baseline, a starting point, and a catalyst for a national conversation and hopefully a national strategy. After decades of focusing on the sky outside, it's time to finally pay serious, coordinated attention to the air in the rooms we actually live, work, and learn in. This isn't just a report. It's the start of a very important piece of work. https://thriveiaq.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20250909-State-of-Indoor-Air-in-Australia-final.pdf The Air Quality Matters Podcast in Partnership with Zehnder Group - Farmwood - Eurovent- Aico - Aereco - Ultra Protect - The One Take Podcast in Partnership with SafeTraces and Inbiot Do check them out in the links and on the Air Quality Matters Website Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Australia's First Indoor Air Quality Baseline 00:01:35 The Shocking Data Gap: Less Than 0.03% Coverage 00:02:46 Geographic Blind Spots: The Queensland and Western Australia Concentration 00:03:45 Residential Findings: Gas Cookers, Wood Heaters, and Bushfire Smoke 00:04:27 The Hidden Dangers: Formaldehyde and Volatile Organic Compounds 00:05:06 Office Buildings: Traffic Proximity and HVAC Design Matter 00:05:37 The One Take: Documenting Our Ignorance as a Catalyst for Change 00:06:19 Critical Questions for the Future: Building Codes, Infiltration, and Protection 00:07:01 Closing: A Call to Action for Indoor Air Quality
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  • Esther Sternberg: From Immune Response to Healing Spaces - The Science of Well-Being - #99

    Esther Sternberg: From Immune Response to Healing Spaces - The Science of Well-Being - #99
    Nov 24 2025
    In this landmark episode, we sit down with Dr. Esther Sternberg, a professor of medicine, scientist, and internationally recognized pioneer in the science of mind-body interaction, healing spaces, and the role of place in well-being. Dr. Sternberg's groundbreaking work has influenced how we think about healthy buildings today. Her books—Healing Spaces, The Balance Within, and Well at Work—have become foundational texts for architects, designers, and health professionals seeking to create environments that don't just do no harm, but actively support human flourishing. The Central Question: There's a critical difference between designing spaces to do no harm and designing spaces to support well-being. We have the tools and knowledge to ensure clean air, excellent ventilation, and non-toxic materials—but what about resilience? What about the third leg of the stool: our own capacity to thrive, perform, and heal? Key Topics Discussed: From Immune Response to Environment: Dr. Sternberg's remarkable journey from studying brain-immune connections in rats to discovering how the built environment shapes stress, performance, and health—starting with a single patient and a personal healing experience in Crete. Spirituality in the Workplace: Why this was the hardest chapter to write in Well at Work, and how concepts like flow, focus, rituals, and going offline are essential—not fringe—elements of peak performance and well-being. The Stress-Performance Rainbow: Understanding the relationship between stress and flow. Why the goal is not to eliminate stress, but to find your "middle of the rainbow"—where focus, energy, and performance peak without burnout. Agency and Control: Why giving people choices—over light, sound, temperature, and workspace—is one of the most powerful levers for reducing stress and enhancing resilience. The fighter pilot analogy that explains it all. The Seven Domains of Integrative Health: Sleep, stress and relaxation response, environment, movement, relationships, spirituality, and nutrition—and how each can be embedded into the design and operation of buildings. The GSA Studies: How wearable health devices and continuous environmental monitoring revealed the precise conditions—decibel levels, humidity ranges, light exposure—that optimize health, reduce stress, and improve sleep quality in office workers. Healing Spaces and Virtual Nature: From hospital rooms in Dublin to immersive nature experiences with Studio Elsewhere—how technology and thoughtful design can bring restorative environments to those who need them most. The Contrarian Path: Dr. Sternberg's story of fighting scientific dogma, being denied promotion for work that "had no relevance to human health," and ultimately proving that the brain and immune system are intimately connected—and that place matters profoundly. https://www.linkedin.com/in/esther-sternberg-m-d-8a957927/ https://esthersternberg.com/ HOST: Simon Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-air-quality-matters/ GUEST: Dr. Esther Sternberg The Air Quality Matters Podcast in Partnership with Zehnder Group - Farmwood - Eurovent- Aico - Aereco - Ultra Protect - The One Take Podcast in Partnership with SafeTraces and Inbiot Do check them out in the links and on the Air Quality Matters Website. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Meeting Esther Sternberg and the Science of Well-Being 00:02:04 Beyond Do No Harm: Designing Spaces for Well-Being 00:02:32 The Foundation: Clean Air and the 30-Year Cycle of Recognition 00:07:01 Spirituality in Buildings: Focus, Flow, and Belonging 00:12:36 The Science of Flow: Stress, Performance, and the Rainbow Model 00:21:08 Engineering for Performance: Choice, Movement, and Active Office Design 00:25:56 The Athlete Analogy: Building Resilience Through Strategic Stress 00:29:10 Virtual Nature and Reset Spaces: The 15-Minute Dose Effect 00:34:42 Chronic Stress and Burnout: Why Rest is Not Optional 00:34:01 Sustainability of Flow: Body Chemistry and Time Limits 00:56:49 Control and Agency: The Jet Fighter Pilot Lesson 00:58:44 Circadian Light: From Blue to Red and the Morning Advantage 01:02:15 The Given That Isn't: Why Buildings Still Cause Harm 00:38:32 Community and Belonging: The Antidote to Isolation 00:52:26 Acoustics and Culture: The Surprising Variability of Sound Preferences 01:10:09 The Economic Case: Return on Investment for Well-Being 01:18:42 Dr. Sternberg's Journey: From One Patient to the Built Environment 01:29:21 Fighting Dogma: The Politics of Science and Strategic Credibility 01:40:01 The Crete Revelation: Personal Healing and the Seven Domains 01:44:17 GSA Studies: Measuring the Built Environment's Impact on Health 01:53:22 The Future: From Mandates to Magnetic Spaces 01:55:50 Technology and Innovation: From Dublin to Studio Elsewhere 01:58:35 Closing: Building the Army of Advocates
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  • OT27: The $110 Million Return - Why School Air Quality Is Our Best Investment

    OT27: The $110 Million Return - Why School Air Quality Is Our Best Investment
    Nov 20 2025
    The quality of air in our schools is directly shaping our children's health, attendance, and ability to learn. The Paper:Impact of Air Quality including Thermal Conditions on Educational Buildings on Health, Wellbeing and Performance by Duncan Grassie and researchers from the UK Health Security Agency and Eurovent. This scoping review is essentially a stock take—gathering all existing research to map out what we know, where the evidence is strong, and where the gaps remain. The Fundamental Question: Children spend approximately 30% of their waking hours in educational buildings—breathing air and experiencing thermal conditions they have absolutely no control over. What is the collective evidence telling us about how these environments are shaping their health, attendance, and crucially, their ability to learn? The Paper Impact of Indoor Air Quality, Including Thermal Conditions, in Educational Buildings on Health, Wellbeing, and Performance: A Scoping Review https://doi.org/10.3390/environments12080261 The Air Quality Matters Podcast in Partnership with Zehnder Group - Farmwood - Eurovent- Aico - Aereco - Ultra Protect - The One Take Podcast in Partnership with SafeTraces and Inbiot Do check them out in the links and on the Air Quality Matters Website Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Understanding Scoping Reviews and Educational Environments 00:01:49 The Three Pillars: Health, Absenteeism, and Performance 00:02:00 Health Impacts: The Respiratory Connection 00:02:50 The Absenteeism Crisis: Quantifying Lost School Days 00:03:46 Academic Performance: The CO2 and Temperature Effect 00:04:56 Solutions Part 1: Source Control as the First Line of Defense 00:05:32 Solutions Part 2: Ventilation as the Critical Intervention 00:06:11 The Economic Case: A $4 Million Investment with $110 Million Returns 00:06:30 The One Take: From Evidence to Action and Our Responsibility 00:07:44 Closing: Thanks and Next Steps
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  • #98 - The Housing Crisis vs. Climate Change: Europe's Impossible Decision? with Stijn Renneboog

    #98 - The Housing Crisis vs. Climate Change: Europe's Impossible Decision? with Stijn Renneboog
    Nov 17 2025
    In this essential episode, we dive deep into the complexities shaping the European built environment with an industry expert from Eurovent (YR-VENT), the European industry association for Indoor Climate (HVAC), Process Cooling, and Food Cold Chain technologies. We tackle the core tension in Europe: reconciling the immense pressure for decarbonization with the political and social need for affordable housing. Is the EU's flagship Green Deal facing a legislative backlash? We explore the realities of the 'Fit for 55' package, the polarising effects on national politics (like in Germany), and how geopolitical shifts and inflation are changing market priorities. Key Topics Discussed: The EPBD Shift: Moving from a focus purely on energy consumption to a holistic Sustainable Buildings Directive that integrates Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), occupant well-being, solar readiness, and sustainable mobility. IEQ: The Post-Pandemic Reality: Why the massive public awareness of indoor air quality during COVID-19 failed to translate into widespread market changes in schools and residential settings. Smart Systems & Complexity: The future of integrated HVAC systems, the inevitable comparison to complex modern cars, and the new digital skillset required for installers and maintenance personnel. The Risk of "Affordable" Building: A warning against short-sighted construction that focuses on upfront cost, leading to long-term issues like mold and poor health outcomes, and how institutional finance is now demanding IEQ data to mitigate asset risk. Circular Economy & EPDs: The pressing need for the HVAC industry to standardize and harmonize Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) to accurately calculate embodied carbon and operational carbon for new mandatory building requirements. About Eurovent (YR-VENT): As a coordinating body for the HVAC industry, YR-VENT represents manufacturers across heat pumps, chillers, air filters, and more. We discuss their role in monitoring legislative developments, driving market education, and running the independent third-party performance certification scheme to build confidence in product claims. What are your thoughts on the tension between sustainability and affordability? Let us know in the comments! HOST: Simon Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-air-quality-matters/ GUEST: Stijn Renneboog: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-renneboog-42893613b The Air Quality Matters Podcast in Partnership with Zehnder Group - Farmwood - Eurovent- Aico - Aereco - Ultra Protect - The One Take Podcast in Partnership with SafeTraces and Inbiot Do check them out in the links and on the Air Quality Matters Website. If you haven't checked out the YouTube channel its here. Do subscribe if you can, lots more content is coming soon. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Europe's Built Environment at a Crossroads 00:02:39 The Housing Crisis vs Climate Action: Finding Balance 00:17:46 EPBD Evolution: From Energy to Holistic Sustainability 00:25:44 Making the Invisible Visible: Monitoring Indoor Air Quality 00:32:48 Sweden's Success: Ventilation Inspections Drive Energy Renovations 00:35:36 Beyond Minimums: The Market Opportunity for Better Air Quality 00:41:59 Technology Integration: The Promise and Complexity of Smart Buildings 00:48:01 Lessons from Singapore: Separating Conditioning from Ventilation 00:57:03 The COVID Legacy: Why Awareness Didn't Translate to Action 01:09:28 Follow the Money: How Finance is Driving Health in Buildings 01:16:30 Eurovent's Mission: Bridging Policy and Practice 01:32:10 The Embodied Carbon Challenge: Harmonizing Standards for Impact
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  • OT26: The $9.5 Billion Contradiction - Why We Fund Fossil Fuels Over Clean Air

    OT26: The $9.5 Billion Contradiction - Why We Fund Fossil Fuels Over Clean Air
    Nov 14 2025
    Welcome back to Air Quality Matters and One Take, where we unpack the latest research and reports shaping our understanding of indoor air and the built environment. This week, I'm diving into the seventh edition of a critical annual report that reads like a global health check—not for people, but for policy. The State of Global Air Quality Funding 2025, produced by the Clean Air Fund and the Climate Policy Initiative, follows the money trail to reveal whether our global investments actually align with our stated goals for clean air, health, and climate action. The diagnosis? It's deeply concerning and frankly contradictory. The Shocking Reality: While the world talks endlessly about the air pollution health crisis, direct funding for outdoor air quality projects has plummeted by 20%, now representing just 1% of all international development funding. Meanwhile, fossil fuel-prolonging funding—money that actively entrenches our dependence on fossil fuels—has surged by 80% in a single year, reaching $9.5 billion. The Contradiction in Action: In 2023, development funders spent more than 2.5 times more money on projects that prolong fossil fuel use than on projects specifically designed for clean air. It's like trying to bail out a sinking boat with a teacup while someone else uses a power drill to punch holes in the hull. Case Study - Bangladesh: A country with some of the world's worst air pollution received $1.1 billion more in fossil fuel-prolonging finance than in all air quality projects combined. The contradiction is staggering. The Glimmer of Hope: Funding for projects with air quality co-benefits—like metro systems or renewable energy where clean air is a happy side effect—rose by 7% to nearly $29 billion. The report argues we need to stop letting clean air be a happy accident and integrate air quality targets into these massive projects from the beginning. The Inequality Crisis: Just three countries (Philippines, Bangladesh, China) received 65% of all direct outdoor air quality funding. Meanwhile, of the 10 countries with the world's highest PM2.5 concentrations, seven received less than $1 per person in total air quality financing. Sub-Saharan Africa's situation is particularly dire, with funding dropping by 91% and now receiving less than 1% of the global total. The Fundamental Question: This report isn't just a collection of data—it's a mirror held up to our global priorities. And right now, that reflection shows a world trying to treat a disease with one hand while actively feeding it with another. Air pollution isn't just an environmental or health issue, but a fundamental development challenge. The question this report leaves us with: What are we going to do to change the picture? The One Take Podcast in Partnership with SafeTraces and Inbiot Do check them out in the links and on the Air Quality Matters Website.
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  • #97 - Inside the UN's Historic Indoor Air Quality Pledge with Georgia Lagoudas & Bronwyn King

    #97 - Inside the UN's Historic Indoor Air Quality Pledge with Georgia Lagoudas & Bronwyn King
    Nov 10 2025
    I sit down with two of the most influential actors in the indoor air quality sector, Georgia Lagoudas (Science Policy Expert and Bioengineer) and Bronwyn King (Australian Radiation Oncologist & Anti-Tobacco Campaigner), the principals behind the recent landmark air quality event at the UN General Assembly in New York. This event launched the Global Pledge for Healthy Indoor Air—the first international effort to formally recognise clean indoor air as a basic human right essential to health and well-being. In this powerful conversation, they break down: The Problem: Why, despite all the science and technology, we still don't have clean air in our schools, hospitals, and workplaces. The Water Analogy: How we expect clean water but accept unsafe air. The 6 Pillars of the Pledge: How clean indoor air stitches into Human Rights, Health, Pandemic Preparedness, Climate Resilience, Workplace Safety, and Inclusion. The Cost of Inaction: Why the long-term health impact of poor indoor air is comparable to tobacco exposure. The Future: How Air Club and the Global Pledge plan to create "Fear Of Missing Out" among governments and organisations to drive real change. Join the Movement & Take Action: https://www.airclub.org/ GUESTS: Georgia Lagoudas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgialagoudas/ Bronwyn King: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bronwyn-king The Air Quality Matters Podcast in Partnership with Zehnder Group - Farmwood - Eurovent- Aico - Aereco - Ultra Protect - The One Take Podcast in Partnership with SafeTraces and Inbiot Do check them out in the links and on the Air Quality Matters Website. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Global Pledge for Healthy Indoor Air 00:02:30 Why a Pledge and Why Now 00:05:46 Creating Global Solidarity Through Advocacy 00:21:13 Air Quality as a Fundamental Human Right 00:22:56 Health Impacts: Beyond the Lungs 00:23:48 Pandemic Preparedness and Building Resilience 00:25:16 Climate Resilience and Wildfire Smoke 00:26:36 Workplace Safety and Accessibility Rights 00:38:38 The Invisibility Problem and Communication Challenge 00:47:05 Economic Impacts and the Cost of Inaction 01:03:18 Taking Action: From Pledges to Practice 01:10:53 Building the UN Coalition 01:19:10 Air Club and the Path Forward
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