Air Quality Matters

• OT28: The Great Indoors - Why Australia's First Indoor Air Report Changes Everything

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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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