Raising the expectations for indoor air quality

How inclusive is your air?

When we enter an indoor space, we have a range of expectations. We expect that the water from the tap is safe to drink. We expect the building has met standards for fire safety. We may even expect the building has accessibility features like ramps, hearing loops and tactile ground surface indicators.

We spend 90% of our time indoors, with much of it spent in public spaces like workplaces, schools, hospitals, shopping centres and other community spaces. Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) inside these spaces can be caused by contain airborne viruses, dust, mould, chemicals and other pollutants which can contribute to headaches, fatigue and respiratory symptoms.

Plum Stone is Co-Chair of the Global Commission Healthy Indoor Air, and Founder & CEO of The Safer Air Project who created the Making the Invisible Visible campaign.

“The quality of the air indoors is often invisible to the people breathing it, despite the serious consequences it can have for health, wellbeing and also productivity,” explains Plum. “The consequences for people living with chronic health conditions or disability can be even more serious, including worsening of existing and the onset of new symptoms. By taking action to improve IAQ, Facility Managers can remove these barriers and create healthier, more inclusive, and more productive environments for all.”

Better air. Better performance

“For facility managers and tenants, IAQ directly affects asset performance, compliance, sustainability and occupant wellbeing,” says Phil Gacitua, General Manager of Airgene. “Poor IAQ can increase illness-related absences, errors, delays and staffing costs. Airgene identifies contaminants early through independent testing, HVAC hygiene, filtration optimisation and remediation.”

Across critical facilities, proactive IAQ and HVAC maintenance improves health, reliability, efficiency and asset life while reducing risk and disruption. Airgene’s Peak Condition Programme combines IAQ testing, inspections, monitoring and remediation planning to replace reactive maintenance with proactive risk management.

“Airgene supports The Safer Air Project because everyone deserves confidence in the air they breathe,” explained Phil. “Beyond testing and improving indoor environments, meaningful change requires awareness, education and advocacy. This initiative reinforces IAQ as a health, accessibility and inclusion priority, helping drive transparency and healthier spaces for all.”

Join the movement

Making the invisible visible is a global campaign to shine a light on the air we share indoors, and the need to monitor, improve, and communicate IAQ clearly and transparently, just as we do with many other public health priorities.

This campaign is an opportunity for organisations to show leadership in health, wellbeing, and inclusion by committing to monitoring IAQ in real time and publicly displaying the data.

Join leading organisations from around the world in Making the invisible visible, and register today via the The Safer Air Project website.