Quality of indoor air, quality of life : a decade of research to breathe better, breathe easier

The quality of the air we breathe every day - at home, at the office, in childcare centres, schools and recreational venues - is fast becoming a pressing concern.

It was back in 2001, at a time when knowledge and insights on indoor air pollution were sorely lacking, that the French authorities created the OQAI (Observatoire de la Qualité de l'Air Intérieur) as an observatory totally dedicated to indoor air quality.

The OQAI's founding mission is to coordinate nationwide surveys in order to collect and collate the knowledge needed to support public policies, press sector professionals to adopt better practices, and inform the gêneral public about indoor air pollution.

The results and lessons learned from the OQAI's first décade of research have now been compiled into a single book to help key stakeholders gain a better grasp of the issues at stake, gauge the national and international challenges involved, and find valuable practical guidance on tackling indoor air quality measures.

This book is an invaluable source of fundamental data - the same data that now provides a benchmark for environmental health agencies and a baseline for guiding government régulations and technical policy to ensure better-quality indoor environments.

The OQAI is publicly-funded to stay independent of industry interests. It is coordinated by a unique governance platform federating all the stakeholders involved and built on a diverse, cross-disciplinary network of top-notch science and technology collaborators.