Recognise indoor air pollution as a health risk – industry associations issue urgent COVID-19 statement to EU institutions

Brussels, 07 September 2021 – Proper use of air quality systems will help reduce transmission of COVID-19 in office spaces, according to research. However, the European Union does not currently recognise indoor air pollution as a risk to human health in the way it does outdoor pollution.

Leading European indoor Environmental Quality associations have issued a statement to assert the dangers of indoor air pollution and outline proposals that would clean up indoor air.

Proper mechanical ventilation can reduce half the virus concentration by a factor of 10, and alternatives include window airing, air treatment technologies and Building Automation and Control Systems.

But the lack of a coherent EU legislative framework for addressing indoor air pollution makes the upcoming revision of EU policies a key opportunity to support reduced air transmission of COVID-19.

The statement proposes adding quality standards and policies to a range of relevant directives, frameworks, such as the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, the Occupational Safety and Health Strategic Framework, and public procurement practices.

The statement also speaks to the opportunity presented by the Conference on the Future of Europe, saying: “The Conference on the Future of Europe must give serious consideration to granting the EU shared competence over health policy to facilitate the integration of health more strongly as a legal basis across all EU policy areas covering the built environment.”

Read the full statement here.

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The informal Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Gathering brings together seven European industry associations, representing companies involved in technical building systems and their maintenance. Our objective is to collectively promote healthy buildings with an adequate level of indoor environmental
quality.

• AREA – European Association of refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pumps contractors (policy@area-eur.be)
• EHPA – European Heat Pump Association (com@ehpa.org)
• EPEE – European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (secretariat@epeeglobal.org)
• eu.bac – European Building Automation and Controls Association (info@eubac.org)
• EVIA – European Ventilation Industry Association (secretariat@evia.eu)
• GCP Europe – European association for building engineering services (info@gcpeurope.eu)
• LightingEurope – voice of the lighting industry (contact@lightingeurope.org)

EVIA-Joint Statement – Recognise indoor air pollution as a health risk – industry associations issue
urgent COVID-19 statement to EU institutions