Blog: Indoor air right now – international experts meet in Indoor Air 2022 -conference
The international Indoor Air Conference was organised between 12 and 16 June 2022, with visitors from 42 countries.
There was a sense of joy in the air as scientific experts were once again, with travel restrictions being lifted, able to share information with each other face to face, not just virtually.
Use of sensors a hot topic
Global trends at the moment include indoor air sensors and various ventilation themes.
As buildings become more automated, there is increasing interest in the continuous monitoring of carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). There is specific equipment for this, and the accuracy is improving all the time. Equipment of this kind will probably be part of building automation in the near future.
Mechanical ventilation was heavily debated – for and against. On the one hand, it improves indoor air quality significantly, but it is also a cost because of its energy use. The counterargument highlighted passive alternatives, such as using structural or architectural solutions to make the air change, and how to keep homes cooler without machines.
At the Kiilto stand, visitors were, quite as expected, mostly interested in airtightness and the control of harmful substances. It is clear that problems related to, for example, air and heat leakage are a growing global concern.
Good results through collaboration
Different climate conditions and construction cultures affect indoor air quality to a great extent. This is indeed the most important reason why research is needed; the same formula cannot be applied globally. Best practices and research findings may be applied, with certain adaptations, from other countries to suit the local construction environment.
It was delightful to see that many parties have adopted a zero-tolerance approach to indoor air problems. If any occur, they are addressed and dealt with quickly. This proves that rules and regulations have been genuinely implemented and, most importantly, people’s concerns have been heard and they are being addressed.
In Finland, for example, working groups for each specific target have proved to be a good practical solution when getting to the bottom of indoor air problems. We at Kiilto see this in practice as we cooperate with the designers, helping to choose the correct products and looking for a solution together for cases for which there is no solution yet.
It is in everybody's interest that, as problems occur, they can be dealt with in a multidisciplinary manner, efficiently and, above all, successfully.
Saana Leppänen
Product Group Manager
Kiilto
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