13 September 2023
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The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) is sponsoring the first World Health Organisation (WHO) conference on indoor air quality (IAQ).
The event, which takes place in Bern, Switzerland on September 20, is entitled Making a Step Change in Indoor Environments for Human Health and is being co-organised with the Geneva Health Forum.
The conference is already sold out for ‘in person’ delegates, but can be joined online via the event link here.
The chair of BESA’s Indoor Air Quality group Nathan Wood has been invited to take part in the conference debates alongside other international experts in environmental engineering, health, and indoor environment research, as well as government officials and policymakers.
Speakers will consider the role of engineering solutions alongside the need for governments to set meaningful targets and enforcement. They will also discuss how the IAQ issue can be addressed in tandem with net zero to deliver “win-win solutions” and the role of established and emerging clean air technologies.
The BESA Indoor Air Quality group has produced three pieces of IAQ guidance which are free to download here and is currently finalising a comprehensive guide to addressing mould and condensation in buildings with Mitsubishi Electric.
This is due to be launched at the BESA National Conference on October 12 – details of how to attend can be found here.
BESA also offers an ‘IAQ Basic Awareness’ training course via its Academy, which provides a useful introduction to the subject. This short online course explains the importance of IAQ, the main airborne contaminants that affect buildings, their sources, the impact on the indoor environment caused by outdoor pollution, and some basic strategies for addressing poor ventilation. Visit the BESA Academy website for more information.
Many of the themes discussed at the WHO event will be picked up again at this year’s World Ventilation Day which takes place on November 8.
