PODCAST · science
Air Quality Matters
by Simon Jones
Air Quality Matters inside our buildings and out. This Podcast is about Indoor Air Quality, Outdoor Air Quality, Ventilation, and Health in our homes, workplaces, and education settings. And we already have many of the tools we need to make a difference. The conversations we have and how we share this knowledge is the key to our success. We speak with the leaders at the heart of this sector about them and their work, innovation and where this is all going. Air quality is the single most significant environmental risk we face to our health and wellbeing, and its impacts on us, our friends, our families, and society are profound. From housing to the workplace, education to healthcare, the quality of the air we breathe matters. Air Quality Matters
Episodes
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Risk, Accessibility, and the Right to Safe Air: A Conversation with Plum Stone
This week, we sit down with Plum Stone, founder and CEO of the Safer Air Project, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about indoor air quality and accessibility: What if the single biggest barrier to transforming indoor air quality isn't our lack of scientific…
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Not All Faults Are Equal: A Data-Driven Guide to Prioritizing Building Maintenance for Better Air
This week, we dive into a study published in Building and Environment titled A Scalable Framework for Impact Analysis of Faults on Indoor CO2 in Buildings, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about building maintenance and indoor air quality: What if the single…
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Building Roadmaps for Healthy Schools: The Funding Gap and What We Can Do About It
This week, we sit down with Lisa Greenfield, Regional Programme Manager for the Midwest at the Centre for Green Schools at the US Green Building Council, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about educational environments: What if the single biggest barrier to...
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Green Buildings: Solar Panels on the Titanic - David Gottfried
This week, we sit down with David Gottfried, co-founder of the US Green Building Council and founder of the World Green Building Council, a movement now spanning 85 countries that has ignited a trillion-dollar green building economy. What if the single biggest barrier to transforming the built...
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Packed in Metal Tubes: How Smart Exhaust Systems Could Transform Air Quality on Trains
This week, we dive into a fascinating study published in Railway Engineering Science titled Study on Air Quality Improvements in Train Compartments by Coordinating Exhaust of Multiple Air Outlets, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about ventilation in mass transit:...
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Is Peer Review Built on Sand? Why the 'Gold Standard' May Be Failing Air Quality Science
This week, I step back from the interviews to share a personal reflection on a question that has been nagging at me for some time, sparked by recent encounters with dubious manufacturer claims, the fallout from a prominent Cambridge professor scandal, and my own complicity in wielding peer review...
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Smart Cars, Cleaner Streets: How Hybrid Vehicles Could Read and React to Pollution Hotspots
This week, we dive into a comprehensive review published in the Science of the Total Environment titled Integration of Air Quality Monitoring Systems with Hybrid Electric Vehicles for Emissions Control in Smart Cities, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about urban…
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When Windows Become Hazards: How Heat Waves and Ozone Are Changing Indoor Air - #OT53
This week, we dive into a modelling study published in Environmental Science, Processes and Impacts titled Long-Term Prediction of Climate Change Impacts on Indoor Particulate Pollution, a case study of residential buildings, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about...
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Ten Lessons from Indoor Air 2026 and a summer of conversation.
This week, I step back from the interviews to share a personal reflection on the conversations, themes and patterns that have emerged over the last few weeks, both on this podcast and in the halls and sessions of Indoor Air 2026 in Singapore. What if the single biggest barrier to transforming the...
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From Vikings to Cowboys: How a Simple Story Made Kids 12x More Likely to Cool Down - #OT52
This week, we dive into a fascinating study from the University of Southampton and Hampshire County Council titled Preliminary Findings of Storytelling in Schools as a Pre-Heatwave Intervention to Enhance Children's Behaviour to Improve Thermal Comfort, to explore a question that fundamentally...
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From Aristotle to AI: Rethinking What 'Optimal' Really Means in Buildings - Ardeshir Mahdavi
This week, we sit down with Professor Ardeshir Mahdavi, an internationally recognised expert in building science, affiliated with Graz University of Technology and the Vienna University of Economics and Business, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about indoor...
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When Heat Waves Meet Ozone: Why 1+1=3 for Stroke Mortality - #OT51
This week, we dive into a study published in the Journal of Environmental Research titled Summer Heat Wave, Ozone Pollution and Ischemic Stroke Mortality: An Individual Level Case Crossover Study, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about climate, air quality, and...
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From Infection Control to Indoor Air: The Global South Can't Wait Another Decade
This week, we sit down with Dr. Ranga Reddy Burri, a physician from Hyderabad, India, President of the Infection Control Academy of India, and Honorary Professor at the University of Hyderabad, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about public health in rapidly...
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Beyond Asthma: Why Damp Homes Are a Mental Health Crisis We Can Measure - #OT50
This week, we dive into a groundbreaking longitudinal study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology titled Damp Housing Conditions as a Determinant of Psychological Distress: A Longitudinal Analysis of the British Household Panel Survey, to explore a question that fundamentally…
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From Presidency to Practice: Bill McQuade on Putting People at the Center of Buildings - #122
This week, we sit down with Bill McQuade, outgoing President of ASHRAE, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about progress in the built environment: What if the single biggest barrier to transforming buildings isn't our lack of technical knowledge—but our failure to…
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Desk Fans vs. Giant Chillers: Rethinking HVAC Through PECs - #OT49
This week, we dive into a groundbreaking paper published in the Journal of Energy and Buildings titled A Methodology for Evaluating the Effects of Personalized Environmental Control Systems (PECs) on Building Whole Life Carbon CO2 Emissions, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how...
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Politicians, Pandemics and PM2.5: Turning Air Quality Science Into Policy - Lydia Morawska
This week, we sit down with Professor Lidia Morawska, one of the world's leading voices in air quality science and airborne infection transmission, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about progress in indoor air quality: What if the single biggest barrier to...
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The Celtic Tiger's Toxic Legacy: How Rapid Construction Baked Dampness Into Irish Homes - #OT48
This week, we dive into a groundbreaking study from Dublin City University published in the Journal of Housing Studies titled Transforming Social Housing: Moving Beyond Tenant Blame to Address Systemic Indoor Environmental Quality Challenges for Healthy Homes in Ireland, to explore a question…
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Catch Me If You Can: Why We're Always One Step Behind the Next Pathogen - #OT47
This week, we dive into a thought-provoking commentary published in the Journal of Health Security titled Catch Me If You Can: Reducing Infectious Disease Through Better Indoor Air Quality and Bio Surveillance, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about protecting…
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Beyond Grants and Targets: The Human Side of Retrofitting 500,000 Irish Homes
This week, we sit down with Ciaran Byrne, Director of National Retrofit, and Brian McIntyre, Program Manager for High Performance Building Technologies at the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about decarbonising the...
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From Reactive to Proactive: Designing Air Quality Sensors That Residents Actually Want - #OT46
This week, we dive into a fascinating paper from the Journal of Sustainable Futures titled Co-creating Sustainable Innovations in Irish Social Housing Through Participatory Research, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about indoor air quality intervention: What if…
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Sick Buildings to Smart Sensors: How IAQ Evolved Over Two Decades - Indoor Air 2026 Preview
This week, we sit down with Kwok Wai THam, President of Indoor Air 2026 with Vice Presidents, Yvonne Soh, and Chandra Sekhar, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about the evolution of indoor air quality: What if the single most important shift in the last two decades...
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Wet Towels, Cold Rooms: The Hidden Physics of Indoor Laundry Drying - #OT45
This week, we dive into a fascinating full scale experimental study published in the Journal of Indoor Environments titled Indoor Laundry Drying: Full Scale Determination of Water Emissions Rates and Impact on Thermal Comfort, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about...
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Why the Future of Healthy Buildings Is About Meeting People Where They Are - Rachel Hodgdon 118
This week, we sit down with Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO of the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about healthy buildings: What if the single biggest barrier to transforming the built environment isn't our lack of...
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The Blinking Light Problem: Why Handing Teachers CO2 Monitors Isn't Enough - #OT44
This week, we dive into a fascinating paper from Douglas Booker published in the journal Athermira titled Unstable Air: How COVID-19 Remade Knowing Air Quality in School Classrooms, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about indoor air quality intervention: What if the...
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Beyond Particulates: How Gas Phase Filtration Protects Everything From Data Centers to Lungs 117
This week, we sit down with Christopher Mueller, Global Director of the High Purity Segment at AAF International (American Air Filters), to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about indoor air quality: What if the single biggest gap in our approach to healthy buildings...
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The Wrong Corner: How Air Purifier Placement Can Increase Infection Risk OT43
This week, we dive into a groundbreaking computational fluid dynamics study from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden that fundamentally challenges how we think about portable air cleaners in care homes: What if the single most important decision about air cleaning isn't which device you...
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[DELETED ON YOUTUBE] Future Solutions and Public Affairs: Innovation of Policy and Product - Mikael Börjesson #116
This week, we sit down with Mikael Börjesson, Future Solutions and Public Affairs Director at Swegon Group, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about sustainability in the HVAC industry: What if the biggest transformation in ventilation isn't about technology or...
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The Physics of Fresh Air: Natural Ventilation Still Works in 2025 - Ben Jones #115
This week, we sit down with Ben Jones, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham and one of the lead authors of AM10, CIBSE's guide to natural ventilation in non-domestic buildings, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about ventilation strategy: What if the...
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The White Box Problem: Why Most Air Purifiers Are Designed to Confuse You - Danny Ashton #114
This week, we sit down with Danny Ashton, founder and host of HouseFresh, a consumer comparisons and testing YouTube channel and website for residential air cleaners, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we buy, trust, and understand indoor air quality technology: What if the…
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Weighing Dust vs. Counting Danger: Why PM2.5 Misses the Deadliest Particles - OT42
This week, we step slightly outside the building envelope to examine a question that fundamentally challenges everything we think we know about air pollution: What if the metric the entire world uses to measure air quality is structurally blind to the most dangerous particles we breathe? The...
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Show Up and Breathe: The Slam Dunk ROI That Still Needs an Energy Story to Sell - Jason Jones #113
This week, we sit down with Jason Jones, Director of Air Quality Management at Fellowes, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we sell, specify, and sustain indoor air quality solutions in the real world: What if the biggest barrier to clean indoor air isn't technology or...
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The Science is Settled, But Who's Paying the Bill? UK School Air Quality Guidance 2026 - OT41
This week, we examine a document that represents a profound shift in how we think about school environments: What if the debate over airborne transmission and clean air in schools is finally over—and the real fight is just beginning? The document is titled Ventilation and Air Quality in Education...
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Finish Line Problem: Defining What Healthy Buildings Mean for Human Bodies - Stephanie Taylor #112
This week, we sit down with Stephanie Taylor, a unique physician architect whose career is dedicated to bridging the deep chasm between the medical profession and the built environment, to explore a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about buildings: What if the real problem…
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Federal and State Policy: The Missing Piece in the Indoor Air Quality Puzzle - OT40
This week, we tackle a question that cuts through decades of technical progress and scientific consensus: What if the reason we still don't have clean indoor air isn't because we lack the technology—but because we lack the policy to actually implement it? The paper is a policy commentary titled...
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Free Radicals, Diesel Particles, and the War Zone in Your Lungs - Frank Kelly #111
This week, we sit down with Frank Kelly, Professor at Imperial College London and Director of the Environmental Research Group, to examine a question that fundamentally challenges how we think about air pollution: What if the real danger isn't just how much dust we're breathing, but what that…
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The Human Nose vs. The Lab: Testing Air Cleaners That Actually Improve Indoor Air Quality - OT39
This week, we dive into a question that challenges one of the most common assumptions in building energy efficiency: What if the chemical tests we use to validate air cleaning technology are completely missing the point—and what if the human nose is actually the most reliable instrument we have?...
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Sheep's Wool, Formaldehyde, and the Chemical Experiment in Your Living Room - Mark Lynn #110
This week, we sit down with Mark Lynn, Managing Director of Eden Renewable Innovations and Chair of the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products, to explore a question that cuts to the heart of indoor air quality: What if the materials we bring into our buildings are the forgotten foundation of...
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Stuffy Rooms, One-Star Reviews: The Commercial Reality of Poor Indoor Air Quality - OT38
This week, we step outside the usual world of homes, schools, and offices to ask a question that might reshape how we think about the hospitality industry: What if the physical performance of a hotel room matters just as much as the quality of service—and what if guests are already telling us…
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The Edifice Complex: Why Your Building Probably Doesn't Work and Nobody Cares - Adam Mugleton #109
This week, we sit down with Adam Muggleton, Chief Technical Officer at AESG and host of the Edifice Complex Podcast. Adam's career spans project management, property development, and commissioning across 21 countries—from the UK to the Middle East and North America. He views buildings not as...
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Garbage In, Garbage Out: Why Your Air Quality Models Are Only as Good as Your Data - OT37
This week, we tackle a question that goes to the heart of the performance gap in buildings: What if the problem isn't just poor construction or shoddy installation—but the data we're feeding into our models in the first place? There's an old saying in computer science: garbage in, garbage out. If...
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Beyond HVAC: Why Dehumidification Deserves the D - David Shirk #108
This week, we step into the world of moisture in buildings—one of the most overlooked yet critical aspects of indoor air quality and building performance. While we talk about humidity constantly, we rarely stop to break down what we actually mean. What is moisture? Is it a pollutant? And why does...
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From Fear to Action: Why Culture Shapes Air Quality Decisions in Germany vs Portugal - OT36
This week, we dive into a question that goes beyond sensors and science: What actually motivates people to invest in clean air for their homes—and does culture change everything? The paper is titled Indoor Air Quality: Predicting and Comparing Protective Behaviours in Germany and Portugal,...
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From Dust to Disease: The Hidden Respiratory Risks in Construction - Angie Brooker #107
This week, we step into one of the most overlooked yet critical areas of air quality and health: the construction site. While we spend so much time talking about indoor air quality during the operational phase of buildings, there's an entire workforce—construction and demolition workers—who spend...
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Mold, Confidence, and Change: What Actually Drives Air Quality Behavior - OT35
This week, we dive into a powerful piece of research that moves beyond surveys and snapshots to ask: What actually motivates people in deprived urban communities to change their indoor air quality behaviours—and how long does it take? The paper is titled Psychological and Contextual Drivers of...
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Platinum Plaques and Broken Fans: The Gap Between Air Quality Theater and Reality 106 Simon Jones
Welcome back to a solo episode—it's just me this week, fresh off a plane from Las Vegas and the AHR Expo, and honestly, in a bit of a reflective mood. When you spend a week inside the ultimate sealed box that is Vegas—losing track of time, weather, and what the air is actually doing—it puts…
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Trust the Messenger: Why Air Quality Data Fails Without Public Confidence - OT34
This week, we tackle a question that goes beyond sensors, standards, and science: Do you trust the people telling you the air is bad? And more importantly—does that trust, or lack of it, actually change what you do about it? The paper is titled Communicating Particulate Matter Risk: The Effects…
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The Silent Epidemic: COPD and the 3.5 Million Deaths No One Talks About - José Luis Castro #105
We sit down with Dr. José Luis Castro, Director General Special Envoy for Chronic Respiratory Diseases at the WHO, to confront one of the most overlooked yet devastating health crises of our time: chronic respiratory diseases—specifically asthma and COPD. With over three decades of experience in...
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Making the Invisible Visible: How Real-Time Air Monitors Cut Indoor Pollution by 34% - OT33
Welcome back to Air Quality Matters and One Take, where we unpack the latest research shaping our understanding of indoor air and the built environment. This week, we're diving into a paper that asks a deceptively simple question: If people could actually see the air they breathe, would they…
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Disclosure to Performance: Indoor Air Quality in Real Estate with Parag Cameron-Rastogi - #104
In this essential episode, we sit down with Parag Cameron Rastogi, Director of Real Asset Analytics at GRESB, to explore one of the most powerful yet often misunderstood forces shaping the future of indoor air quality: how we measure, benchmark, and value the performance of buildings at scale....
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Air Quality Matters inside our buildings and out.
This Podcast is about Indoor Air Quality, Outdoor Air Quality, Ventilation, and Health in our homes, workplaces, and education settings.
And we already have many of the tools we need to make a difference.
The conversations we have and how we share this knowledge is the key to our success.
We speak with the leaders at the heart of this sector about them and their work, innovation and where this is all going.
Air quality is the single most significant environmental risk we face to our health and wellbeing, and its impacts on us, our friends, our families, and society are profound.
From housing to the workplace, education to healthcare, the quality of the air we breathe matters.
Air Quality Matters
HOSTED BY
Simon Jones
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Air Quality Matters have?
Air Quality Matters currently has 141 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Air Quality Matters about?
Air Quality Matters inside our buildings and out. This Podcast is about Indoor Air Quality, Outdoor Air Quality, Ventilation, and Health in our homes, workplaces, and education settings. And we already have many of the tools we need to make a difference. The conversations we have and how we share...
How often does Air Quality Matters release new episodes?
Air Quality Matters publishes regularly with 141 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Air Quality Matters?
You can listen to Air Quality Matters on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Air Quality Matters?
Air Quality Matters is created and hosted by Simon Jones.
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