Improving Indoor Air Quality and Workplace Health: Insights from the IWBI Healthy Building Summit
If you're reading this, chances are you're indoors, given that people spend approximately 90% of their time inside. Now, take a deep breath—how confident are you that the air around you is clean or safe? Without indoor air quality sensors in your facility, it's difficult to be certain.
This uncertainty is a bigger issue than many building owners and managers realize. It was a key focus at the first-ever International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) Healthy Building Policy Summit, held on September 16 at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy. The event, hosted in the newly designed LEED Platinum building, highlighted the urgent need for improved indoor environments.
During the event, Elliot Doomes, Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service for the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), emphasized the role of policy in promoting occupant health. He noted that while the GSA is enhancing indoor air quality (IAQ) and daylighting in over 8,000 buildings, funding shortfalls—totaling $5 billion in deferred maintenance—hinder progress. Addressing this gap, Doomes said, is critical for achieving their health and sustainability goals.
A panel titled "Designing for All: The Future of Work" featured experts discussing the importance of creating workplaces that promote health and accessibility. Kay Sargent, senior principal at HOK, stressed that designing with human well-being in mind isn’t just a competitive edge—it’s a moral responsibility. Dr. Amy Kenny, director of Georgetown’s Disability Cultural Center, advocated for workplace designs that exceed ADA standards, noting that nearly a quarter of the population has some form of disability. Dr. Yele Aluko added that policies should focus on vulnerable populations to enhance health outcomes for everyone.
Sargent highlighted how sound, light, temperature, and smell affect everyone, especially those who are neurodivergent. She urged the industry to develop comprehensive standards addressing neurodiversity in workplace design, as it’s an issue that can no longer be ignored.
Later, Rick Fedrizzi, IWBI’s Executive Chairman, discussed the "second wave of sustainability," which expands beyond environmental issues to focus on human health. He stressed that buildings should be viewed as part of the public health agenda, a lesson reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The summit also explored how health and sustainability are interconnected. Panelists discussed the dangers of focusing only on energy efficiency while neglecting occupant health. As Holly Paeper of Trane pointed out, indoor and outdoor air quality are linked, and neglecting one can compromise the other. Lisa Jacobson, president of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, emphasized the need for policymakers and building owners to be educated on the evolving technologies that can enhance both energy efficiency and occupant health.
In a final panel on IAQ, experts underscored the need for more research, strategic planning, and accountability to improve indoor air standards. Dr. John McKeon of iAIR Institute advocated for shifting resources toward preventive health measures like building health, rather than solely responding to healthcare crises. Dr. Linda Lee added that air quality regulations need to catch up to water standards, calling for policies that better protect public health.
As workplaces evolve, the summit made it clear that both human and environmental health must be prioritized to create safer, healthier indoor spaces for all.
This uncertainty is a bigger issue than many building owners and managers realize. It was a key focus at the first-ever International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) Healthy Building Policy Summit, held on September 16 at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy. The event, hosted in the newly designed LEED Platinum building, highlighted the urgent need for improved indoor environments.
During the event, Elliot Doomes, Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service for the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), emphasized the role of policy in promoting occupant health. He noted that while the GSA is enhancing indoor air quality (IAQ) and daylighting in over 8,000 buildings, funding shortfalls—totaling $5 billion in deferred maintenance—hinder progress. Addressing this gap, Doomes said, is critical for achieving their health and sustainability goals.
A panel titled "Designing for All: The Future of Work" featured experts discussing the importance of creating workplaces that promote health and accessibility. Kay Sargent, senior principal at HOK, stressed that designing with human well-being in mind isn’t just a competitive edge—it’s a moral responsibility. Dr. Amy Kenny, director of Georgetown’s Disability Cultural Center, advocated for workplace designs that exceed ADA standards, noting that nearly a quarter of the population has some form of disability. Dr. Yele Aluko added that policies should focus on vulnerable populations to enhance health outcomes for everyone.
Sargent highlighted how sound, light, temperature, and smell affect everyone, especially those who are neurodivergent. She urged the industry to develop comprehensive standards addressing neurodiversity in workplace design, as it’s an issue that can no longer be ignored.
Later, Rick Fedrizzi, IWBI’s Executive Chairman, discussed the "second wave of sustainability," which expands beyond environmental issues to focus on human health. He stressed that buildings should be viewed as part of the public health agenda, a lesson reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The summit also explored how health and sustainability are interconnected. Panelists discussed the dangers of focusing only on energy efficiency while neglecting occupant health. As Holly Paeper of Trane pointed out, indoor and outdoor air quality are linked, and neglecting one can compromise the other. Lisa Jacobson, president of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, emphasized the need for policymakers and building owners to be educated on the evolving technologies that can enhance both energy efficiency and occupant health.
In a final panel on IAQ, experts underscored the need for more research, strategic planning, and accountability to improve indoor air standards. Dr. John McKeon of iAIR Institute advocated for shifting resources toward preventive health measures like building health, rather than solely responding to healthcare crises. Dr. Linda Lee added that air quality regulations need to catch up to water standards, calling for policies that better protect public health.
As workplaces evolve, the summit made it clear that both human and environmental health must be prioritized to create safer, healthier indoor spaces for all.
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