The air we breathe is fundamental to our health and well-being, yet air quality, particularly indoors, remains a complex and often overlooked issue. Communicating this complexity to the public, ensuring consistent industry practices, and guaranteeing equitable access to clean air for everyone are critical challenges. That’s why we’re excited to invite you to join the Global Open Air Quality Standards (GO AQS) initiative.   

GO AQS is a collaborative effort aimed at developing and promoting universally recognized standards for indoor air quality. This open invitation extends to researchers, industry professionals, policymakers, and anyone passionate about ensuring healthy air for all. We believe that by working together, we can create a world where clean air is not a privilege, but a fundamental right.   

Why is Academia’s Support Crucial?

The academic community plays a vital role in the success of GO AQS. Your expertise and research are essential for establishing robust, science-backed standards. Here’s why your involvement is so important:

• Bridging the Communication Gap: Indoor air quality is a complex subject, often laden with technical jargon and scientific distinction. Academia can help translate this complexity into clear, accessible language for the public.  By developing standardized terminology and metrics, GO AQS will empower individuals to understand the air they breathe and make informed decisions about their health. Imagine a world where “PM2.5” isn’t just a technical term, but a readily understood indicator of air quality, empowering citizens to demand better air quality.   
• Driving Innovation and Best Practices: Academia is at the forefront of research and development in air quality science. By contributing to GO AQS, you can help shape the future of air quality management. Your research on new monitoring technologies, ventilation strategies, and pollutant control methods will inform the development of practical and effective standards that industry can readily adopt. This will create a level playing field for businesses and incentivize the development of cleaner, healthier products and technologies.
• Ensuring Global Equity: Clean air is a human right, regardless of location or socioeconomic status.  Academia can play a crucial role in ensuring that GO AQS addresses the unique challenges faced by different communities around the world. By incorporating diverse perspectives and research findings, we can create standards that are relevant and applicable to all, promoting environmental justice and ensuring that everyone has access to healthy air. We are all humans and we need the same air quality standards for our health.   
• Strengthening Public Trust: Standards developed through a transparent and collaborative process, with strong academic backing, will foster public trust and encourage wider adoption. Your involvement lends credibility to the initiative and demonstrates a commitment to scientific rigor, ensuring that the standards are based on the best available evidence.

How Can You Get Involved?

The GO AQS initiative welcomes contributions from all members of the academic community. Here are just a few ways you can participate:

• Share your research: Contribute your findings on indoor air pollutants, health effects, monitoring technologies, and mitigation strategies.
• Join working groups: Participate in the development of specific standards related to different aspects of indoor air quality.
• Provide expert input: Offer your expertise on relevant scientific, technical, or policy issues.
• Promote the initiative: Spread the word about GO AQS within your network and encourage others to get involved.
• Develop educational resources: Help translate complex information into accessible materials for the public.

The GO AQS initiative is gaining significant momentum, attracting leading experts from around the globe. Distinguished academics are lending their expertise to this crucial endeavor, including prominent figures such as Distinguished Prof. Lidia Morawska of Queensland University of Technology, a renowned expert in air quality and ventilation; Prof. Pawel Wargocki from the Technical University of Denmark, specializing in indoor environmental quality and health; Prof. Prashant Kumar of the University of Surrey, whose research focuses on air pollution and its impact on human health; Prof. William Bahnfleth, Professor of Architectural Engineering at Penn State University, a leading authority on building ventilation and HVAC systems; and Prof. Shelly Miller of the University of Colorado Boulder, whose work on aerosol science and engineering has been instrumental in understanding airborne transmission of diseases. These individuals, along with many other esteemed researchers, form the core of the GO AQS initiative, driving its mission to establish robust and globally relevant air quality standards.

The GO AQS initiative is a vital step towards creating a healthier future for all. By joining this global effort, you can contribute your expertise and help ensure that everyone, everywhere, has the right to breathe clean air. Visit www.goaqs.org to learn more and get involved. Let’s work together to make clean air a reality for all.