Our blog covers indoor air and air quality
Our blog is a guide, a reference, and an information source all in one. Here you’ll find well-grounded knowledge, practical tips and current studies about air quality and a healthy indoor climate.
The Corona Effect: Lockdown Significantly Reduces NO₂ Pollution
How is air quality developing during the Corona pandemic? Data is often picked out and interpreted in isolation these days. But such analyses don't do justice to the complex relationships surrounding pollutants. Now researchers have presented a more in-depth analysis showing that the lockdown significantly reduces NO₂ pollution.
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Indoor Air Quality in a House and Apartment - What to Watch Out For
The pandemic leads to quarantine, contact, and stay-at-home restrictions. Despite approaching spring, we spend more time in apartments and houses — and need to carefully watch out to stay productive and healthy. This post gives information on what pollutant sources exist and how to improve indoor air quality.
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Coronavirus: How Particulate Matter Accelerated Its Spread in Northern Italy
Can air pollution accelerate the spread of viruses like the coronavirus? Analyses by Italian researchers suggest it can. They found correlations between particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10) and the spread of COVID-19 in Northern Italy, and are therefore calling for restrictive measures to combat environmental pollution.
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Atopic Dermatitis and the Risk Factor of Air Pollution
Air pollution is a risk factor for allergic diseases. Poor air burdens the respiratory tract and can trigger allergic asthma and hay fever. But the skin, the largest human organ and the only barrier against environmental influences, also suffers: air pollution is also a risk factor for atopic dermatitis.
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VOCs: Definition, Sources, and Health Effects
Efforts to reduce traffic-caused particulate matter pollution in cities are paying off nationwide in Germany: reports of declining particulate matter concentrations are becoming more frequent. Despite this good news, there is no all-clear when it comes to air pollution. The reason: volatile organic compounds, or VOCs for short.
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Minimum Humidity 40 Percent: Establishing Healthy Humidity Levels
Dry air is a particular problem during the winter heating season: on one hand, too-low room humidity worsens the important sense of comfort. On the other hand, it leads to an increased risk of infection – for example from flu viruses. That's why a trade association launched the Minimum Humidity 40 Percent campaign.
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Allergic Asthma – Definition, Symptoms, Causes, Therapy
Millions of people worldwide suffer from allergic asthma and know the oppressive feeling of struggling to catch their breath. But how exactly is bronchial asthma defined, what symptoms and causes are typical, and what can help provide relief besides medically prescribed therapy?
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Allergies: How Much Does Ambient Air Influence Them?
Pollutants in the air can affect our health and trigger or worsen allergies. Our lungs are among the most obvious victims. But nerves, and not least the skin, also suffer under air pollution. What types of allergies exist, what is anaphylaxis, and what role do histamines play?
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Stuffy Office Air – How a Good Indoor Climate Safeguards Performance
In Germany, workplace air quality is governed by the Workplace Ordinance — specifically the Technical Rules for Workplaces. Yet "health-friendly air to breathe" is often in short supply in offices. Instead, stuffy air prevails, especially in open-plan offices. How can good indoor climate still safeguard performance?
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How Heating with Wood Pollutes the Air You Breathe
How can pollutant emissions in cities be sustainably reduced? The public debate focuses too much on the transportation transition. But the air we breathe, especially in residential areas, isn't only polluted by traffic: in the winter months, heating with wood, coal, and pellets contributes to increased particulate matter and pollutant exposure.
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How Noise Affects People's Health
Everyone knows it: sounds like loud music, an airplane, or a train trigger different reactions. That's because noise is perceived subjectively by everyone. What's clear, though: noise affects our health, since you can't get used to it. But which noise sources are especially harmful, and how is noise actually measured?
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Air Pollution in Europe: Despite Small Progress, Enormous Pressure to Act
The European Environment Agency (EEA) examined air pollution in Europe in its annual report. The evaluation of 4,000 monitoring stations found: air pollution from particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ground-level ozone endangers the health of most city dwellers. What can be done about it?
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