PROVIDENCE, RI – September 18, 2025 – The Pandemic Center at the Brown University School of Public Health, together with 20 contributing organizations across public health, building science, healthy housing, law, and policy, today released Clean Indoor Air: A Guide for State Leaders to Improve Indoor Air Quality.The guide provides an evidence-based roadmap for state and local leaders to strengthen indoor air quality policy, protect public health, and reduce disease transmission. Accompanying the guide are three action plans: one for governors, one for state health departments, and one for schools.

The guide was developed in partnership with the International WELL Building Institute, U.S. Green Building Council, and Environmental Law Institute, along with contributions from experts and advocates in indoor air quality, state policy, and healthy housing. 

Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, and the majority of our exposure to airborne pollutants occurs indoors. Poor indoor air contributes to asthma, respiratory infections, and chronic disease. The guide highlights the practical steps that state leaders can take to improve indoor air quality in their state and local public buildings.

“Clean indoor air is fundamental to our health – healthier indoor air can help students stay in school for 13% more days, reduce respiratory disease by up to 80%, and save $38 billion annually for workplaces. And most decisions about indoor air quality are made at the state and local level.” said Dr. Georgia Lagoudas, Senior Fellow at the Brown Pandemic Center and lead author of the guide. “This resource gives governors, legislators, and state leaders practical, proven strategies to improve the health and resiliency of their communities.”. 

The guide focuses on three priority areas for action:

• Strengthen coordination and capacity: Appoint an indoor air coordinator, set targets for healthy indoor air, and publish clear guidance.
• Accelerate improvements: Adopt updated building codes, lead by example in public buildings, and offer financial and tax incentives.
• Target high-priority sectors: Improve air in schools, homes, nursing homes, and workplaces, where risks are highest.

The guide draws on case studies from across the country, including states that have set standards for public buildings, schools that have adopted IAQ management plans, and state health departments leading the way.

The release builds on the Pandemic Center’s broader efforts to advance clean indoor air policy. This work has included developing policy roadmaps and playbooks; convening experts in the field; supporting state and federal legislative efforts; communicating the evidence-base for how cleaner air supports health; and creating implementation tools for schools, nursing homes, and other indoor spaces.

“Just as we once made clean water and smoke-free indoor spaces a public health priority, it’s time to make clean indoor air the norm—not the exception. With increasing risks from wildfire smoke and respiratory diseases, we need to prioritize having healthy air in our homes, schools, and workplaces” said Sabrina Chwalek, a former fellow at the Brown Pandemic Center and co-author of the guide.

For steps you can take or information on how to improve air quality in your building, see this EPA guidance.