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Chapter 1. Air Quality
Chapter 1.
Indoor air is one of the most consequential, and most overlooked, components of residential health. While discomfort is sometimes perceptible as heaviness or stale odor, the majority of airborne exposure occurs without sensory warning. Fine particulates, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), combustion byproducts, and excess humidity accumulate quietly within enclosed spaces.
In the United States, individuals spend approximately 90% of their time indoors, where pollutant concentrations are often two to five times higher than outdoor levels (EPA, 2023).¹ Air quality is therefore not merely a mechanical concern. It is a design variable that intersects with material selection, ventilation strategy, spatial planning, and daily living patterns.
At Maison Unet, the objective is not to promise perfectly “pure” air, an unrealistic standard in any lived environment, but to systematically reduce avoidable exposures wherever design has influence. Incremental improvements, layered thoughtfully, can meaningfully shift the indoor environment over time.
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Primary Contributors
Indoor air quality is shaped less by a single dominant pollutant and more by the cumulative burden of several common contributors.
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5), generated by cooking, outdoor infiltration, and resuspended dust, is small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and, in some cases, enter the bloodstream (WHO, 2021).²
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted from many building materials and furnishings, particularly in newer or recently renovated homes. Concentrations typically reflect the total material load rather than one isolated source (EPA, 2023).¹
Combustion byproducts, including nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, are associated with gas appliances and other indoor combustion sources. Poorly ventilated kitchens can experience elevated pollutant levels during routine cooking (Logue et al., 2014).³
Moisture imbalance supports mold growth and dust mite proliferation. Maintaining indoor relative humidity between 30–50% is generally recommended to limit biological contaminants (EPA, 2023).⁴
These exposures often coexist, reinforcing the need for a systems-based approach rather than a single corrective measure.
Where Design Makes a Difference
In practice, residential air quality is influenced most strongly by four controllable domains:
Source control. what materials and combustion sources are introduced
Ventilation. how effectively indoor air is exchanged
Filtration. how well particulates are captured
Moisture management. whether conditions support biological growth
No single intervention fully resolves indoor air concerns. However, coordinated improvements across these areas can materially reduce cumulative exposure.
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Practical Reducations
The following strategies represent evidence-aligned interventions commonly incorporated into health-informed residential projects.
Exterior-vented kitchen exhaust. Cooking is often the largest episodic source of indoor particulates. Properly ducted range hoods can significantly reduce PM2.5 and combustion byproducts when used consistently (Singer et al., 2012).⁵
Low-emission material selection. Specifying lower-VOC finishes, compliant composite wood products, and certified furnishings helps reduce baseline chemical load. The objective is exposure reduction, not elimination.
Mechanical and portable filtration. Appropriately sized HVAC filtration and HEPA air cleaners can reduce circulating particulates when airflow and runtime are adequate.
Intentional humidity control. Maintaining relative humidity in the recommended range supports both comfort and biological control.
Reduced indoor combustion where feasible. Induction cooking and sealed combustion appliances can meaningfully lower certain indoor pollutants, though feasibility varies by project.
A Realistic Standard
It is important to state plainly: no residential environment can be made completely free of airborne contaminants. Outdoor pollution infiltrates. Materials age and emit. Daily living continuously reintroduces particulates.
The role of health-informed design is therefore not perfection, but measured risk reduction within the sphere of architectural and interior control. When multiple modest improvements are layered together, the cumulative effect can be significant.
This systems-based approach reflects the current direction of building science and healthy home research.
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Sources
1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Basics. Updated 2023.
2. World Health Organization (WHO). WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines. 2021.
3. Logue, J. M., et al. “Pollutant Exposures from Natural Gas Cooking Burners.” Environmental Science & Technology, 2014.
4. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home. 2023.
5. Singer, B. C., et al. “Performance of Installed Kitchen Exhaust Devices.” Indoor Air, 2012.