09/05/2026
Indoor air quality is rarely just one number.
A new review published this week looked at more than 200 studies of indoor air quality in healthcare facilities.
Researchers found that most testing tends to focus on things like microbial contaminants and particulate matter, while other important factors — including airflow and ventilation performance — are measured much less often.
That’s an important reminder for any building, not just hospitals.
When we evaluate an indoor environment, humidity, temperature, airflow, HVAC operation, particulate levels, moisture history and biological contaminants can all be part of the picture.
One test can provide useful information. But understanding why a building is having a problem usually requires looking at how the entire environment is behaving.
That applies to homes, offices, schools, medical facilities and large commercial buildings alike.
Every home has a history. Every building does too.