Florida State wins EPA grant to study effect of climate change on indoor air quality

Florida State University (FSU) has won a $500,000 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant to research how indoor air quality is affected by climate change.

“This research will help us better understand the effects of climate change on indoor air quality,” EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator Tom Burke said. “Gaining a better understanding of the interaction between air quality, climate and energy in an indoor environment will help guide the design of buildings and provide knowledge to respond effectively to changes in indoor air quality that will better protect human health.”

FSU’s “Indoor Environment and Emergency Response Health Outcomes” project is one of nine to receive funding from the EPA, with the other grant winners coming from universities throughout the country.

The study hopes to promote the health of vulnerable populations and aid in the creation of adaption strategies in the face of projected changes. It will look at the connection between indoor and outdoor temperature, and humidity and the built environment. The resulting data is expected to help project extreme heart disease burden and influenza risk.