WASHINGTON, July 16, 2026 /3BL/ – The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the Brown University Pandemic Center and Air Club released today Advancing Healthy Indoor Air: Five Leading Policy Models from Around the World, a new report highlighting a rapidly expanding wave of indoor air quality (IAQ) policy innovation across the globe. Drawing lessons from nearly 160 policies spanning 40 countries, the report identifies five leading policy models that governments are using to improve indoor air quality and offers practical guidance for policymakers seeking to strengthen public health, resilience and economic performance.
“We’re entering a new era of indoor air quality policy,” said Skandan Ananthasekar, lead author and Visiting Fellow at Brown University Pandemic Center. “We are seeing governments around the world increasingly focus on how to accelerate improvements in indoor air quality, exploring new policy approaches that can deliver better health outcomes. This report represents an important step forward in understanding the policy landscape and identifying leading models, while also providing a roadmap for policymakers looking to advance policies in their countries.”
The report synthesizes findings from a comparative analysis of a global indoor air policy database, which includes 158 adopted IAQ policies across 40 countries, including more than 50 that were enacted or amended within the past five years. The report highlights five leading policy models pioneered by eight governments, demonstrating how they are adapting IAQ policy to fit their own institutional structures, political environments and public health priorities while making a significant contribution to a growing body of international policy best practice.
“Policy is a critical driver in any movement,” said Jason Hartke, Executive Vice President of Global Advocacy, IWBI. “Around the world, policymakers are embracing indoor air quality as a public health imperative, adopting innovative policy approaches precisely because they recognize their potential to drive healthier buildings, healthier people and stronger economies. This report is all about highlighting what’s working and how we can accelerate progress through sound public policies.”
Drawing from the full database, the report identifies five leading policies models that governments have pioneered to advance healthy indoor air:
- High-Priority Sectors – focuses on investments in schools, healthcare facilities, childcare and other priority settings. Exemplar: City of Boston, United Kingdom
- Transparency – expanding opportunities for IAQ monitoring, public disclosure and other programs to make indoor air more visible. Exemplar: Belgium
- Integrating Health into Building Performance – Integrating health and indoor air quality within new or existing building performance policies. Exemplar: European Union, United Arab Emirates
- National Coordination – Establishing coordinated national strategies that align relevant government agencies and programs. Exemplar: Finland
- Dedicated Indoor Air Quality Law with Enforcement – Adopting IAQ requirements supported by monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. Exemplar: South Korea, Taiwan
“The global momentum for healthy indoor air has never been stronger,” said Georgia Lagoudas, Co-Founder of Air Club and Senior Fellow at the Brown University Pandemic Center. “Today, a multitude of countries are driving policy innovation that is helping make healthy indoor air both achievable and scalable. We hope this report will empower policymakers from around the world to learn from these models and inspire action in their own jurisdictions.”
The report builds on the growing international movement to elevate indoor air quality as a public health priority and a fundamental human right. Through the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air and the Global Pledge for Healthy Indoor Air, IWBI, Brown Pandemic Center and Air Club are working to bring governments and organizations together around a shared vision of healthier indoor environments. This report serves as another important contribution to that collective effort, and to the shared belief that everyone, everywhere deserves access to healthy indoor air.
About the International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the global authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organizations and communities. In pursuit of its public-health mission, IWBI mobilizes its community through the development and administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL), WELL for residential, WELL Community Standard, its WELL ratings and management of the WELL AP credential. IWBI also translates research into practice, develops educational resources and advocates for policies that promote people-first places for everyone, everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here. Media contact: media@wellcertified.com
International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL EP, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Coworking Rated, WELL Residence, Works with WELL, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.
About the Brown University Pandemic Center
The Pandemic Center at Brown University’s School of Public Health works to prevent, reduce vulnerabilities, and increase resilience to pandemics, other biological emergencies, and the harms they pose to health, peace, security, and prosperity.
About Air Club
Air Club is a global coalition of indoor air quality champions working to make indoor air healthy. Air Club launched the Global Pledge for Healthy Indoor Air, which calls on governments and organizations to prioritize this crucial issue.
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