The state government has announced a new project to protect Victorians from airborne infections, pollution, bushfire smoke and a changing climate.
The two-year project will engage a multidisciplinary research consortium to evaluate indoor air quality in community spaces around the state, with a range of practical measures to improve indoor air quality set to be piloted in settings including schools, workplaces and public spaces.
Studies from the US Environmental Protection Agency have shown that poor indoor air quality is linked to lower productivity and has significant detrimental impacts on health and wellbeing, with an increase in respiratory viruses including influenza, measles, COVID-19 and whooping cough also driving the need for improved indoor air quality.
This project will help establish feasible indoor air quality performance standards and will inform government policy and public health guidance, with long-term solutions including integrating indoor air quality standards into building codes and promoting healthier indoor environments. The research project is set to be completed in 2026.
Medical Research Minister Ben Carroll said “our talented medical researchers across the state are delivering critical studies with life-saving results – cementing Victoria’s reputation as a world leader in cutting-edge health and medical research.”
