The INGENIOUS project: towards understanding air pollution in homes

Despite spending most of our lives indoors, we have limited knowledge about indoor air pollutants’ sources, transformations, and fates and our exposure to them. The INGENIOUS project addresses this knowledge gap regarding indoor air pollution by studying over 300 homes in Bradford, UK. The project is developing an indoor emissions inventory, conducting extensive air quality measurements in homes, analyzing the interplay between indoor and outdoor air pollution, and leveraging predictive models to forecast future indoor air quality. Preliminary findings from the project highlight significant variations in indoor pollutant concentrations across homes.

The authors shed light on the sources and effects of indoor pollutants, helping to formulate effective strategies that can reduce exposure and promote public health. The study notes that cooking activities are a substantial source of air pollution, sometimes producing high levels of particulate matter and volatile organic compounds. There are seasonal variations in pollutants. During the winter, pollution levels tend to rise, likely because people use indoor heating more and keep their homes less ventilated.