Periodic Reporting for period 1 - K-HEALTHinAIR (Knowledge for improving indoor AIR quality and HEALTH)
Reporting period: 2022-09-01 to 2024-02-29
The K-HEALTHinAIR project is dedicated to advancing the understanding and management of indoor air quality (IAQ) and its effects on health, addressing a crucial and timely issue as societies worldwide increasingly recognize the importance of healthy indoor environments. Initiated under the framework of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program, the project spans 48 months, focusing on a scientific-based assessment of IAQ effects in health driven by a comprehensive monitoring campaign of chemical and biological indoor air pollutants across various representative European indoor settings.
The aim of K-HEALTHinAIR is to integrate a broad range of expertise and technologies to deliver actionable insights and solutions that improve public health outcomes related to AQ. The project’s goals include the identification of IAQ determinants, development of innovative monitoring tools and methodologies, and dissemination of knowledge to support policy and decision-making processes at multiple levels.
K-HEALTHinAIR aims to achieve these objectives through a structured approach involving extensive data collection, qualitative and quantitative analyses, and guideline development for real-world interventions. By addressing the indoor air quality in settings such as hospitals, homes, schools, and public transportation systems, the project targets significant societal impact, offering guidance and solutions.
This project not only seeks to elevate the state of the art in IAQ research but also aims to engage and influence policy at the European level jointly with the sister projects participating in the IDEAL cluster, ensuring that the findings and technologies developed are accessible and practical for implementation to benefit a wide audience including public authorities, policymakers, and the general public.
The aim of K-HEALTHinAIR is to integrate a broad range of expertise and technologies to deliver actionable insights and solutions that improve public health outcomes related to AQ. The project’s goals include the identification of IAQ determinants, development of innovative monitoring tools and methodologies, and dissemination of knowledge to support policy and decision-making processes at multiple levels.
K-HEALTHinAIR aims to achieve these objectives through a structured approach involving extensive data collection, qualitative and quantitative analyses, and guideline development for real-world interventions. By addressing the indoor air quality in settings such as hospitals, homes, schools, and public transportation systems, the project targets significant societal impact, offering guidance and solutions.
This project not only seeks to elevate the state of the art in IAQ research but also aims to engage and influence policy at the European level jointly with the sister projects participating in the IDEAL cluster, ensuring that the findings and technologies developed are accessible and practical for implementation to benefit a wide audience including public authorities, policymakers, and the general public.
The project has progressed according to the planned schedule, although there have been some issues with the launch of monitoring campaigns in certain scenarios (WP1). These issues were primarily due to disagreements with ethical committees and a lack of engagement from some authorities. Despite these challenges, the Project has achieved the milestones set for this period, demonstrating progress and resilience in meeting its objectives.
M1 Launching the monitoring program. Successfully creation and launching of the monitoring program. Only some issues with the launching in metro and market (P1), outpatients and seniors (P2) and student’s residence (P3).
M2 First version of the Algorithm. The milestone was delayed by two months due to a lack of available data to devise an effective data strategy.
M3 Platform construction. The platform was constructed as scheduled without delay.
M4 IAQ portable monitors available. Portable monitors for IAQ were made available on time.
WP1 – Monitoring programs and protocols were designed and implemented across nine European scenarios, encompassing hospitals, homes, and schools. Ethical approvals were obtained, initiating large-scale data collection and analysis to assess indoor air quality. Some of the scenarios have experienced launch issues due to differences in criteria with ethical committees or due to a lack of commitment from the competent authorities.
WP2 – Identification of determinants and their sources in 9 relevant scenarios: Efforts have been focused on integrating data sources from IAQ, with data models established for continuous and discrete monitoring in collaboration with WP1. Initial exploratory analysis was developed to analyze IAQ across different scenarios, incorporating legislative thresholds and preliminary data analysis to identify pollution patterns. However, health data integration and further algorithm interpretation awaits the arrival of the first batch of health data. A literature review identified IAQ primary determinants was carried out.
WP3 – A portable tool was developed to measure air quality accurately and easily, as detailed in D3.1. It was refined through discussions and validation tests of existing technologies. The project also advanced in creating sensors for detecting aflatoxins from Aspergillus, featuring successful nanoparticle functionalization.
WP4 – The Open Access Platform was advanced, supporting data functionalities and EU privacy compliance. Developed with input from WP1, it allows sensor registration and data uploading. It targets diverse stakeholders through knowledge dissemination, personalized access, and a central hub strategy for sharing indoor air quality insights in Europe. WP4 enhances data management and stakeholder engagement, as highlighted in the first public consultation on IAQ awareness.
WP5 – The plan in D5.1 promotes project findings and prepares for market entry with stakeholder engagement and tailored communications. Branding, including logo and website, was established early, detailed in D5.2 supporting unified communications. Collaborations enhance public awareness and acceptance, while gender considerations are integrated into all activities.
M1 Launching the monitoring program. Successfully creation and launching of the monitoring program. Only some issues with the launching in metro and market (P1), outpatients and seniors (P2) and student’s residence (P3).
M2 First version of the Algorithm. The milestone was delayed by two months due to a lack of available data to devise an effective data strategy.
M3 Platform construction. The platform was constructed as scheduled without delay.
M4 IAQ portable monitors available. Portable monitors for IAQ were made available on time.
WP1 – Monitoring programs and protocols were designed and implemented across nine European scenarios, encompassing hospitals, homes, and schools. Ethical approvals were obtained, initiating large-scale data collection and analysis to assess indoor air quality. Some of the scenarios have experienced launch issues due to differences in criteria with ethical committees or due to a lack of commitment from the competent authorities.
WP2 – Identification of determinants and their sources in 9 relevant scenarios: Efforts have been focused on integrating data sources from IAQ, with data models established for continuous and discrete monitoring in collaboration with WP1. Initial exploratory analysis was developed to analyze IAQ across different scenarios, incorporating legislative thresholds and preliminary data analysis to identify pollution patterns. However, health data integration and further algorithm interpretation awaits the arrival of the first batch of health data. A literature review identified IAQ primary determinants was carried out.
WP3 – A portable tool was developed to measure air quality accurately and easily, as detailed in D3.1. It was refined through discussions and validation tests of existing technologies. The project also advanced in creating sensors for detecting aflatoxins from Aspergillus, featuring successful nanoparticle functionalization.
WP4 – The Open Access Platform was advanced, supporting data functionalities and EU privacy compliance. Developed with input from WP1, it allows sensor registration and data uploading. It targets diverse stakeholders through knowledge dissemination, personalized access, and a central hub strategy for sharing indoor air quality insights in Europe. WP4 enhances data management and stakeholder engagement, as highlighted in the first public consultation on IAQ awareness.
WP5 – The plan in D5.1 promotes project findings and prepares for market entry with stakeholder engagement and tailored communications. Branding, including logo and website, was established early, detailed in D5.2 supporting unified communications. Collaborations enhance public awareness and acceptance, while gender considerations are integrated into all activities.
The development of portable IAQ sensors is a significant achievement of the K-HEALTHinAIR project, enhancing the flexibility and accessibility of air quality monitoring across various settings. These sensors facilitate real-time data collection on multiple air quality parameters, enabling detailed analysis and effective mitigation strategies to improve indoor environments. Additionally, the implementation of an open-access platform, initially for project partners, significantly advances data analysis and knowledge dissemination within the datasets that are being collected. This platform centralizes data, enhancing collaborative research and enabling complex multidimensional analyses. Its future expansion to a broader audience promises to amplify the project's impact by facilitating access to research findings and fostering further investigations and informed policymaking. On the other hand, it has been designed a clinical protocol for the intervention to enhance the management of chronic respiratory outpatients founded on the hypothesis that a multifaceted approach addressing four key dimensions can significantly improve outcomes for chronic respiratory outpatients. The D&C Plan is focusing initially on raising awareness through various communication tactics such as social media, website, newsletters, press releases, and media articles. Also, clustering activities has been made with the sister projects of the same HE call. As the research progresses, this will shift towards generating more scientific publications.