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We know that bad air quality can have a major impact on our health, but new emerging research is showing it can also affect our cognitive function.

Today we hear from a neuroscientist who is passionate about the link between IAQ and creativity. His recent study used the Serious Brick Play method to measure if better air quality can increase our creative thinking and the results are very impressive!.

Our guest is a Senior Researcher at the Singapore-ETH Centre and holds a PhD in cognitive neuroscience and master's in Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, Dr. Adam Charles Roberts.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

• A father’s brain injury that inspired research in air quality
• Understanding complex IAQ measures and how they impact the brain
• Using the serious brick play method to measure creativity
• Statistical analysis showing an increase in creativity with better air quality
• Potential benefits of improving air quality for creative thinking and artistry

GUEST DETAILS

Dr. Adam Charles Roberts is a Senior Researcher at the Singapore-ETH Centre, focusing on Social and Financial Resilience and interactions with new technology. Previously, he was a Senior Research Fellow at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, studying air quality’s effects on cognition and the psychology of work environments, and a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Oxford, studying Neurolinguistics.

Social Media: Dr. Adam Charles Roberts - Linkedin

QUOTES

I suddenly became very interested in the brain. How is the brain working and why does the brain not work as well in certain situations? - Dr Adam Charles Roberts

We used the serious brick play method. The reason for this is we wanted to ensure that we had something that was repeatable and that could be scored by different people. - Dr Adam Charles Roberts

We found that if you change the air quality from the maximum allowable to the level we achieved, you get 11.5% increase in creativity. - Dr Adam Charles Roberts

It's something that's not exactly difficult to achieve, right? We just got some air filters, put them in the aircon system. That was it. - Dr Adam Charles Roberts

People may not know how much creativity they are using in their job, but I think everyone could benefit from improving their creativity. - Dr Adam Charles Roberts

ABOUT CAMFIL’S CAO INITIATIVE

The Chief Airgonomics Officer initiative was started by Camfil, a leading manufacturer in premium clean air solutions and an advocate for access to clean air.

The Chief Airgonomics initiative is being driven at a time of urgency: sensitivities over air have heightened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollutants are well known to damage the environment and the newly published WHO Air Quality Guidelines show us that air pollution is more damaging to human health than previously understood.

The initiative is a direct response to these realities while also bringing to life Camfil’s mission of protecting people, processes and the environment. It also puts into practice Camfil’s knowledge and expertise built over more than half a century and that it is eager to share with its peers and wider audiences to improve people’s lives.

Our Vision : Clean and healthy Indoor Air should be a Human right
Our Mission: We want all companies and organisations to put clean and healthy indoor air on the agenda
Camfil believes that real change can only happen through collaborative effort and wants your organisation to join the clean air movement and community. Start your clean indoor air journey today!

CAO Website

CAO Linkedin Group

Subscribe Now

Air filters can be adapted to the needs of your commercial building or home, and your needs may change with the seasons. Working with these changes can be beneficial to balancing efficiency and quality of air you get.

Today we’re diving further into future standards and developments with Kathleen Owen. We get into the imbalance between indoor and outdoor air quality standards, along with ASHRAE Standard 241, which will be official from January 1, 2025, and how that will affect filter requirements.

Our expert guest has over 30 years experience working in the field and is considered the OG of indoor air quality, Kathleen Owen.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

• Balancing energy efficiency and air quality
• Challenges for schools with budget restraints
• Decarbonization and reducing carbon footprints
• Outdoor air quality standard vs lack for IAQ
• Future of gas and VOC mitigation

GUEST DETAILS

Kathleen Owen, ASHRAE Fellow, has extensive experience in gaseous and particulate matter air cleaning, determining air cleaning efficiency, and developing test methods to evaluate various air cleaning technologies.

Prior to starting her own company, Kathleen spent 33 years at RTI International where she worked on the ASHRAE and EPA projects that developed ASHRAE air cleaner efficiency test methods 52.2 (for particles), 145.2 (gases), and 185.1 (UV-bioaerosol). She also developed chamber test methods for gas and bioaerosol removal by in-room air cleaners based, in large part, on the AHAM CADR test method. EPA, DOD, ASHRAE and other projects she has worked on included air cleaning, air quality, contaminant transport modelling, technology development, and aerosol penetration of protective garments. Also, after working in the lab for several years, she ran the RTI commercial air cleaner test lab for over 20 years with over 100 different companies as customers over the years. She now works for various customers as a consultant.

Kathleen earned a BS in chemical engineering from NCSU and an MS in Air Pollution Control Engineering from UNC-CH.

Social Media: Kathleen Owen - Linkedin

Website: Kathleen Owen - ASHRAE Lecturer Profile

QUOTES

On January 1, 2025, the MERV-A requirement kicks in. The standard itself, other than that, stays the same. - Kathleen Owen

You can change what you're doing and still meet that need for clean air. - Kathleen Owen

The first thing to do is to get your system working the way you thought it was working. - Kathleen Owen

A lot of the effects are, ‘oh, that kid has asthma’ instead of maybe that house has too much something in it. - Kathleen Owen

There are a lot of VOCs that are used in houses and commercial buildings that people want. Perfume, bug spray, cleansers, a lot of them have VOC emissions. - Kathleen Owen

I do know that we're gradually getting more data and more awareness of what the different gases in the air can do to people, but I hope we find more answers and assume that we will. - Kathleen Owen

I think it's critical that we first get air cleaners that put bad stuff into the air off the market. - Kathleen Owen

ABOUT CAMFIL’S CAO INITIATIVE

The Chief Airgonomics Officer initiative was started by Camfil, a leading manufacturer in premium clean air solutions and an advocate for access to clean air.

The Chief Airgonomics initiative is being driven at a time of urgency: sensitivities over air have heightened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollutants are well known to damage the environment and the newly published WHO Air Quality Guidelines show us that air pollution is more damaging to human health than previously understood.

The initiative is a direct response to these realities while also bringing to life Camfil’s mission of protecting people, processes and the environment. It also puts into practice Camfil’s knowledge and expertise built over more than half a century and that it is eager to share with its peers and wider audiences to improve people’s lives.

Our Vision : Clean and healthy Indoor Air should be a Human right
Our Mission: We want all companies and organisations to put clean and healthy indoor air on the agenda
Camfil believes that real change can only happen through collaborative effort and wants your organisation to join the clean air movement and community. Start your clean indoor air journey today!

CAO Website

CAO Linkedin Group

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Although indoor air quality may seem like a relatively new topic for most people, there have been experts working in and promoting this field for decades.

Today we meet a pioneer of indoor air quality standards who, despite falling into the career, has an immense passion for promoting better IAQ. We hear about her leading research and testing, including how air quality ratings were developed and simple but great considerations for any HVAC system.

Our guest is considered the OG of everything air quality testing and spent three decades working with RTI International, Kathleen Owen.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

• How Kathleen developed a passion for IAQ
• Introducing efficiency measures with ASHRAE 52.2 Appendix J
• Differences in MERV filters and performance
• The need for real-world filter testing
• Selecting the right air filters and proper installation

GUEST DETAILS

Kathleen Owen, ASHRAE Fellow, has extensive experience in gaseous and particulate matter air cleaning, determining air cleaning efficiency, and developing test methods to evaluate various air cleaning technologies.

Prior to starting her own company, Kathleen spent 33 years at RTI International where she worked on the ASHRAE and EPA projects that developed ASHRAE air cleaner efficiency test methods 52.2 (for particles), 145.2 (gases), and 185.1 (UV-bioaerosol). She also developed chamber test methods for gas and bioaerosol removal by in-room air cleaners based, in large part, on the AHAM CADR test method. EPA, DOD, ASHRAE and other projects she has worked on included air cleaning, air quality, contaminant transport modelling, technology development, and aerosol penetration of protective garments. Also, after working in the lab for several years, she ran the RTI commercial air cleaner test lab for over 20 years with over 100 different companies as customers over the years. She now works for various customers as a consultant.

Kathleen earned a BS in chemical engineering from NCSU and an MS in Air Pollution Control Engineering from UNC-CH.

Social Media: Kathleen Owen - Linkedin

Website: Kathleen Owen - ASHRAE Lecturer Profile

QUOTES

Appendix J is intended to give you a much better estimate of the minimum efficiency of a filter, of a charged media filter, in real life. - Kathleen Owen

If you want better, cleaner air, run the fan more, put in a higher efficiency filter that your fan can work with. - Kathleen Owen

We have a ways to go in terms of getting the filters that we need out there, getting people to use them. - Kathleen Owen

One of the biggest issues with filters, and I know you guys worry about this too, people stick filters into spots they don't fit. - Kathleen Owen

ABOUT CAMFIL’S CAO INITIATIVE

The Chief Airgonomics Officer initiative was started by Camfil, a leading manufacturer in premium clean air solutions and an advocate for access to clean air.

The Chief Airgonomics initiative is being driven at a time of urgency: sensitivities over air have heightened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollutants are well known to damage the environment and the newly published WHO Air Quality Guidelines show us that air pollution is more damaging to human health than previously understood.

The initiative is a direct response to these realities while also bringing to life Camfil’s mission of protecting people, processes and the environment. It also puts into practice Camfil’s knowledge and expertise built over more than half a century and that it is eager to share with its peers and wider audiences to improve people’s lives.

Our Vision : Clean and healthy Indoor Air should be a Human right
Our Mission: We want all companies and organisations to put clean and healthy indoor air on the agenda
Camfil believes that real change can only happen through collaborative effort and wants your organisation to join the clean air movement and community. Start your clean indoor air journey today!

CAO Website

CAO Linkedin Group

Subscribe Now

Measuring your indoor air quality will give you a better understanding of your filter needs, but older methods of intermittent and spot checks may not be the most efficient way to protect your occupants health.

Today we hear from an expert who advocates for the importance of real-time air quality monitoring, particularly in schools and similar settings. We learn how the dynamic nature of these buildings, including internal and external factors, requires a more sophisticated approach to air quality management and how HVAC systems can be better optimised to balance IAQ and energy output.

Our guest is passionate about the physical and cognitive benefits of IAQ management in educational settings, and is Founder and CEO of Attune, Dr. Serene Almomen.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

• Improving air quality in schools for physical and cognitive health
• Why real-time air quality monitoring is crucial for managing IAQ
• The dynamic nature of buildings, both internally and externally
• Balancing IAQ, energy savings and return on investment
• Effectively communicating IAQ data with building occupants

GUEST DETAILS

Dr. Serene Almomen is a prominent figure in the field of air quality monitoring and improvement, particularly focused on enhancing indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools.

As the co-founder and CEO of Attune (formerly Senseware), a high-growth technology company, Dr. Almomen has been at the forefront of developing innovative solutions for IAQ monitoring[2][5].

Attune is an IoT, smart building solution that provides cost-effective and secure wireless solutions to collect data and control all mechanical, electrical, plumbing and environmental systems from your facility.

Social Media: Dr. Serene Almomen

QUOTES

We learned the hard way that it's a non-negotiable to have clean air that we breathe. You wouldn't drink water if you see that it's dirty. - Dr. Serene Almomen

There are so many dynamic things that are happening externally and internally, that the spot checks would just not capture that. That's where real time becomes really important. - Dr. Serene Almomen

Now, we know that there are multiple sensors that are important and each sensor ties to different aspects of how we're cleaning the air and optimizing indoor air quality in indoor spaces. - Dr. Serene Almomen

What we do to simplify the contaminants is tied to ventilation. So we give a ventilation score versus air quality score. And that's more practical, reasonable and effective. - Dr. Serene Almomen

ABOUT CAMFIL’S CAO INITIATIVE

The Chief Airgonomics Officer initiative was started by Camfil, a leading manufacturer in premium clean air solutions and an advocate for access to clean air.

The Chief Airgonomics initiative is being driven at a time of urgency: sensitivities over air have heightened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollutants are well known to damage the environment and the newly published WHO Air Quality Guidelines show us that air pollution is more damaging to human health than previously understood.

The initiative is a direct response to these realities while also bringing to life Camfil’s mission of protecting people, processes and the environment. It also puts into practice Camfil’s knowledge and expertise built over more than half a century and that it is eager to share with its peers and wider audiences to improve people’s lives.

Our Vision : Clean and healthy Indoor Air should be a Human right
Our Mission: We want all companies and organisations to put clean and healthy indoor air on the agenda
Camfil believes that real change can only happen through collaborative effort and wants your organisation to join the clean air movement and community. Start your clean indoor air journey today!

CAO Website

CAO Linkedin Group

Subscribe Now

Healthy air in any building is paramount. If it’s something you want to achieve, the best place to start is to accurately measure the quality of air you currently have.

Today we hear from an expert in air quality measurement, who explains the metrics and gives us the essential knowledge to make informed decisions about indoor air management.

Our guest has been working in air filtration for a long time and is Global Product Manager for Camfil, Matthias Jerosch.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

• What we need to accurately measure indoor air quality
• Measurement meters are not all created equal
• Air quality in different environments
• Source contaminants in your workplace
• The future of measurements and standards in IAQ

GUEST DETAILS

Matthias Jerosch is Global Product Manager For Air Cleaners & Containment at Camfil

Social Media: Matthias Jerosch

ABOUT CAMFIL’S CAO INITIATIVE

The Chief Airgonomics Officer initiative was started by Camfil, a leading manufacturer in premium clean air solutions and an advocate for access to clean air.

The Chief Airgonomics initiative is being driven at a time of urgency: sensitivities over air have heightened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollutants are well known to damage the environment and the newly published WHO Air Quality Guidelines show us that air pollution is more damaging to human health than previously understood.

The initiative is a direct response to these realities while also bringing to life Camfil’s mission of protecting people, processes and the environment. It also puts into practice Camfil’s knowledge and expertise built over more than half a century and that it is eager to share with its peers and wider audiences to improve people’s lives.

Our Vision : Clean and healthy Indoor Air should be a Human right
Our Mission: We want all companies and organisations to put clean and healthy indoor air on the agenda
Camfil believes that real change can only happen through collaborative effort and wants your organisation to join the clean air movement and community. Start your clean indoor air journey today!

CAO Website

CAO Linkedin Group

Subscribe Now

Our last episode, ‘The Professor’, was a masterclass of clear, science-backed guidance on improving indoor air, from a globally recognized leader in building science.

Jeffrey Siegel gave us really straightforward strategies and showed us how even small changes can meaningfully impact health, wellbeing and cognitive function.

After that podcast, we kept talking about the pros’ and cons’ of handheld sensors, balancing the quality of life and the cost of indoor air quality and some really simple things building managers can look at to get the best air quality at work.

Fortunately, we kept recording that conversation, so we can bring you all of this in a special bonus episode of ‘Let’s Talk Clean Air’ with Professor Jeffrey Siegel, a renowned expert with an academic career in air quality stretching from Berkeley to Texas, to his current position as the Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

• How building managers should approach indoor air quality and maintenance
• The pros and cons of handheld air quality sensors
• Empowering people to make them think about their indoor air quality
• The middle ground of quality of life and good indoor air
• The economic and health benefits of investing in indoor air societally

GUEST DETAILS

Dr Jeffrey Siegel, a Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto, specializes in creating healthy and sustainable buildings. With expertise in ventilation, indoor air quality, and control of particulate matter, he contributes to research on the indoor microbiome and moisture interactions. Dr. Siegel, a fellow of ASHRAE, teaches courses on indoor air quality and sustainable energy systems. His background includes a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley, and he was an associate editor for the journal Building and Environment. Previously, he held a position as an Associate Professor at the University of Texas.

Website: The University of Toronto - Dr Jeffrey Siegel

JJon Holmes, aka ‘the filter guy’ has worked with Camfil for over 10 years and in 2022 was promoted to National Accounts Manager in Canada. Jon has completed training in Theories of Filtration, HEPA Filtration Testing, ASHRAE Testing Standards and Advanced Filtration. He is also heavily involved with industry organizations like BOMA, CHES, and NAFA, and acts as Chair of several committees in the industry.

Social Media: Jon Holmes

QUOTES

I think practical advice is important and is kind of in short supply. So the first thing I would say is, whatever decision you're making about air cleaning in your building, make sure you understand how it works and how to use it well. - Jeffrey Siegel

It’s that whole idea of empowering people to first of all think about their indoor air in a formalized way, but also, start the conversations about how we address issues, and I think that's what's so important about initiatives like the Chief Airgonomics Officer - Jeffrey Siegel

On one hand, I love that people are measuring indoor air, the whole problem people like me face is that indoor air is invisible. Bad indoor air and good indoor air look exactly the same, often smell exactly the same, and so, having a sensor there is so important. People learn so much from sensors. In my family in my house, one of the most important sources of indoor air pollution is cooking. - Jeffrey Siegel

Cleaning generates a ton of pollutants, I would never tell people not to clean, but you might want to think about how you're ventilating during cleaning, who is present during cleaning. - Jeffery Siegel

We are being, as a society, kind of economically foolish by not investing in indoor air, because there are these huge benefits, health benefits, productivity benefits, cognitive function benefits, well being benefits. So I think it's really important that we be very sensible in our economic analysis, we always think about the costs, of course, we should also be thinking about the benefits. - Jeffrey Siegel

ABOUT CAMFIL’S CAO INITIATIVE

The Chief Airgonomics Officer initiative was started by Camfil, a leading manufacturer in premium clean air solutions and an advocate for access to clean air.

The Chief Airgonomics initiative is being driven at a time of urgency: sensitivities over air have heightened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollutants are well known to damage the environment and the newly published WHO Air Quality Guidelines show us that air pollution is more damaging to human health than previously understood.

The initiative is a direct response to these realities while also bringing to life Camfil’s mission of protecting people, processes and the environment. It also puts into practice Camfil’s knowledge and expertise built over more than half a century and that it is eager to share with its peers and wider audiences to improve people’s lives.

Our Vision : Clean and healthy Indoor Air should be a Human right
Our Mission: We want all companies and organisations to put clean and healthy indoor air on the agenda
Camfil believes that real change can only happen through collaborative effort and wants your organisation to join the clean air movement and community. Start your clean indoor air journey today!

CAO Website

CAO Linkedin Group

Subscribe Now

Mould and asbestos are sometimes referred to as the ‘silent killers in a building’.

If you have either of these in your building they are going to be a big concern and can have incredibly serious health effects on your occupants. Today, we hear from an expert with over twenty years experience dealing with the most complex indoor air quality, mould, and hazardous building materials issues.

Our guest worked on one of the largest and most comprehensive mould cleanup projects undertaken in Canada and has acted as primary consultant for the development of government mould cleanup guidelines. He is a director with Pinchin Ltd, one of North America's premier environmental, engineering, building science, and health & safety consulting firms, Stephen Booth.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

• How mould damages buildings and causes health problems
• Mitigation tactics for mould, fungus and hazardous materials
• Why testing and management requires professional support
• Using air filters as the first line of defense for airborne particles
• The fatal impact of asbestos and how to manage it if it’s in your building

GUEST DETAILS

Stephen Booth, CET, LEED AP, RESET AP is Executive Vice President, GTA Indoor Environmental Quality at Pinchin.

Stephen has been employed by Pinchin Ltd. since 1993. Stephen holds a Diploma in Architectural Technology from Centennial College. Stephen is a Certified Engineering Technologist and LEED and RESET Air accredited professional. Stephen has more than 25years of environmental consulting experience and has managed hundreds of projects on behalf of Pinchin Ltd., including mould assessments, hazardous building materials surveys, along with complex abatement projects. This experience extends to industrial, commercial and government projects. Stephen has managed multiple whole building abatement projects for lead, mould, asbestos, and clandestine drug laboratories.

Social Media: Stephen Booth

QUOTES

When you get substantial amounts of mould growth in your building there are a number of health effects that can occur for building occupants, primarily upper respiratory and allergy in nature. - Stephen Booth

Filters are the first line of defense of the air that's coming into the building - Stephen Booth

The measurement part of the samples is probably the least important part of the indoor air quality testing. - Stephen Booth

Offices are generally better from an indoor air quality point of view than homes are. - Stephen Booth

Millions of tons of asbestos were put into building materials through the 50s, 60s and 70s. Then, by the 1970s, we started to see that the people who had been working with asbestos 20 years earlier, had a very high rate of lung cancer and restrictive breathing problems. - Stephen Booth

ABOUT CAMFIL’S CAO INITIATIVE

The Chief Airgonomics Officer initiative is started by Camfil, a leading manufacturer in premium clean air solutions and an advocate for access to clean air.

The Chief Airgonomics initiative is being driven at a time of urgency: sensitivities over air have heightened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollutants are well known to damage the environment and the newly published WHO Air Quality Guidelines show us that air pollution is more damaging to human health than previously understood.

The initiative is a direct response to these realities while also bringing to life Camfil’s mission of protecting people, processes and the environment. It also puts into practice Camfil’s knowledge and expertise built over more than half a century and that it is eager to share with its peers and wider audiences to improve people’s lives.

Our Vision : Clean and healthy Indoor Air should be a Human right
Our Mission: We want all companies and organisations to put clean and healthy indoor air on the agenda
Camfil believes that real change can only happen through collaborative effort and wants your organisation to join the clean air movement and community. Start your clean indoor air journey today!

CAO Website

CAO Linkedin Group

Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by Dustpod.io

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In this episode you will get clear, science-backed guidance on improving indoor air from a globally recognized leader in building science.

Professor Jeffrey Siegel shares straightforward strategies like controlling sources, optimizing ventilation and choosing effective filters. He shares how even small changes can meaningfully impact health, wellbeing and cognitive function. Jeffrey draws on his extensive expertise to help us understand the importance of indoor air quality and how to practically enhance it.

After listening, you’ll come away feeling empowered to take action to improving the air around you.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

• Why indoor air quality is as important as ever
• The benefits of clean air quality on our health and wellbeing
• Creating a healthy microbiome indoors
• Certifications and regulations for indoor air quality
• Why all air filters are not created equally

GUEST DETAILS

Dr Jeffrey Siegel, a Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto, specializes in creating healthy and sustainable buildings. With expertise in ventilation, indoor air quality, and control of particulate matter, he contributes to research on the indoor microbiome and moisture interactions. Dr. Siegel, a fellow of ASHRAE, teaches courses on indoor air quality and sustainable energy systems. His background includes a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley, and he was an associate editor for the journal Building and Environment. Previously, he held a position as an Associate Professor at the University of Texas.

Website: The University of Toronto - Dr Jeffrey Siegel

Jon Holmes, aka ‘the filter guy’ has worked with Camfil for over 10 years and in 2022 was promoted to National Accounts Manager in Canada. Jon has completed training in Theories of Filtration, HEPA Filtration Testing, ASHRAE Testing Standards and Advanced Filtration. He is also heavily involved with industry organizations like BOMA, CHES, and NAFA, and acts as Chair of several committees in the industry.

Social Media: Jon Holmes

QUOTES

Indoor air quality has not really received the same kind of attention that other environmental issues have received, even with the pandemic. - Jeffrey Siegel

We have this very long list of health effects that come from breathing polluted indoor air, so everything from a variety of cardiovascular outcomes, respiratory outcomes, cancers, and then things that maybe aren't quite part of the conversation yet, but should be, like productivity, well being and cognitive function - Jeffrey Siegel

Even though we don't know everything, we know how to improve indoor air. And it's a very simple model that's been around much longer than I have. And that is, the first thing you do is you get rid of sources. - Jeffrey Siegel

We have about 10 or so bacterial cells in our body for every human cell, we are essentially walking meatbags for microorganisms. We think about ourselves as individuals, but really, we're better described as a collection of microorganisms. And so for things like exposure, indoor exposures and so on, I have to think that those microorganisms are important, but I don't know that we fully understand why or how. - Jeffrey Siegel

One of the smartest things I've ever heard anyone say about indoor air, they said that the whole problem with indoor air from a regulatory standpoint is that no politician in the world is going to tell people that their buildings aren't sanctuaries, especially their homes, because that politician won't be reelected. So we're never going to get that type of regulation or that type of attention. - Jeffrey Siegel

ABOUT CAMFIL’S CAO INITIATIVE

The Chief Airgonomics Officer initiative is started by Camfil, a leading manufacturer in premium clean air solutions and an advocate for access to clean air.

The Chief Airgonomics initiative is being driven at a time of urgency: sensitivities over air have heightened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollutants are well known to damage the environment and the newly published WHO Air Quality Guidelines show us that air pollution is more damaging to human health than previously understood.

The initiative is a direct response to these realities while also bringing to life Camfil’s mission of protecting people, processes and the environment. It also puts into practice Camfil’s knowledge and expertise built over more than half a century and that it is eager to share with its peers and wider audiences to improve people’s lives.

Our Vision : Clean and healthy Indoor Air should be a Human right
Our Mission: We want all companies and organisations to put clean and healthy indoor air on the agenda
Camfil believes that real change can only happen through collaborative effort and wants your organisation to join the clean air movement and community. Start your clean indoor air journey today!

CAO Website

CAO Linkedin Group

Subscribe Now

TOPICS WE COVER

• 01:38 The impact of climate change on wildfires
• 04:53 Damaging particles in wildfire smoke
• 07:23 Measuring the Six Criteria Air Pollutants
• 12:20 Personal restrictions as a result of bad AQI
• 15:28 Actions you can take for better IAQ
• 17:56 Air quality impact on the workforce
• 20:53 Maintenance of air filters during wildfire season
• 22:00 How we can educate ourselves on AQI and IAQ
• 24:30 How to become a Chief Airgonomics Officer

GUEST DETAILS

Jennifer Webb is Camfil’s Molecular Filtration Segment Manager for Western US and Mexico with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Delaware. Jennifer is responsible for technical sales, marketing and business development of molecular (aka- "carbon" or “gas-phase”) filtration solutions for a wide range of industries and applications, including airports, hospitals, cannabis, cultural heritage preservation, petrochemical, wastewater, pulp and paper, industrial exhaust and biogas.

 

Jon Holmes, aka ‘the filter guy’ has worked with Camfil for over 10 years and in 2022 was promoted to National Accounts based out of Toronto. Jon is passionate about Camfil and provides customers with solutions to achieve their energy reduction and sustainability goals. Jon has completed training in Theories of Filtration, Hepa Filtration Testing, ASHRAE Testing Standards, Advanced Filtration, Filter Selection and has operated our Mobile CamTester throughout Alberta to validate filter performance in the field. He is also heavily involved with industry organizations like BOMA, CHES, and NAFA, and is also the Chair of several committees in the industry. Most recently Jon Holmes has acquired his Fitwel Ambassador Certification and continues to work on his WELL accreditation. You can find Jon Holmes, aka “Jon the Filter Guy” on LinkedIn where he shares video tips on how to maximize your air filtration value.

Social Media: Jon Holmes

Wildfire article on Camfil.com: Wildfire solution guide

ABOUT CAMFIL’S CAO INITIATIVE

The Chief Airgonomics Officer initiative is started by Camfil, a leading manufacturer in premium clean air solutions and an advocate for access to clean air.

The Chief Airgonomics initiative is being driven at a time of urgency: sensitivities over air have heightened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollutants are well known to damage the environment and the newly published WHO Air Quality Guidelines show us that air pollution is more damaging to human health than previously understood.

The initiative is a direct response to these realities while also bringing to life Camfil’s mission of protecting people, processes and the environment. It also puts into practice Camfil’s knowledge and expertise built over more than half a century and that it is eager to share with its peers and wider audiences to improve people’s lives.

Our Vision : Clean and healthy Indoor Air should be a Human right

Our Mission: We want all companies and organisations to put clean and healthy indoor air on the agenda Camfil believes that real change can only happen through collaborative effort and wants your organisation to join the clean air movement and community. Start your clean indoor air journey today!

CAO Website

CAO Linkedin Group

Subscribe Now

TOPICS WE COVER

• 01:33 The long term economic savings of premium filters
• 07:10 The importance of indoor air quality awareness for building managers
• 09:15 Air quality as an incentive to bring workers back to the office
• 11:30 How to keep both clients and tenants happy
• 16:10 Air quality checks and industry best practice
• 19:25 Sustainability considerations for air filters
• 23:04 Education and the first steps to bettering your air quality

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Jesse Buhler has worked in residential and commercial real estate management, development and construction for over 15 years. Currently, he leads a diverse team of professionals who focus on day-to-day management of AAA office properties. He also works with an internal team that focuses on building operational efficiencies, developing and implementing sustainability efforts, making OH&S easy to understand and easy to follow, implementing new property technology to make our lives easier, buildings run more efficiently and tenants happier. His experience within the industry, as well as growing up within an entrepreneurial family has given him the knowledge, the drive and a unique insight to create and lead effective teams within the Real Estate and Project Management industry.

Social Media: Jesse Buhler

Jon Holmes has worked with Camfil for over 10 years and in 2022 was promoted to National Accounts based out of Toronto. Jon is passionate about Camfil and provides customers with solutions to achieve their energy reduction and sustainability goals. Jon has completed training in Theories of Filtration, Hepa Filtration Testing, ASHRAE Testing Standards, Advanced Filtration, Filter Selection and has operated our Mobile CamTester throughout Alberta to validate filter performance in the field. He is also heavily involved with industry organizations like BOMA, CHES, and NAFA, and is also the Chair of several committees in the industry. Most recently Jon Holmes has acquired his Fitwel Ambassador Certification and continues to work on his WELL accreditation. You can find Jon Holmes, aka “Jon the Filter Guy” on LinkedIn where he shares video tips on how to maximize your air filtration value.

Social Media: Jon Holmes

Subscribe Now

TOPICS WE COVER

• 01:05 The connection between health and the labour market
• 03:21 Comparing workers and managers to chess players
• 05:23 How the chess experiment was set up
• 09:57 Monitoring players performance
• 13:40 Sharing the results
• 15:38 Surprising difference between amateur and professionals
• 17:26 How this applies to the workplace

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Steffen Künn is an Associate Professor at the School of Business and Economics at Maastricht University, and a research fellow at the Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) as well as the Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA).

His main research interests include applied labour economics. In particular, he focuses on two topics; the effectiveness of active labour market policy and the effects of indoor environmental conditions on human health, cognition and labour market outcomes.

 

Social Media: Steffen Künn

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TOPICS WE COVER

• 00:53 What is a bioaerosol?
• 01:29 How important are they to humans.
• 03:50 Pollen vs Fungal Spores vs Your Lungs
• 05:20 How they affect our day-to-day health.
• 06:33 How national authorities measure bioaerosols.
• 08:28 Can forecasting mitigate health symptoms.
• 10:00 Allergens which lurk indoors in workplaces.
• 13:30 What to look out for in your own office or facility.

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. David O’Connor is currently an Assistant Professor at the School of Chemical Sciences in Dublin City University, where he is involved in physical chemistry undergraduate lecturing and laboratory demonstration.He formerly worked at Technological University Dublin and has previously held post-doctoral positions at the University of Denver (Marie Curie Fellowship) and the University College Cork, which involved numerous field and laboratory studies on atmospherically relevant species and processes.

Website: Dublin City University - David O'Connor

Twitter: David O'Connor

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TOPICS WE COVER

• Why abundance is good
• How science simplifies the complexity of sustainability
• The flow of materials that we dig out of the ground
• Chemicals and waste that we release from society
• Ecosystems being destroyed by land clearing or over-extraction of resources
• The five key elements of social sustainability
• How ABCD can help you explain your mission as a CAO
• The link between clean air and sustainability
• How one person can make a difference

ABOUT OUR GUESTRichard Blume is a senior sustainability strategist, consultant and business advisor. He is co-founder of the Sustainability Collaborative, an office of The Natural Step network that promotes a science-based framework for sustainability-driven innovation. With 20 years of experience supporting both small and medium-sized enterprises and multinationals to integrate sustainability principles into strategy and operations, Richard is a versatile trainer, strategist, project manager and analyst who likes to connect the dots between detail and the big picture. Richard holds a master’s degree in strategic leadership towards sustainability from the Blekinge Institute of Technology and a combined bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering and international studies from the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.

 

Richard Blume LinkedIn

Sustainability Collaborative

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TOPICS WE COVER

• Why they volunteered for the role
• The first step taken by every CAO
• What benefits a CAO brings to their colleagues and business
• Differing Air Quality Standards in Asia
• How Asian business owners react
• Is improving air quality expensive

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Jayant Kaushal, based in Singapore, is Vice President of Business Development for Camfil Asia Pacific. He also takes a lead in promoting global standard ISO 16890 & Eurovent in Asia Pacific region. Jayant has also been a member of a task force committee, set up by the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) for developing Singapore Green Mark scheme for Air Filters.

Chen Xin (Sam), is based in Shanghai and works as a Product Manager for Camfil China. For the past ten years he has been responsible for different air filtration projects, with lots of experience in both comfort and clean room applications.

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TOPICS WE COVER

• Simple improvements made in the office
• How to tell good air from bad air
• How they measured the existing quality of air
• Concerns raised by employees
• Their biggest challenge over the next six months

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Paul Flanagan is Managing Director of Camfil Ireland. He has huge experience in the filtration industry, with many years of helping customers with technical queries especially in Life Science, Healthcare, Data Centres, Food & Beverage and Educational facilities.

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TEMATY, KTÓRE PORUSZAMY

• W jaki sposób inicjatywa CAO została zainspirowana przez dociekliwość naszych Klientów?
• Kiedy i dlaczego uważamy, że powietrze w pomieszczeniach jest bezpieczne, a kiedy zaczynają pojawiać się wątpliwości?
• Przykład na drastyczny wzrost stężenia CO₂
• Jaka jest rola Chief Airgonomics Officer?
• Dlaczego nie jest to rola tylko dla naukowców i specjalistów zajmujących się jakością powietrza?
• Jak nasz bohater wprowadził tę rolę w życie i jakie są opinie współpracowników?
• Jak możesz się zaangażować i jakiej pomocy możesz oczekiwać?

O NASZYM GOŚCIU

With over 20 years’ experience in engineering and design, there is very little Anders Sundvik does not know about filters, particles, gases, or air pollution and how to tackle it. Recently, he has been appointed as one of the world’s first Airgonomics Officers.

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TEMATY, KTÓRE PORUSZAMY

• Dlaczego czyste powietrze przeżywa obecnie nowy rozkwit?
• Szokujące liczby sprzed Covid, które napędzają zmiany
• Kto ustala zasady i przepisy oraz jak jest w stanie tak szybko je wprowadzać w życie?
• Jak wpływa zanieczyszczenie powietrza w pomieszczeniach?
• Jakie są korzyści czystego powietrza dla Twojej firmy?
• Dlaczego prawo do czystego powietrza powinno zostać dodane do brytyjskiego prawa?

O NASZYM GOŚCIU

Jako założyciel i dyrektor Clean Air in London (CAL), Simon Birkett od 2006 roku prowadzi kampanię na rzecz pełnej zgodności z wytycznymi Światowej Organizacji Zdrowia (WHO) dotyczącymi jakości powietrza w całym Londynie i poza nim.