The invisible risk: analyzing air quality in Pamplona's homes

Our home is our refuge, our space of tranquility. But spending so much time in these enclosed spaces can carry risks. For more than a third of the world's population, breathing in their homes can lead to illnesses caused by chronic exposure to pollutants, such as toxic gases or certain particles, at exhibition . Therefore, studying whether they are safe for our health becomes essential.

Ventilation systems in our buildings can collect various pollutants and emit greenhouse gases. The declaration of climate emergency approved by the European Parliament on November 28, 2019 calls for urgent action to curb it, based on science. For this reason, the University of Navarra has created the project EXHAL, on the pollution emitted by residential buildings, coordinated by Arturo Ariño, of the BIOMA Institute, and César Martín, of the School of Architecture.

This project studies pollutants exhaled from buildings that can become another source of pollution affecting urban air quality and potentially contributing to climatic factors. For its implementation, an intensive monitoring system was set up in residential buildings in Pamplona (Spain), with the goal to obtain data on the selected pollutants and their exhalation from the buildings.

Although still available at development, the study sample shows that the use of mechanical ventilation systems in residential buildings increases the ventilation rate and, in general, improves indoor air quality conditions. However, the environmental cost of this improvement is unknown, as these ventilation systems may also exhale some pollutants that can negatively impact people's health.

Once the study is completed, it will be possible to know in detail the environmental impact that can be generated by the ventilation systems in our homes. With data from various locations and comparing them with each other, the aim is to design strategies that can generate a positive impact on the health of staff and the planet. These objectives are aligned with the OneHealth concept, studied through the Chair Sanitas: Health and Environment, which aims to further the implementation of a unifying vision from which to address health and safety issues on a global scale.