Volts What's the deal with indoor air quality?
Nov 19, 2025
Dr. Georgia Lagoudas, a bioengineer and senior fellow at Brown University's Pandemic Center, discusses the urgent need for improved indoor air quality. She shares insights on the global pledge declaring clean air a human right and highlights the main indoor pollutants, including PM2.5 and CO2. Dr. Lagoudas explains effective strategies like filtration and ventilation, offers practical tips for individuals and schools, and underscores the socio-economic benefits of clean air. The conversation exposes the historical neglect of indoor air and the necessary policy shifts for healthier environments.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Indoor Air Is A Growing Public‑Health Priority
- Indoor air quality will matter more as climate change pushes people indoors and increases wildfire smoke and pandemics.
- Dr. Georgia Lagoudas argues indoor air may be the biggest public-health opportunity of the 21st century.
Focus On PM2.5 And CO2
- PM2.5 and CO2 are the two clearest, easily measurable indoor metrics to focus on.
- PM2.5 harms organs by entering the bloodstream while CO2 signals cognitive decline and rebreathed air (pathogen risk).
CO2 Monitor Demo At A Hearing
- Dr. Georgia Lagoudas carried a CO2 monitor while testifying in a Rhode Island hearing and watched CO2 rise as the room filled.
- When it reached ~2000 ppm she told representatives, "we're all dumber," illustrating real-time visibility of poor ventilation.