The law of 6 November 2022 aimed at improving indoor air quality in enclosed areas accessible to the public provides for the establishment of an Indoor Air Quality Platform, the objective of which is to offer a forum for consultation to the players concerned by this issue, which affects everyone's health.

According to the law, the platform's tasks include being a contact point for indoor air quality (IAQ) (via a dedicated secretariat), promoting knowledge sharing and support for scientific studies on IAQ, and providing policy advice on IAQ. 
The platform aims to host scientists and operators directly involved in improving indoor air quality in enclosed places accessible to the public. It brings together :

  • policy makers and experts from the relevant administrations,
  • scientists,
  • representatives of the sectors concerned (hospitality, culture and events, sports),
  • manufacturers, importers and installers of ventilation, purification and air quality measurement equipment (including CO2  meters), an
  • (future) certifiers.

Different levels of work are established within the Platform, which are coordinated by the FPS Public Health:

  • Some discussions are organised in technical sub-groups bringing together specific experts on a given issue.
  • These technical sub-groups report the information thus gathered to the working group dedicated to the overall theme, which in turn brings together members of the Platform who are interested and concerned by the theme, without necessarily being experts.
  • Finally, a presentation on the progress of knowledge is made to the whole Platform from time to time.

 Meetings of the Indoor Air Quality Platform :

Meeting of 16/01/2023

On Monday 16 January, an online meeting of the Indoor Air Quality Platform was held, with over 160 participants.
This was the first meeting of the Platform since the Kick-Off Meeting on 12 October 2022 at the Residence Palace, and the first virtual meeting. As with any first time meeting, there were some technical and other obstacles to overcome, which we have taken note of in order to improve the experience of each participant at future meetings.
 
The meeting was divided into two parts.
 
The first part, open to all Platform members, was devoted to a general presentation of the implementation of the legislation and the Platform.
 
In particular, the objectives of two ongoing studies, commissioned to support the drafting of the Royal Decrees on air purification and on certification and labelling, were presented. In this part, the Indoor Air Quality Unit also presented the way in which the consultations within the Platform will take place, within the framework of the exchanges of knowledge, and in particular those necessary to support the studies in progress.
 
In practice, not all Platform members will be gathered for each discussion.

  • Some meetings will be organised in technical sub-groups bringing together specific experts on a given issue.
  • They will report the information to the Global Theme Working Group, which will bring together members of the Platform who are interested and concerned by the theme, but not necessarily experts in it.
  • Finally, a presentation of the progress of knowledge will be made to the whole Platform from time to time.

Each working group and technical sub-group that will be set up as and when required will be open to any Platform member whose expertise, experience and/or interest can make a relevant contribution to the discussion.
The reports of the working groups will be systematically shared with all members of the Platform and published on the website of the FPS FSCAE, to ensure transparency and effective collaboration, which are two pillars of the Platform.
 
The second part of the meeting focused on air purification. Although open to all, it was mainly aimed at those with an interest and/or expertise in air purification, typically scientists as well as manufacturers and importers of air purification devices.
 
A history of the regulations on air purification was presented as well as the concrete objectives of the Royal Decree on purification currently being drafted. Then, prof. Jelle Laverge took the floor to present the points of interest highlighted at this stage by the study on air purification. A number of issues were raised that require input from manufacturers and importers of air purification equipment.
 
A technical group dedicated to air purifying systems is being established. You can join by sending an email to iaq-platform@health.fgov.be with the subject line "Workgroup Air purifying systems", indicating whether you are a manufacturer, certifier or other stakeholder. This technical group will work on the analyses of the study and will try to systematically propose solutions to the existing issues.
 
Supports
Download the PPT of the presentations in French and in Dutch. 
Find all the questions asked during the meeting, and the answers given on the day and after the meeting: Q&A in French and in Dutch.
The (partial) recording of the conference is available in FR: https://youtu.be/JT4lF3BYvJc

Kick-Off Meeting of 12/10/2022

On 12 October, the Minister of Public Health and the FPS Public Health launched the Indoor Air Quality Platform. Its objective is to provide a consultation space for the stakeholders affected by this theme, which involves the health of everyone.

The platform, one of the pillars of the law on indoor air quality

The Law on Indoor Air Quality calls for the platform to prepare advice and share and exchange knowledge to support the implementation of a broad legislative framework specifically dedicated to indoor air quality.

The platform aims to host scientists and operators directly involved in improving indoor air quality in closed spaces accessible to the public. It will therefore bring together: policy-makers and experts from the relevant administrations, scientists, representatives of the sectors concerned (hospitality, culture and events, sports), and manufacturers, importers and installers of ventilation, purification and CO2 meters.

Different working groups will be created. They will focus on scientific monitoring, communication and awareness, collaboration with business sectors and economic operators, and cooperation between competent administrations. These groups will become operational as soon as the law enters into force and will be coordinated by the FPS Public Health.

Overview of current scientific knowledge

At the event, Sciensano presented the results of the AIR-CO study on the different types of pollutants present in indoor air and how the addition of outdoor air can improve indoor air quality. This study was conducted in collaboration with VITO (Flemish Institution for Technological Research).

Ventilation and Energy

Current energy costs raise many questions. The answer to the energy crisis lies in better insulation and more efficient heating systems. But increased airtightness in buildings can reduce indoor air quality. The solution is therefore to install modern, energy-efficient ventilation systems. With this type of system, most of the heat contained in the air is recovered and added to fresh air through various technical processes. These devices improve the energy efficiency of buildings without letting in too much cold outside air. Manufacturers and researchers are currently working on technological innovations that combine energy performance and improved indoor air quality and are more economical in the long term. Several types of solutions may be possible to respond to the energy crisis. These options will be examined in collaboration with the sectors concerned within the framework of the platform.

Testimonies from the field

Several sectors of activity shared their experiences. The Horeca Federation Brussels has launched a study on air purification in several establishments managed by its operators. As part of the "Here, only the film will take your breath away!" project, the Albert de Dendermonde cinema has set up a system to determine the maximum number of people allowed in a room based on the performance levels of the ventilation and purification systems.

Speaker presentations:
Minister's speech
Speech by Pierre Kerkhofs, Director General of DG Environment of FPS Public Health
AIR-CO pilot study
Energy and Ventilation
"Here, only the film will take your breath away!"

Download


The recording of the conference is available in the original version.

For more information on indoor air quality: https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/sante

Do you need help?
Get in touch via indoor-air-quality@health.fgov.be.

Do you know people who should or would like to be part of the Platform?
Communicate their contact details and the group of partners they belong to (policy makers and experts from the relevant administrations, scientists, representatives of the relevant sectors (hospitality, culture and events, sports), manufacturers, importers and installers of ventilation, air purification and air quality measurement equipment, certifiers) via the Platform secretariat: iaq-platform@health.fgov.be.