Genotoxic properties of IAQ contaminants and implications for building systainability assesment

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is a fundamental aspect of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) that significantly impacts occupant health, well-being, and productivity. Given that people spend most of their time indoors, ensuring adequate IAQ is essential for both energy efficiency and long-term health. Poor IAQ and prolonged exposure to genotoxic substances has been linked to respiratory diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and other adverse effects, making it a critical factor in sustainable building design. As a key criterion in green certification schemes such as DGNB, IAQ plays a crucial role in determining a building’s sustainability performance and reinforcing it as a priority in sustainable building practices. Among the most concerning indoor pollutants are genotoxic compounds originating from construction materials, furnishings, surface coatings, and maintenance products – VOCs, from paints, cleaning agents and office equipment, PAHs which have been detected in indoor dust, PFAS, often referred to as "forever chemicals," from coatings, electronics, and other household and industrial products and PBDEs (flame retardants) from furnishings. The prolonged presence of these contaminants highlights the need for more effective mitigation strategies. To address these challenges, sustainable building practices emphasize the selection of low-emission materials and the implementation of advanced ventilation systems. A comprehensive assessment of IAQ within sustainability frameworks is crucial for minimizing health risks and ensuring a high standard of IEQ. This paper examines the genotoxic potential of IAQ contaminants and their implications for sustainability assessments, highlighting the importance of integrating robust air quality management measures into building certification processes as well as showcasing new principles such as biophilic design to filter airborne pollutants to bridge the gap between energy efficiency and occupant health and leveraging green building strategies, to achieve healthier, more sustainable indoor environments.