Research Reports, Policy Briefs, and Other Materials

Policy Briefs 

Policy briefs provide background and highlight state policy examples on various IAQ topics. Briefs are have been updated periodically to reflect new developments.  

Legionella Management in Building Water Systems describes federal, state, and local policies that establish requirements for water management plans and programs to control Legionella and other waterborne pathogens in building water systems. 

Indoor Chemical Exposures: Identifying and Regulating Priority Chemicals describes state laws that have established regulatory frameworks for identifying, prioritizing, and regulating chemicals of concern in products. 

Indoor Air Quality in Rental Dwellings highlights laws adopted by states that address tenants’ exposure to three indoor pollutants—radon, mold, and secondhand smoke.  

Radon Control in New Home Construction describes state policies that require radon control practices in  new residential construction. 

Green Cleaning in Schools covers state laws that advance the use of green cleaning products and practices in schools in order to reduce chemical exposures for students and staff. 

Indoor Air Quality in Nail Salons highlights state laws and regulations that address the potential health risks from exposure to chemicals commonly used in nail salons. 

Air Quality in Indoor Ice Arenas highlights state laws and regulations that establish IAQ standards and requirements for ice arenas aimed at controlling emissions from equipment used inside the facilities.  

Healthy, High Performance School Construction lists a number of state laws that require and promote green school construction. 

Research Reports 

Research reports provide in-depth research and analysis on policy strategies for addressing key indoor air risks. The reports discuss state policies in effect as of the date of publication.  

Wildfire Smoke: State Policies for Reducing Indoor Exposure (2024) reviews recent state policies and programs for reducing indoor wildfire smoke exposure in homes, schools, and other buildings. 

Ventilation in Schools: A Review of State Policy Strategies (2023) discusses state policies that address ventilation and filtration in existing school facilities. A companion paper, State Funding for School Ventilation: A Review of State Policies, 2020-2022, describes in more detail policies that provide funding for school ventilation measures. 

Radon in Child Care: Review of State Policies (2021) provides an overview of state policies that require radon testing and mitigation in licensed child care facilities. 

Reducing Exposure to Cooking Pollutants: Policies and Practices to Improve Air Quality in Homes (2021) discusses policies and programs that protect public health by reducing indoor exposure to pollutants produced by cooking. 

Indoor Wood Burning: Policies to Reduce Emissions and Improve Public Health (2021) analyzes policies and programs to reduce indoor exposure to emissions from residential wood-burning devices. 

Reducing Indoor Exposure to Particle Pollution from Outdoor Sources: Policies and Programs for Improving Air Quality in Homes (2020) discusses policy and program opportunities for advancing high-efficiency filtration and other strategies to reduce indoor exposure to particulate matter from outdoor sources, in both new and existing homes.  

Federal, State, and Local Policies Addressing Chemical Emissions from Dry Cleaners: Opportunities for Reducing Exposure at Child Care Facilities (2020) describes policies for reducing the potential health risks posed by the use of perchloroethylene at dry cleaners, with a focus on limiting exposures at nearby child care facilities and other sensitive land uses. 

Funding for Environmental Assessment and Remediation at Child Care Facilities: A Review of Selected Resources (2019) highlights some of the federal, state, and non-governmental funding sources that are potentially available to help child care programs mitigate environmental site hazards at their facilities. 

Addressing Environmental Site Hazards at Child Care Facilities: A Review of State Policy Strategies (2018) provides an overview of existing state laws, regulations, and voluntary initiatives for preventing and addressing exposure to environmental site hazards at licensed child care facilities. 

Indoor Air Quality Guide for Tenants (2017) describes common IAQ problems in homes, explains what laws might apply to IAQ conditions in rental properties, and suggests where tenants can look for more information and for assistance resolving IAQ problems. 

Indoor Air Quality in Homes: State Policies for Improving Health Now and Addressing Future Risks in a Changing Climate (2016) reviews state policies and programs addressing three residential IAQ issues that are significant now and may be further impacted by a changing climate: wildfire smoke; dampness and mold; and the IAQ impacts of energy efficiency retrofits. 

Addressing Indoor Air Quality in School Energy Efficiency Upgrades: Review of Selected State Policies (2016) describes state laws and regulations that facilitate consideration of IAQ goals in school energy retrofits, focusing on three areas of policy: state funding for facility upgrades, energy savings performance contracts, and control of indoor contaminants during renovation. 

Reducing Environmental Exposures in Child Care Facilities (2015) provides an overview of how state policies across the U.S. address 10 different indoor environmental issues in the child care setting. 

Drinking Water Quality in Child Care Facilities (2015) describes provisions in state laws and regulations for ensuring the safety of drinking water in child care facilities, with a focus on facilities served by private wells. 

Radon in Homes: Strengthening State Policy to Reduce Risk and Save Lives (2012) provides an overview of state radon policies, highlighting several key policy strategies that are important for reducing radon exposure in homes 

Municipal Green Building Policies: Strategies for Transforming Building Practices in the Private Sector (2008) reviews more than 30 municipal policies that aim to advance green building in the private sector by establishing requirements or incentives for sustainable building practices. 

School District Liability for Indoor Air Quality Conditions (2005) analyzes legal issues that arise in IAQ-related claims brought against public school districts by parents or school staff in three areas of the law: state workers’ compensation schemes; common law tort; and federal disability rights/non-discrimination statutes. 

School Districts Building Healthy, High Performance Schools: Summaries of Selected Initiatives (2005) provides summaries of nine school districts that developed high performance school building initiatives aimed at integrating a broad range of environmental and health goals into their school construction programs. 

Building Healthy, High Performance Schools: A Review of Selected State and Local Initiatives (2003) offers a detailed review of selected policies, programs, and practices adopted by states and school districts to incorporate a high performance approach to school planning, design, and construction. 

State and Local Indoor Air Quality Programs: Five Case Studies (1997) provides an overview of early IAQ programs in four states and one local government – California, Florida, Minnesota, Vermont, and Montgomery County (Maryland). The report describes the agencies involved, the key factors affecting development of the programs, and the types of program activities they implemented. 

Radon in Rental Housing: Legal and Policy Strategies for Reducing Health Risks (1994) discusses a wide range of options for addressing the unique legal and policy challenges posed by the problem of radon in rental housing.