About INGENIOUS
Understanding the sources, transformations and fates of indoor air pollutants
Why do we need to understand indoor air pollution?
In the UK most of us spend about 90% of our time indoors, but almost all efforts to reduce air pollution focus on the outdoors. Unfortunately, the air inside our homes, schools and workplaces can also be polluted. Indoor air pollution comes in many forms, from gases, like carbon monoxide, to particulate matter such as dust and soot. Breathing in these particles and gases is bad for our health and poor indoor air quality has been linked to lung diseases including asthma and cancer.
Who we are
A team of scientists from four universities, led by the University of York, are working together with the internationally recognised Born In Bradford (BiB) study. The team includes specialists in environmental, social, medical, engineering, economic, and health issues, from the University of York (including the York centre of the Stockholm Environment Institute), University of Manchester, University of Cambridge and University of Sheffield.
Where we are working
The project will focus on homes in the city of Bradford, which, like many other parts of the UK, is affected by poor air quality. Bradford has a multi-ethnic population and high levels of deprivation, with some of the highest childhood illness rates in the UK.
We are fortunate to work with the Born In Bradford (BiB) study – a long-term health research study tracking the lives of over 30,000 Bradfordians to find out what keeps families healthy and happy.
What we are doing
The INGENIOUS project will quantify and identify:
the composition and concentrations of air pollutants within indoor spaces, such as those from cooking and cleaning;
how air pollutants react chemically and transform over time, including when different air pollutants mix;
how air pollutants from indoor air sources affect outdoor air quality and vice versa;
how different household behaviours affect the production of and exposure to air pollutants and how this affects health outcomes and inequalities;
which behaviour change interventions are most effective at reducing exposure to indoor air pollution; and
which recommendations to take forward as policy solutions.
Our funding
The INGENIOUS project is funded through a £2.9 million grant from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The project will run 2021 - 2025.