Invisible Indoor Air Pollutants: NSYSU Leads Action to Safeguard Campus Health

From classrooms to libraries, are we really breathing air—or silent health alarms? Studies show that people spend nearly 80–90% of their time indoors, and around seven million people worldwide die prematurely each year due to air pollution. Alarmingly, indoor pollution accounts for more deaths than outdoor pollution, and over 90% of respiratory viral infections occur indoors. To raise public awareness of this invisible yet far-reaching health threat, the Aerosol Science Research Center (ASRC) and the Institute of Environmental Engineering at National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) joined hands with the Taiwan Indoor Environment Quality Management Association to host the southern session of the "7th Air Quality Week"—the "Forum on Improving Indoor Air Quality in K–12 Schools and Educational Environments." The event brought together representatives from industry, government, academia, research, and NGOs to design a blueprint for improving indoor air quality starting from schools.

"We often think we're safer indoors, but that's where the real risks lie," said Professor Chia C. Wang, Director of NSYSU's ASRC. She emphasized that over 90% of airborne viral respiratory infections occur indoors, highlighting the urgent need to improve indoor air quality. Air pollution, she warned, can impair children's intellectual development, learning, attention, memory, and emotional regulation. Influenza, which frequently causes school outbreaks, spreads through the air, while gastrointestinal viruses such as norovirus can also become airborne through aerosolized vomit or fecal matter—issues that require stronger preventive measures from relevant authorities.

Distinguished Professor Chung-Hsin Yuan from NSYSU's Institute of Environmental Engineering shared research findings based on analyses of classrooms, offices, and libraries across more than 60 K–12 schools. Drawing on his prior experience as a local Environmental Protection Bureau Director, he proposed practical strategies for improving indoor air quality in school environments.

Professor Che-Ming Chiang from the Department of Architecture at National Cheng Kung University delivered a talk titled "The Future of Indoor Air Quality Policy and ESG," emphasizing the importance of breathable green buildings and sustainable campuses—from source control of green materials to healthy ventilation design and human-centered building science. A teaching team from Wun-Fu Elementary School in Kaohsiung, including teachers Chiung-Yi Hsieh, Pei-Wen Lin, and Hui-Ju Chen, shared their hands-on experiences guiding students as "air quality little volunteers" through inquiry-based experiments, nurturing awareness and learning pathways in air quality science. Dr. Ying-Yi Tsai, Director of the Indoor Air Quality Research and Service Center at Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, discussed the government's role and challenges in implementing the Indoor Air Quality Act, presenting case studies on how new ventilation systems have improved air quality in schools.

Dr. Jen-Hsiung Cheng, Honorary President of the Taiwan Indoor Environment Quality Management Association, expressed hope that the forum would unite the strength of industry, government, academia, research, and civil society to jointly advance indoor air quality policies, safeguard public health, and establish an ecosystem for related industries that benefits all stakeholders. Lin Po-Chiao, Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Education, thanked NSYSU's ASRC for its long-term dedication to aerosol research, public air quality education, and international collaboration in protecting air quality. Environmental Protection Administration Specialist Jen-Shuo Hsieh shared updates on the ministry's recent cross-ministerial collaboration with the Ministry of Education to build a "Campus Air Quality Protection Network for Children and Youth." The event concluded with a performance of Formosa Mambo by about 60 children from NSYSU's affiliated kindergarten, symbolizing the next generation's hope for clean and healthy learning environments.