Aarhus University researchers contribute to EU Indoor Air Quality Summit

Researchers from Aarhus University participated in the IDEAL Cluster Summit in Brussels on 9 June 2026, contributing to discussions on improving indoor air quality across Europe, based on results from seven Horizon Europe projects. The summit, “The Air We Share: Shaping Healthier Indoor Air Quality in Europe and Beyond,” brought together scientists, policymakers and stakeholders to translate research into action.

Aarhus University was represented through the Horizon Europe project InChildHealth, with Professor Katrin Vorkamp as Principal Investigator (PI) for the AU team. Several InChildHealth partners from across Europe were also present, highlighting the project’s interdisciplinary and collaborative approach.

Both Katrin Vorkamp and Assistant Professor Paula Guedes participated as speakers in key scientific sessions. Katrin Vorkamp presented in the session on Toxicological and Health-related Aspects of Indoor Air Quality, focusing on harmful chemicals and microplastics and their role in indoor exposure and health. She emphasised that people are exposed to complex mixtures of indoor pollutants, and that current risk assessments may underestimate risks related to combined exposures and vulnerable populations.

Paula Guedes contributed to the session on Emerging Indoor Contaminants, presenting InChildHealth results on fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), a group of the highly problematic per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), measured in air in schools and homes. She emphasised the importance of harmonised sampling and analytical approaches to ensure comparable data across different indoor settings and countries, strengthening the evidence base for future policies.

“The summit clearly showed that indoor air quality is a shared European challenge. We already have strong scientific evidence, but we need coordinated approaches to better understand these complex exposures and support effective policy action” says Katrin Vorkamp.

The summit marked the outcome of four years of collaboration across seven Horizon Europe projects brought together in the IDEAL Cluster. A key message was that indoor air quality is a major public health issue, as people spend up to 90% of their time indoors, yet critical knowledge gaps remain — especially regarding emerging contaminants and long-term health effects. Further work is needed to translate research into policy and practice.