Indoor Air 2026 concluded this week in Singapore, bringing together researchers, scientists, engineers, and policymakers from 47 countries across four days and more than 860 presented papers. It was a landmark week for indoor air quality science, and for the iAIR Institute, it was a landmark week in another sense too.
Signing the Global Pledge for Healthy Indoor Air
At the Global Pledge ceremony, convened by ASHRAE, ISIAQ, and Air Club, the iAIR Institute became a signatory to the Global Pledge for Healthy Indoor Air. We joined over 250 organisations from government, public health, research, industry, and civil society in a collective commitment to healthier indoor environments worldwide.
We are proud to be the first Irish entity to sign this landmark pledge. It is a commitment that reflects everything the iAIR Institute was established to do: connect rigorous science with the built environment, and translate research into standards, education, and real-world outcomes for the buildings and people who occupy them.
New Research from the iAIR Group: HVAC Duct Cleaning and Indoor Air Quality
Also at Indoor Air 2026, Airmid Healthgroup CEO Dr. John Ryan presented new research conducted in partnership with the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), investigating the effect of professional HVAC duct cleaning and maintenance on particulate matter, bacteria, mould, and allergens.
HVAC systems are central to indoor air distribution, yet ducts can accumulate contaminants over time. This study examined whether professional cleaning and maintenance produces measurable, real-world improvements across those categories. The response from the scientific community in Singapore was encouraging, and further findings will be shared in the weeks ahead.
The Science Is Speaking Clearly
Across four days of sessions, one theme cut through the breadth of the scientific programme: the continuing need to prevent the ingress, circulation, and spread of pathogens and infectious agents in the spaces where people work, sleep, eat, and come together. Prevention is the priority, and the technologies and treatments that support those efforts are more important than ever.
This is precisely the territory the iAIR Institute exists to advance. The science presented in Singapore only reinforces the urgency and the opportunity.
The Conversation Continues
The momentum from Singapore carries forward directly. iAIR Institute Principal Dr. John McKeon will be continuing this conversation at the upcoming ASHRAE Annual Conference, exploring what the science means for how we design, operate, and certify the spaces around us.
Irish science and research, making an impact on the world stage. We look forward to what comes next.