Advancing indoor environmental quality in African countries: A call to action for awareness, research, and policy

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Résumé

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), including indoor air quality (IAQ), thermal comfort, lighting, and noise, is a critical determinant of health, well-being, and productivity. However, African countries remain underrepresented in IEQ research, policy, and advocacy, despite facing unique challenges such as energy poverty, reliance on biomass fuels, inadequate building practices, poor ventilation, overheating, inadequate lighting, and pervasive noise pollution. These conditions increase health risks and compromise learning, working, and living environments. This paper highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to IEQ in Africa, addressing not only indoor air pollution but also thermal discomfort from rising temperatures, insufficient indoor lighting, and chronic exposure to harmful noise levels. It introduces the "Promoting IEQ and IAQ in Africa" initiative launched by the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (ISIAQ), which aims to foster research collaboration, raise awareness, support context-specific solutions, and influence policy development tailored to Africa’s diverse climates and socio-economic realities. By aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this initiative advocates healthier and more sustainable indoor environments across the continent. This paper serves as a call to action for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to work together to advance IEQ research, innovation, and advocacy for African communities. • Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) studies are underrepresented in African research, despite their major impacts on health, learning, and productivity. • Unique regional challenges such as energy poverty, biomass reliance, and poor infrastructure demand context-specific IEQ solutions in Africa. • A comprehensive approach to IEQ in Africa must simultaneously address indoor air quality, thermal comfort, lighting, and noise. • There is an urgent need for studies on scalable, cost-effective IEQ solutions using locally available materials tailored to Africa’s diverse climates. • The ISIAQ Innovation Network's ‘Promoting IEQ/IAQ in Africa’ initiative calls on researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to collaborate for lasting impact.

Mots-clés

Indoor air quality, Environmental quality, Work (physics), Sustainable development, Air quality index, Thermal comfort, Call to action, Sustainability, Compromise