EMR Euregional Project Indoor Environment (Interreg V)

Transcription

1 EMR Euregional Project Indoor Environment (Interreg V) In search of a cross-border cooperation on and approach of the indoor environment with benefits for health in the Euregion EMR Symposium Indoor Environment november 2014, Roermond Gerard Hagen program coordinator Centre for Sustainable Environment (CSE) Environmental Research an Advisory dep. Province of Limburg Netherlands

2 Bad indoor environment or Postprandial dip?

3 Summary WHY FOCUS ON INDOOR ENVIRONMENT? INDOOR QUALITY AND HEALTH PROPOSED APPROACH COOPERATION IN THE EUREGION PROJECT PROPOSAL PLANNING AND TIMELINE CONCLUSION Discussion

4 WHY? - Health implications of air quality - Air quality outdoor: systems of standards; relatively much less focus on indoor environment - Health condition and life expectancy in the Euregion (relatively) - Research in schools: great impact on study performance - EMR region: many borders; much expertise - Costs of health-care: 5% environment related

5 Environment related disease burden in the Netherlands (2004)

6 + Relative contribution of some health related factors in the environment(rivm) Radon Ozone Dioxins Lead Benzene Formaldehyde SHS Noise PM2.5

7 + Health quality in the euregion

8 WHY? - Health implications of air quality - Air quality outdoor: systems of standards; relatively much less focus on indoor environment - Health condition and life expectancy in the Euregion (relatively) - Research in schools: impact on study performance - EMR region: many borders; much expertise - Costs of health-care: 5% environment related

9 +

10

11 + Voorbeeld AtlasLO: ziekenhuisopnames Astma

12 WHY? - Health implications of air quality - Air quality outdoor: systems of standards; relatively much less focus on indoor environment - Health condition and life expectancy in the Euregion (relatively) - Research in schools: air quality and impact on study performance - EMR region: many borders; much expertise - Costs of health-care: 5% environment related

13

14 Indoor quality and health Citizens stay indoors for about hours a day. Urban residents even up to 22 hours a day. concentrations of some contaminants are higher indoors than outdoors. for some pollutants personal exposures are not characterized adequately by outdoor measurements

15 Indoor Environment Responsible factors for the quality of indoor environment: Air Quality Indoor behaviour : smoking etc. Ventilation Humidity Radiation Pets Building materials Furnishing Use of chemicals an cleaning products Waste disposal

16 Polluting sources if the indoor climate

17 + influence factors on the indoor environment Outdoor Outdoor environmental quality Pollution, nuisance? Ventilation Indoor Maintenance/ behaviour Building Concepts mechanical natural ventilation isolation cleaning use capacity Ventilation behaviour Air quality odour sound Chemicals gases Wet rooms: kitchens Toilets, bathrooms Indoor environment Impact on health Quality molds moisture heat lighting PM, dust radiation Sustainability / C2C Low-energy Isolation level orientation Physical indoor emission sources (building) materials Furnishings: Flouring, Furniture Appliances: Electrical equipment, heaters Waste disposal Waste storage household waste cleaning products (vacuum-?) cleaning Other emissions Storage rooms: Chemicals, Cleaning products food smoking pets Soil and subsoil Waste handling Behaviour related Emission sources

18 Proposed Approach Interreg V project Crossborder Program in the EMR region Focus on: school buildings and homes Principles: use of present knowledge Better understanding of the mechanism : hazard, exposure and risk assessment Development of practical tools Focus on communication between partners and with target groups

19 Former Euregional projects PMlab: cross-border harmonization on PM IN-site: scope on existing networks à EMR Indoor Quality is a logical follow-up project

20 Targets of the EMR project (1) SHARING KNOWLEDGE: FIELD EXPLORATION of the indoor environmental quality, problems and present caretaking of the scientific knowledge and practical experience in de Euregion determinating gaps in knowledge Establishing a (digital) knowledge platform TOOL DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION Building of a uniform risk assessment tool: that can be used by professionals that can promote better judgement, prioritizing and focus on possible solutions with focus on knowledge but especially on tools and communication Implementation in practice Evaluation

21 Targets of the EMR project (2) NETWORK AND COOPERATION Building a knowledge network on indoor environment in the Euregion Sharing and integration of knowledge and experiences Establishing a sustainable cooperation network PUBLIC HEALTH Inproving the health of scholars and citizens in the Euregion by improving indoor environmental quality

22 + EMR Project: playing field Government Focus / Strategy Public policies Knowledge Experts Partnership EMR Indoor environment Environment Target Groups Quality Practice Projects Healthcare

23 Needed Expertise Management project, coordina1on Interreg Public Health - Risk assessment and Communica1on Risk Management policy based and technical based (healthy buildings) Environmental Monitoring (Indoor and Outdoor Air) Toxicological Monitoring Biomonitoring and Epidemiological Monitoring

24 Potential Partners Potential partners Province Limburg (Netherlands) University hospital Aachen (Germany) AirUmwelt GmbH (Germany) Province of Liege (Belgium) University Hasselt (Belgium) ISSEP (Belgium, Wallonie) Verbraucherschutz (Belgium, Eupen) Gesundheitsamt Städteregion Aachen (Germany) GGD Zuid Limburg (Netherlands) LOGO Hasselt (Belgium) AURA (Bezirk Koln, Germany) WHO RIVM

25 + EMR-project: Phasing Evaluation Priorities Opportunities Procedures Methods Knowledge & Experience Practical Approach Field Exploration EMR: Healthy Environment Project Implementation Networks Cooperation Knowledge Portal Best practices Sharing Knowledge Gap analysis Practical Approach Development Tools Do s and Don ts Risk Mechanism and Effects

26 + TIMELINE EMR Indoor Environment Project START (3 years) FINISH PROJECT PROPOSAL Organising initial network EMR Shared vision/ objectives Project organisation Draft application Interreg Interreg lobby Formal application Approval FIELD EXPLORATION Assessment of existing knowledge and practices PRACTICAL APPROACH DEVELOPMENT Integration of knowledge Practical approach development Establishing knowledge portal Tool development IMPLEMENTATION Handbooks, methods Communication EVALUATION and follow-up Results Recommendations Establishing sustainable cooperation network

27 + Risk factors EMR project Organizational differences Differences in approach Language Distance/borders Differences in legislation Differences in priorities..

28 + Conclusions There seems to be an inadequate focus on indoor environmental quality compared to outdoor environment Health risks may be considerable, especially in the EMR region Knowledge available in the Euregion can be used to build better assessment tools Better crossborder cooperation, with focus on knowledge, tools and communication Costs of healthcare may be reduced The EMR Interreg indoor environment project wants to initiate a sustainable cooperation in the Euregion: gather and evaluate knowledge and best practices and build a sustainable cooperation network to develop a practical approach to the indoor environment in order to reduce health risks involved

29 + the importance of a good indoor environment... Our Christopher goes to the school with the best teachers! Our Susan goes to the school with the best indoor climate

30 +

31 Preparatory Phases

32 Working groups and relations

33 + Conclusions Although official efforts to control air pollution have traditionally focused on outdoor air, it is now apparent that elevated contaminant concentrations are common inside some private and public buildings. Concerns about potential public health problems due to indoor air pollution are based on evidence that urban residents typically spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors, concentrations of some contaminants are higher indoors than outdoors, and for some pollutants personal exposures are not characterized adequately by outdoor measurements. Among the more important indoor contaminants associated with health or irritation effects are passive tobacco smoke, radon decay products, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, asbestos fibers, microorganisms, and aeroallergens. Efforts to assess health risks associated with indoor air pollution are limited by insufficient information about the number of people exposed, the pattern and severity of exposures, and the health consequences of exposures. An overall strategy should be developed to investigate indoor exposures, health effects, control options, and public policy alternatives.

34 Indoor Quality and health What do we know? Influencing factors Effects on health Actual Gaps in/spread in knowledge

35 Why? Euregional Air Quality legislation ans policies focus on outdoors: European legislation: national systems of standards Pmlab: example of cooperation in the Euregion (awardwinning) Health conditions in the Euregion Implications of indoor environmental quality on health