Indoor Environments
People in the United States spend 80-90 percent of their time indoors, and the quality of the indoor environment can have a direct impact on the health, productivity and well-being of building occupants — school children and teachers, office workers, and families at home. In the absence of a comprehensive federal regulatory program, state, local and tribal governments play leading roles in establishing policies and programs to protect the indoor environment. ELI’s indoor environments program conducts research and analysis designed to help strengthen these policies and programs, provides outreach and assistance in advancing IAQ law and policy, and convenes stakeholders to educate and encourage collaborative efforts to improve the indoor environment.
Green Buildings
The construction and renovation of buildings has an enormous impact on public health and the environment — from siting to the selection of construction materials and the design of systems that use energy and other natural resources. While much progress has been made to improve building practices, more work is needed to ensure that environmental and public health considerations are incorporated routinely in the design and construction process. These changes will come about through the efforts of all sectors: the industry itself, the public and governmental institutions. The role of government is vital to moving forward in this arena, and state officials and legislators have begun to take significant action. ELI is uniquely positioned to advance public policy initiatives by building on our extensive programs addressing indoor air quality, natural resource protection and sustainable land use.
Much of ELI’s work in this area has focused on schools, and the Institute is currently conducting research on municipal green building policies adressing private sector development. Through comprehensive policy research and a program of education and technical assistance, ELI provides decision makers and the public with the information they need to create public policies and programs that chart a new course for sustainability in the built environment.
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