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Indoor air has been ranked as one of the top five environmental risks to public health. In response to this growing issue registration has begun for ISIAQ's signature conference, bringing together 1,000 to 1,500 professionals from around the world to discuss built environments and how to make them healthier, more productive, and more sustainable places to live, work, and learn.

This international meeting, will provide a forum for exchange of leading research and technology developments, a unique opportunity to share information on innovative products and services, and an extraordinary venue to network with national and global leaders and professionals in the fields of indoor air quality and healthy built environments.

To register for Healthy Buildings 2009 please go to http://www.hb2009.org/home

The number of employees who are experiencing health issues from the indoor air they breathe appears to be growing during the economic downturn. The health friendly air programme which tests indoor breathing environments in homes and business has experienced an unexpected upturn courtesy of the economic downturn.

As workers suffer rising stress over redundancies, pay-cuts, and tax hikes, diseases of the respiratory system and allergic reactions are flaring. In a large number of cases, we are finding that an increase in indoor pollutants is being caused by poorly operated and maintained heating and air conditioning units.

health friendly air were asked by the Asthma Society of Ireland to contribute to the cover story "Air Demons" in the Spring/Summer Edition of their publication magazine "Asthma News". As providers of specialist indoor air testing and consultancy services for workplaces, retail outlets, hospitals, schools and homes we were delighted assist the Society and their members.

The article provided advice on how to tackle and control indoor air pollutants such as mould, volatile organic compounds, dust mites, radon and carbon monoxide. It advised members on how to control these exposures and advised if they suspected indoor air quality problems, that testing can be carried out to identify contaminants, determine their levels and to provide advice on how to erase or minimise these pollutants.

Ruairi has responsibility for the occupational hygiene and workplace environmental monitoring for the health friendly air™ programme. With his team, he develops and delivers tailored quality sampling strategies for the occupational setting. Ruairí is a science graduate from the National University of Ireland Galway, with a further Higher Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety. He has also completed postgraduate study in the U.K. by completing a postgraduate diploma in Occupational Hygiene from the University of Manchester and is now completing an MSc.