Personal exposure to air pollutants during everyday activities of hybrid office workers in the UK

Bourikas, L. and Rangel, A.M. and Goldthorpe, J. (2023) Personal exposure to air pollutants during everyday activities of hybrid office workers in the UK. In: 17th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, INDOOR AIR 2022 :. UNSPECIFIED, FIN. ISBN 9781713871811

Abstract

Hybrid working and a change in transport behaviour raise the question of what are the new patterns of personal exposure to indoor air pollution during commuting and typical daily activities. This pilot study discusses the results from IAQ monitoring during long commute transects by train and car and during working remotely from home and in the office. The aim is to investigate exposure patterns to air pollutants and identify spot events of high exposure. The initial results present the NO2 exposure in relation to the duration of commuting and workday. The findings discuss air quality-related risks to hybrid workers' health due to cumulative, long-term exposure. The paper concludes that often, people's workplace is not the main cause of exposure. Building design, neighbourhood, and town planning are necessary to provide good outdoor and indoor air quality both at home and office.