This paper provides meta‐analyses of the published findings relating the respiratory health of occupants of schools with visible dampness, water damage, visible mold, and/or mold odor. Random effects models were used to develop central estimates and confidence limits for the associations of respiratory health effects with school dampness and mold. Eleven studies, all with cross‐sectional designs, were included in the meta‐analyses; however, analyses for some health outcomes were based on as few as four studies. Analyses were performed using data from adults and children combined, using only data from children, and using data from adults and children after excluding two studies. The central estimates of odds ratios from the meta‐analyses were consistently above unity. The evidence of adverse health effects was strongest for cough and wheeze, which had confidence limits excluding unity in some or all analyses. The odds ratios of 1.32 for cough and 1.68 for wheeze suggest moderate increases in health risk. Studies not included in the meta‐analyses provide additional evidence that dampness and mold in schools are associated with adverse health outcomes. These meta‐analyses and the published literature not included in the meta‐analyses suggest that dampness and mold in schools are associated with adverse respiratory health effects.

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The California building code requires all new or renovated residential dwelling units to have kitchen exhaust ventilation to manage air pollutants and moisture generated during cooking. Current performance requirements are specified as a minimum airflow and maximum sound level. This report presents an analysis to support consideration of adding a capture efficiency requirement to the code. The analysis uses a physics-based simulation model to calculate air pollutant concentrations in homes that result from cooking and the inflow of outdoor air, mediated by loss and removal process including deposition, dwelling unit ventilation, and the use of a range hood with varying levels of capture efficiency. Calculated pollutant concentrations are compared to relevant, health-based guidelines. The analysis considers the highest 1-hour concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which is a product of natural gas combustion and the highest 24-hour concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) which is emitted in substantial quantities from frying, broiling and grilling among other cooking activities. For NO2, the analysis considers cooking of a dinner for 3-4 persons consisting of pasta, meat sauce, a parboiled vegetable, and baked garlic bread. For PM2.5, the analysis considers a day in which breakfast emitted particles at the 80 th percentile and lunch and dinner entailed particle emissions at the 50 th percentile of cooking emission events reported in the literature. Model simulations were performed to determine the level of range hood capture efficiency that will allow these cooking scenarios to occur in the vast majority (>99%) of new homes being built in California while maintaining pollutant concentrations below the health-based guidelines, if the range hood is used throughout cooking. All homes were assumed to have dwelling unit ventilation at the rate required in the building code. Simulation model input parameters were specified using a Monte Carlo approach to represent a range of housing characteristics, outdoor conditions, and indoor pollutant dynamics. Simulation results suggest that requiring a minimum capture efficiency of at least 70% is needed to avoid unacceptably high NO2 (1-h average concentration of 100 ppb or higher) and at least 60% to avoid unacceptably high PM2.5 (24-h average of 25 g/m 3 or higher). These results were driven by multi-family homes, which have a smaller volume of air to dilute any pollutants not captured and removed at the cooking area, resulting in higher concentrations.

The clean energy transition is underway, providing valuable insights for governments introducing clean energy policies. However, not all policies are equal, and some communities are excluded from the benefits of the energy transition without policies that explicitly involve them. These excluded people are members of environmental justice communities, people from low-income communities, and others who have been historically discriminated against. We propose a “clean energy equity toolkit” to promote an equitable transition for U.S. state governments presented to the leadership of the National Governors Association, where state governments share best practices. This toolkit identifies policies that help more people reap lower electricity costs, gain access to clean energy jobs, and realize other benefits like improved air quality. We recommend three policies: (1) establish a Clean Energy Equity Office, (2) develop a Clean Energy Career Advancement Program, and (3) implement a minimum resource investment requirement for clean energy projects benefiting disadvantaged communities. Though this toolkit is directed to U.S. state governments, the policies can be adapted by other interested parties and states, domestic and international.