Asthma has become the most common chronic illness among children. Indoor environments appear to play a substantial role in the development of asthma. Recent studies indicate strong evidence of a causal relationship between exposure to certain indoor environmental pollutants and development and/or exacerbation of asthma in susceptible individuals. Allergens of concern include those produced by dust mites, cockroaches, cats, dogs, and molds. It is important to better understand this relationship and take preventive and corrective steps to reduce or eliminate these sources in schools, homes, and day care centers. Measures include tracking of asthma and allergic response incidents; monitoring for the presence of allergens and molds; effective cleaning procedures; prompt repair of water leaks and/or moisture problems; control of indoor relative humidity; and proper operation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Indoor air in occupied buildings is always more polluted from human‐sourced contaminants than the air outside the building. This is true for modern buildings constructed during the past decade as well as for primitive shelters erected centuries or millennia ago. It follows that a continuous source of outdoor air is required to prevent the degradation of indoor air from contaminants arising from people and their activities. This was realized historically by the inventors of roof vents for exhaust of fire smoke and by early designers of openable windows for introduction of make‐up (outdoor) air. Major sources on indoor air pollutants are discussed, i.e., microbials, allergens, volatile organic compounds, pesticides, combustion products, tobacco smoke, radon, and particulates. Sampling of these pollutants and interpretation of data are included. Varied approaches to indoor air quality studies, ventilation, protocols and guidelines, and control are discussed.

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