Gary Adamkiewicz, Ph.D., who directed one of the projects for the Center for Research on Environmental and Social Stressors in Housing Across the Life Course (CRESSH) works with community groups in Massachusetts to reduce housing-related exposures disparities.

“We know that 90% of our time is spent indoors, and a big fraction of that is spent at home,” he explained. “So why not start there when trying to create better environments?”

Exposures within the home, such as gas stoves that emit nitrogen dioxide and chemical released from building materials, contribute to poor air quality and health. On top of that, housing attributes, like home size and ventilation, also influence indoor air quality.

“In our research we consider all these factors to get a complete picture of how an individual’s housing may shape their health – and then we work to reduce those exposures,” said Adamkiewicz.

To learn more about Aamkiewicz’s NIEHS research, see this Partnerships for Environmental Public Health Grantee Highlight.