A newly developed tool, the RESET Safer Air Accessibility Index (RSAAI), is designed to assist individuals in comprehending the air they inhale indoors.
Alongside RESET and the Safer Air Project, we’re creating a clearer way for people to understand the air they’re sharing, and for institutions to be accountable for making it safer.”— Tarz Ludwigsen, CEO of Public Health Action NetworkDOVER, DE, UNITED STATES, September 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Public Health Action Network (PHAN), RESET, and the Safer Air Project today announced an international collaboration to build the RESET Safer Air Accessibility Index (RSAAI), a new tool to make the safety of indoor air, including the air cleaning technology in use, visible for the first time.
The quality of indoor air represents a pressing public health concern. Many airborne pathogens and pollutants exist, and human exposure predominantly occurs within enclosed spaces that frequently lack adequate or appropriate ventilation. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, poor indoor air quality is an environmental risk factor that can worsen health outcomes, reduce productivity, and raise building maintenance costs along with other building-related expenses. Nevertheless, the quality of indoor air remains largely unnoticed by those breathing it, despite its significant impact on health, well-being, and productivity.
“Too often, people are asked to make decisions about indoor risk with almost no useful information,” said Tarz Ludwigsen, CEO, Public Health Action Network. “That has to change. PHAN’s work is rooted in prevention and evidenced based information, and supporting the RSAAI is a direct investment in making risk visible and actionable so people can protect their own health. Alongside RESET and Safer Air Project, we’re creating a clearer way for people to understand the air they’re sharing, and for institutions to be accountable for making it safer.”
“We spend around 90 per cent of our time indoors. That means most of our exposure to airborne infections and indoor pollutants happens in the buildings we live, learn, work, and heal in,” said Plum Stone, CEO and Founder, Safer Air Project. “The RSAAI is designed to make that information visible and easy to understand, so people can make informed decisions about the places where they spend time.”
Despite the health risks tied to exposure to poor indoor air, there is currently no straightforward method for anyone to determine whether the air in a given room is safe to breathe. Measuring parameters like carbon dioxide (CO2) levels can offer a useful proxy for ventilation rates and infection risk, but once air cleaning technologies are added to a space, CO2 alone only tells part of the story. The RSAAI aims to close that information gap with a single score combining every layer of protection in a space ̶ natural and mechanical ventilation, filtration, portable air cleaners, and air disinfection technologies ̶ showing how much safer a room is than an unventilated baseline.
“Buildings are becoming increasingly sophisticated in how they clean indoor air, but the information available to occupants has not kept pace. Our role is to develop transparent, data-driven methods that translate complex building performance into information people can easily understand and trust. The RSAAI builds on RESET’s experience in continuous performance measurement to create a common framework for communicating how accessible healthy indoor air is within a space,” said Stanton Wong, Executive Director, RESET Standard.
The RSAAI will be developed through a collaboration between Public Health Action Network, RESET, and the Safer Air Project, bringing together expertise in indoor air quality, lived experience, public health, and building performance, and building on RESET’s existing Viral Index framework for measuring airborne infection risk.
This initiative reflects a shared dedication among the three organizations to treat clean indoor air as a matter of environmental accessibility, acknowledging that cleaner indoor air can lower health risks and make shared spaces safer and more inclusive for all.
Media inquiries:
Journalists and media representatives seeking comments or details regarding the project should reach out to Tarz Ludwigsen via email: press@phan.global
About Public Health Action Network
Public Health Action Network (PHAN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity committed to consolidating and expanding the reach of diverse global public health efforts. Its mission involves protecting public health by improving air quality, advocating for evidence-based prevention strategies against COVID-19 and airborne pathogens, and empowering communities via education and advocacy. The organization strives to lessen the impact of airborne pollutants and infectious diseases by promoting widespread adoption of filtration systems, supporting mask usage, and sharing scientifically grounded information on the long-term harm caused by COVID-19, other pathogens, and the effectiveness of clean air.
About Safer Air Project
The Safer Air Project is an Australian charity advocating for indoor air quality as a critical accessibility and inclusion issue for individuals living with chronic health conditions. Its vision is to create a world where everyone can breathe safely indoors, ensuring healthy and inclusive environments for all.
About RESET Standard
