The Respiratory Group and the Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh formed the Scottish Centre for Indoor Air (SCIA) in 2009. This collaboration builds upon many years of joint working on research into exposure to chemicals in indoor air in both domestic and occupational environments.
The SCIA involves a team of scientists with expertise in exposure assessment, modelling, chemical analysis and evaluation of health outcomes. We have experience of working closely with policy makers and a broad spectrum of stake-holders with an interest in the effects of indoor air pollution. In particular, we have played an important role in much of the recent evaluation of the effects of smoke-free legislation introduced in Scotland, England and other countries.
Our work also extends to research looking at the much higher concentrations of indoor air pollutants found in homes using biomass fuels across many less economically developed countries and our experience has been used in studies in Uganda, Nepal, India and Malawi.
The SCIA has an active program of research currently focussed on secondhand smoke exposure in the workplace and within the home and car, and on the health effects of exposure to biomass fuel smoke in homes with poor ventilation.