Comfort Ventilation: A Binding Standard for Indoor Air Quality

The D-A-CH group (D – Germany, A – Austria, CH – Switzerland) of HVAC experts has been meeting every autumn since 2010 to exchange knowledge and insights. This year’s conference took place on 8–9 October in Lustenau, Austria, bringing together 33 professionals from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The main topic was comfort ventilation and its essential role in ensuring healthy indoor air. After all, clean air is a basic human right.

As a company committed to improving air quality, Marquis Intelligence considers it its responsibility to keep the community informed about new developments and significant professional initiatives in the field of comfort ventilation and air purification – including this conference.

Why? For Marquis Intelligence, turnkey comfort ventilation for homes and apartments is a cornerstone of its business. Through tailored air purification aligned with user needs and preferences, Marquis Intelligence delivers optimal indoor air quality combined with energy efficiency.

>> See also: Mini Case Study: Apartment Ventilation in Belgrade
>> See also: Home and Apartment Ventilation by Marquis Intelligence

Why is Indoor Air Quality a Central Topic?

Globally, more and more attention is given to outdoor air pollution.
The World Health Organization warns that only a small fraction of the world’s population lives in areas where the air is considered safe to breathe.
Most people inhale polluted air every day.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air is often two to five times more polluted than outdoor air.

It is therefore unsurprising that the D-A-CH conference focused on indoor air quality and the role of comfort ventilation in achieving it.

Outdated Standards: A Harvard Example

At a panel held last year at Harvard University, Professor Joseph Allen highlighted the severe obsolescence of existing regulations. The current U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard still allows particulate matter concentrations of up to 5,000 µg/m³ in workplaces. That is approximately 500 times higher than the 9 µg/m³ limit set by the EPA for PM2.5 particles in outdoor air.

You can read more about this panel, which Marquis Intelligence followed live online, in an earlier blog post.

>> See also: How Air Pollution Affects Our Brains

This example clearly shows that many countries’ existing indoor air quality standards are outdated and inadequate. Redefining them in line with modern scientific understanding is therefore essential.

Technologies for comfort ventilation and air purification already exist. However, current regulations do not mandate their use. In other words, we have the solutions but not the obligation to implement them.

Topics of the D-A-CH 2025 Meeting

Over the two-day conference, a wide range of topics were discussed. Here are some of them:

• Comfort ventilation and energy efficiency.
• Analysis of CO₂ measurements in classrooms.
• Solutions for improving indoor air quality.
• Life-cycle-based sustainability assessment.

Demands of the Resolution

According to the report by cci Dialog GmbH (D-A-CH-Treffen Komfortlüftung: Forderung nach verbindlichen Raumluft-Standards – cci Dialog GmbH), the signatories of the D-A-CH resolution call for the following:

1. Legally defined minimum indoor air quality standards for all buildings where people spend extended periods of time.
2. Integration of air quality targets into building regulations.
3.  Subsidy programmes and investment incentives for healthy and energy-efficient building technologies.
4. Raising public awareness of the importance of healthy indoor air.

Ensuring air quality in spaces where people spend about 90% of their lives must become a fundamental requirement for health, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

Preamble of the D-A-CH Resolution

The preamble of the D-A-CH resolution is crucial. It provides the scientific, health, and social foundation for the entire document.

It reminds us that poor indoor air quality threatens health, productivity, and cognitive abilities worldwide.

The United Nations and the World Health Organization recognise clean air as a basic human right.

The new European regulation (EPBD 2024) links energy efficiency with user health and comfort.

Particular attention must be paid to protecting children and young people. Their learning performance directly depends on the air they breathe.

These facts form the basis of the joint appeal by D-A-CH conference participants.

The D-A-CH Conference Appeal

“All people are affected by poor indoor air quality.
Clean indoor air, as a basic human right, protects health, well-being, and the ability to function.
We therefore call on governments, organisations, investors, construction companies, and communities to work together to achieve and permanently ensure the goal of healthy indoor air for everyone.”

Mag. Jochen Sattelberger Among the Signatories

Among the signatories is Mag. Jochen Sattelberger, President of the Austrian Association for Comfort Ventilation.
Last year, Mr. Sattelberger visited Marquis Intelligence in Belgrade, where he and the team discussed innovations and standards in ventilation and air quality.

>> See also: Comfort Ventilation in the Focus of Marquis Intelligence

During the visit, he stated:

“Marquis Intelligence occupies a leading position in Serbia and the region, setting high standards in air purification across various industries. Their commitment to improving indoor air quality is remarkable, supported by deep technical expertise and innovative solutions.”

Conclusion

The D-A-CH group’s resolution on indoor air quality confirms what Marquis Intelligence has long advocated – that clean air is not a luxury but a necessity.
At a time when health, energy efficiency, and sustainability are inseparable, comfort ventilation stands at the heart of healthy architectural design – and Marquis Intelligence leads the way.

This article is part of the professional series Marquis Intelligence “Home Ventilation.” The series systematically examines residential ventilation, indoor air quality, and contemporary technical solutions for healthy and energy-efficient living environments.
Document number and title: MI-HV-005.25 – Comfort Ventilation: A Binding Standard for Indoor Air Quality.