Abstract
We think a lot about the food we eat and the water we drink, but rarely do we consider the air we breathe, especially when we are indoors where we spend around 90% of our lives. Breathing is essential to survival. We can live weeks without food, days without water, but only minutes without air. Every breath draws in not just oxygen but also invisible pollutants (dust, fungi, pathogens, chemicals, particulates, and carcinogens) that can harm our health and impact our productivity. The evidence is clear that clean indoor air reduces illness, improves cognitive function, productivity and prevents the spread of respiratory infections. The challenge is that air remains invisible, undervalued, and largely absent from building codes and health policy. Aotearoa New Zealand needs a national authority established to drive a comprehensive indoor air quality strategy, coordinating surveillance, research, guidelines, and policies to provide clean air for all.