Prioritizing Indoor Air Quality Through Certified Innovation and Industry Collaboration
Dr. John McKeon, Prof Mark Hernandez, Dr. Stephnie Taylor and Darrell Peil
Indoor air quality has become a central concern where building design and occupant health intersect. That reality shaped the conversation at a high-profile event hosted by Knauf North America during the ASHRAE 2025 Annual Conference in Phoenix, where experts gathered to explore how healthier indoor environments can be achieved through people-centred design, certified materials, and evidence-based science.
This exclusive gathering, organized in collaboration with the iAIR Institute, brought together experts from healthcare, indoor air quality, building science, and manufacturing to discuss how certified materials and independent science can shape healthier spaces.
Knauf North America, a leading manufacturer of Certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly® insulation, sponsored the event as part of its ongoing commitment to occupant wellbeing and product transparency. Their Performance+® portfolio, rigorously tested and independently Certified, served as a strong example of how building materials can be designed with health in mind and validated through credible, third-party science.
Centering IAQ as a Design and Health Priority
The agenda featured a diverse panel of voices with a central theme: improving the spaces where people live, learn, and work. Professor Mark Hernandez of the University of Colorado Boulder opened the event with a keynote focused on air quality in schools. He presented a real-world monitoring project that demonstrated how smart infrastructure and IAQ data can support healthier learning environments. His research showed the measurable impact of poor IAQ on student performance and the role of engineered solutions in addressing those risks.
Prof Mark Hernandez delivers his presentation
Joining the discussion was Dr. Stephanie Taylor, MD, a Harvard-trained physician and architect, whose insights bridged the worlds of medicine and the built environment. Representing ThinkLite Air, she addressed the growing threat of wildfire smoke, highlighting the urgent need for filtration strategies that protect vulnerable populations. Her remarks also touched on the less visible but equally serious effects of chronic exposure to indoor pollutants, ranging from respiratory conditions to cognitive decline.
Dr John McKeon, Dr Stephanie Taylor, Prof Mark Hernandez at Knauf’s High-profile IAQ event in Phoenix
A Call for Verified Performance
Representing the Certification Program, CEO of Allergy Standards Dr. John McKeon emphasized the importance of evidence-based testing in a marketplace filled with wellness buzzwords. His presentation walked attendees through the holistic nature of the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program.
Dr. McKeon explained that when companies work with the Certification Program, they gain access to rigorous scientific validation that helps them stand out, especially as more consumers and specifiers demand transparency and proof. Certified products, such as Knauf’s insulation line, are not only built for performance but are also verified to support better indoor air by reducing exposure to allergens, particulate matter, and other airborne triggers.
Dr. John McKeon delivers his presentation
By investing in certified insulation and sharing that journey publicly, Knauf is not only improving its own offering but helping to elevate expectations across the industry. Their active role in both the ASHRAE agenda, where Knauf delivered a Tech Talk highlighting its Certified Performance+® insulation, and the Phoenix event signals a clear alignment between technical leadership and human-centered design.
Knauf delivers a Tech Talk at the ASHRAE 2025 Conference
Partnership in Action
The event was a hugely successful platform for discussion, collaboration, and innovation, reflecting the Program’s belief that healthier buildings start with science-backed choices. Knauf’s partnership with theAsthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program, reinforced by their sponsorship of this important dialogue, is especially meaningful to the Program, as they represent the kind of forward-thinking, health-conscious manufacturers the Certification was designed to support.
The event was further strengthened by the support of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)and production partners Fungi Media and Tell Your Story, who ensured that the message reached beyond the room and into the broader conversation around health-focused design.
As regulations continue to evolve and consumer expectations grow, events like this one make it clear: the future of indoor air quality depends on measurable outcomes, cross-sector collaboration, and certified solutions that people can trust.