Public Health, Indoor Environment, and Sustainable Development: An Integrated Approach

This Research Topic focuses on contemporary research and scholarship at the intersection of public health and sustainable development with a special emphasis on the indoor environments where we live, work, and gather.

Creating a sustainable future requires more than just green buildings; it calls for environments that truly promote human health and well-being. Achieving this demands development that is just, equitable, and inclusive, as well as health systems resilient enough to respond quickly to emerging diseases while maintaining essential services.

This Special Issue seeks to supplement existing literature by exploring how planning, governance, and innovative strategies in the built environment can produce positive health outcomes. Key questions include: How do we control the spread of infectious diseases in increasingly urban environments? How do we ensure indoor air and water quality? What roles do building materials, ventilation systems, and design choices play in safeguarding occupant well-being, especially in the face of global challenges?

As climate change, prolonged conflict, and frequent disasters exacerbate health inequities and strain our health systems, these evolving threats highlight the urgent need for a holistic, cross-disciplinary approach to the design, operation, and maintenance of healthy indoor environments.

Special Issue Scope
This Special Issue aims to capture the latest ideas and visions for creating resilient indoor environments that protect and enhance the health and well-being of all occupants and users.

Call for Papers

We invite original research articles and reviews that address (but are not limited to) the following themes:

o Aerosols in the built environment and their health implications
o Indoor air quality and risk assessment
o Natural hazards and their impact on sustainable indoor environment design
o Growth and developmental aspects of sustainable public health within indoor spaces
o Interdisciplinary studies linking indoor environment, public health, conflict, climate change, and disaster response
o The impact of climate change and conflict on health inequities—and sustainable mitigation strategies for indoor environments
o Strategies to adapt healthcare and public indoor systems for increased resilience amid disasters and sustained conflicts
o Urban smart city growth, indoor environments, and health
o The role of social capital and community within healthy indoor urban spaces
o Infection transmission, health, and wellness in indoor environments
o Assessments of building design that support occupant health
o Materials for building construction that are adaptive to changing climates and health needs
o Innovative technologies and smart solutions for resilient indoor environments
o Exposure assessment for occupants in green and sustainable buildings
o Balancing economic, environmental, and health sustainability within the indoor environment

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Inclusivity, Public Health, Pollution Control, Health and Well-Being, Disabilities, Indoor Environment

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.