Summary

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) describes the quality of air within buildings and structures, particularly as it relates to occupant health, comfort, and regulatory compliance. In Australia, IAQ is a critical consideration for contaminated land projects, remediation works, and building re-occupation following environmental disturbance.

Definition

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is the condition of air inside a building, assessed by the presence of contaminants, ventilation performance, and environmental factors that influence human health and wellbeing.

Why It Matters

Indoor Air Quality plays a significant role in environmental consulting and land remediation projects, particularly where historical contamination, vapour intrusion, or building materials may introduce airborne risks. Poor IAQ can result in acute and chronic health effects, including respiratory irritation, neurological symptoms, and long-term disease, especially in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces.

From a compliance perspective, IAQ is closely linked to contaminated land management, occupational health and safety, and environmental due diligence. During remediation or construction works, contaminants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), asbestos fibres, mould spores, and combustion by-products can migrate indoors. These risks must be identified, assessed, and managed to protect building occupants, workers, and future site users.

In Australia, IAQ considerations frequently arise in environmental site assessments, remediation validation, and planning approvals. Developers, asset owners, and regulators increasingly expect robust IAQ risk assessments as part of best-practice environmental management, particularly for sensitive land uses such as residential, educational, and healthcare facilities.

When It’s Required

Understanding and assessing Indoor Air Quality is typically required under several common project and regulatory scenarios, including:

Contaminated land redevelopment, where soil or groundwater contamination may result in vapour intrusion into buildings

Remediation works, particularly where excavation, soil disturbance, or treatment processes may generate airborne contaminants

Change of land use, such as converting industrial or commercial sites to residential or mixed-use developments

Building re-occupation, following remediation, flooding, fire damage, or mould-affected environments

Workplace health and safety obligations‍

While there is no single standalone IAQ regulation in Australia, IAQ assessments often support compliance with the National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure (NEPM), state-based contaminated land frameworks, and Safe Work Australia guidance. Planning authorities and environmental regulators may also require IAQ evidence to demonstrate that risks to human health have been appropriately managed.

How We Can Help

Nova Group Pacific provides expert support across the full lifecycle of Indoor Air Quality assessment and management, integrating IAQ considerations into broader environmental and compliance frameworks.

Our services include indoor air monitoring, vapour intrusion assessment, contamination risk evaluation, and remediation validation reporting. These services are commonly delivered alongside our Contaminated Land Assessment, Management & Remediation capability, ensuring a coordinated and regulator-ready approach.

We support developers, consultants, and asset owners by translating complex IAQ data into clear, defensible outcomes that satisfy planning authorities, regulators, and stakeholders.

Book a consultation with us to clarify your Indoor Air Quality risks, understand your compliance obligations, and progress your project with confidence.