What does IAQ stand for?

• A. Industrial Air Quality
• B. Air Quality Assessment
• C. Indoor Air Quality
• D. Integrated Air Quality

Answer: (C)

Indoor Air Quality is the quality of the air inside buildings where people live and work, and it’s a central focus in commissioning because it directly affects health, comfort, and performance. IAQ covers how clean the air is, including levels of pollutants, CO2 as a sign of ventilation adequacy, humidity, and the potential for mold or off-gassing from materials. Ensuring good IAQ means proper ventilation, effective filtration, controlling pollutant sources, and managing moisture.

The other options don’t fit the common building-science usage: Industrial Air Quality implies industrial settings rather than occupied spaces; Air Quality Assessment describes a process rather than the actual indoor condition; Integrated Air Quality isn’t a standard term used in this context.