Every building has an air exchange with the outdoors. Leaks, open windows, and weather can all impact how much air gets in. As outdoor air makes its way in, it carries particles with it. This pollution can have an enormous impact on health.
ROCIS (Reducing Outdoor Contaminants in Indoor Spaces) is dedicated to monitoring and improving indoor air quality in the homes and workplaces where people spend their time.
ROCIS Mission
Our mission is to reduce the impact of exterior environmental pollution in southwestern Pennsylvania to create healthy and energy efficient indoor environments.
Our Work
Find out more about what we’ve been doing related to air quality, particle pollution, monitoring, in-home solutions, and more.
Induction Stove Resources
by Tom PhilipsBackground: The following short list of annotated resources on induction stoves provides an update to the resources in the 2019 ROCIS Range Hood Guide update. The list addresses both residential and commercial buildings. The resources are listed in...
Keep a Lid on It: Best Practices for Reducing Cooking Pollution in Homes
How safe and healthy is your indoor air when cooking at home?Whether you cook for pleasure, for the health benefits, for the cost savings, or just as a matter of course, you probably make food in your kitchen on a regular basis. Not only does cooking release odors and...
What’s Cooking: Update to ROCIS Range Hood Guide, January 2024
This update was created by Tom Phillips, ROCIS Technical Advisor, Healthy Building Research ROCIS offers a comprehensive Range Hood Guide on our website for anyone—from homeowners to contractors—to use in the process of choosing and installing kitchen range hoods....
ROCIS Blog
Read more about our work at the ROCIS Blog:
ROCIS Highlights
ROCIS approaches indoor air quality from many different angles.
These are some of the things we’re best known for.
About Kitchen Range Hoods
Check out this ROCIS issue brief on “Ducted Range Hoods.” Learn best practices for selecting, installing, and operating a quiet and effective hood in both new and existing homes. Consumers and building professionals will find this document useful. If you want to provide better air for your family, it is well worth reading!
Low Cost Monitoring Project
Join our free Low Cost Monitoring Project (LCMP) to gather data about the air in your home, school, or workplace and test out interventions to reduce pollution exposure. Each month-long cohort provides both indoor/outdoor air quality monitors and expert guidance from the ROCIS team. You could be part of our next cohort!
Clean Air Chronicles
Participants in our Low Cost Monitoring Project witness firsthand how outdoor air quality impacts the air inside. As part of our program, they learn what can be done to improve the air in their homes. These short videos capture a few families’ experiences with low-cost monitoring and targeted interventions. Watch their stories and explore other resources related to indoor pollution exposure.