ROCIS Presentations & White Papers

From the beginning, the ROCIS team has been active in teaching others about the impacts of outdoor pollutants on indoor air quality—and the resultant impact on human health. We have delivered numerous presentations, white papers, and webinars on air pollution and the interventions that reduce exposure to both outdoor and indoor contaminants. These materials are assembled below.

ROCIS White Papers

Protecting Homes from Outdoor Pollution

Don Fugler, Principal Investigator, Residential Sector Focus

To fully address indoor air quality, outdoor pollution must be taken into consideration. This paper examines data related to the sources of air pollution and the variety of factors that influence exposure and provides guidance for mitigating these threats.

Download “Protecting Homes from Outdoor Pollution”:

Executive Summary (PDF)
Full Report (PDF)

Protecting Commercial Buildings from Outdoor Pollutants: School, Office, and Multifamily Buildings

Thomas J. Phillips. Principal Investigator, Schools/Commercial Focus

A partner piece to “Protecting Homes from Outdoor Pollutants,” this paper provides a broad framework for understanding the sources and pathways of outdoor pollutants in commercial buildings and the mitigation approaches that can be taken.

Download “Protecting Commercial Buildings from Outdoor Pollution”:

Executive Summary (PDF)
Full Report (PDF)
Appendix: IAQ Information Resources and Topics (PDF)

Related Materials

ROCIS Stakeholder Meeting: July 23, 2014

Don Fugler’s presentation on protecting homes from outdoor pollutants laid the groundwork for the forthcoming white paper on this topic. This was an opportunity to present key findings and solicit feedback from our key stakeholders. Check out Don’s presentation slides as well as a video or audio-only recording of the presentation.

ROCIS Stakeholder Meeting: September 11, 2014

Tom Phillips presented on the topic of outdoor pollution in commercial buildings, which was the topic of the forthcoming ROCIS white paper. This was an opportunity to present key findings and solicit feedback from our key stakeholders. Check out Tom’s presentation slides as well as a video or audio-only recording of the presentation.

ROCIS Forum: Creating Healthy Places: Protecting Indoor Spaces from Outdoor Pollution

A highlight of our 2014 forum on indoor/outdoor air quality included a joint presentation of the ROCIS white papers by Don Fugler and Tom Phillips. Listen to the presentation in audio or video recording, and follow along with the presentation slides.

ROCIS Presentations

Navigate by year:

2023–2024

2024 National Home Performance Conference

April 8–11, 2024

Reducing Exposure to Particle Pollution in Homes: Sources, Impacts, Solutions

Rana Belshe, Kevin Brauer, and Linda Wigington

Particle Filtration with Central Air Handlers: Folly or Opportunity?

Rhett Major and Linda Wigington

2023 Pitt Public Health Undergraduate Scholars Program (PHUSP)

Examination of Particle Pollution, Environmental Justice, and the Potential for Maternal Health Progress*

Preti Chowdhury

*Received honorable mention for the Williams-Hutchins Health Equity Award

We're Not Done with Radon: Exposure Reduction & Implications for Environmental Justice Communities*

Shaina Lacap

*Check out Shaina’s post on radon on the ROCIS blog.

2021–2022

Energy OutWest

August 1–5, 2022

Reducing Outdoor Contaminants in Indoor Homes

Linda Wigington

Air Handler Interventions

Linda Wigington

2022 National Home Performance Conference

April 11–14, 2022

Particle Filtration With Central Air Handlers: Folly or Opportunity?

Linda Wigington and Rhett Major

Decarbonization Debate

Linda Wigington et al.

Insights from the Low Cost Monitoring Project (LCMP)

January 26, 2022

Presented to SW PA Interfaith Power and Light

Linda Wigington

LCMP Monitoring Cohort 41, Ana Hoffman presenting

ROCIS LCMP: Opportunities and Implications

September 22, 2021

Presented at the League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh Annual Meeting

Linda Wigington

Energy and Environmental Building Alliance Hybrid High Performance Home Summit

IAQ Monitors: Passive House California

September 2021

Linda Wigington

Keep a Lid on It: Best Practices for Reducing Cooking Pollution in Homes

September 15, 2021

EEBA Presentation

Tom Phillips

December 15, 2020

Online ROCIS Webinar

Breakfast Panel with Green Building Alliance Sustainability and Women

June 2021

Linda Wigington

IAQ Devices: Where, Who, and For What?

Webinar for Passive House California

May 2021

Joe Medosh, Linda Wigington, et al.

Particle Filtration With Central Air Handlers: Folly or Opportunity?

Presentation at the National Virtual Home Performance Conference

April 2021

Linda Wigington and Rhett Major

Air Quality Impacts and Challenges: ROCIS LCMP

Presentation for the Green Home Office Lunch and Learn, Pitt Sustainability

March 2021

Emily Dale

Presentation on IAQ Devices for the RESNET Annual Conference

February 2021

Joe Medosh, Linda Wigington, et al.

Reducing Exposure to Air Pollution Particles

EHP Expert Panel on Infectious Lung Disease and Air Pollution

February 25, 2021

Don Fugler et al.

Making the Connection: Home Hazards

GASP Making the Connection Webinar Series

January 14, 2021

Linda Wigington et al.

2019–2020

Particle Filtration With Central Air Handlers: Folly or Opportunity?

Presentation for the 2020 Home Performance™ Regional Education Series: New England

November 13, 2020

Rhett Major and Linda Wigington

Linda pointing at data in a presentation

Indoor Air Quality and Health Panel

One Health One Planet™ Symposium: One Health and the Air We Breathe, Phipps Conservatory

October 19–23, 2020

Linda Wigington et al.

Presentation to Valley Clean Air Now on Intervention Opportunities

October 2020

Linda Wigington and Deb Gentile

IAQ Monitoring for Healthier Homes

National Virtual Home Performance Conference

March 2020

Linda Wigington, Joe Medosh, Woody Delp

Presentation on Air Handler Interventions for ACTION-Housing

March 2020

Rhett Major and Linda Wigington

Presentation to Valley Clean Air Now on Intervention Opportunities

December 2019

Linda Wigington

Citizen Science: Indoor Air Monitoring: The ROCIS Experience

2019 Shale Public Health Conference

November 19, 2019

Samantha Totoni

The ROCIS Experience

Presentation to USC Citizens for Land Stewardship

November 19, 2019

Linda Wigington and Samantha Totoni

Home Performance Research Needs

Healthy Building Summit: Practice to Research

October 2019

Linda Wigington et al.

All Things Monitoring

Presentation to Clean Air Council

June 2019

Linda Wigington and Deb Gentile

National Home Performance Conference

April 1–4, 2019

Electrification of Existing Homes: Fantasy or Path to Sustainability

Linda Wigington and Richard Faesey

High MERV Filters in Central Air Handlers: Opportunities and Challenges

Linda Wigington and Rhett Major, with Brent Stephens

Using Consumer IAQ Monitors to Create a Healthier Home

Linda Wigington and Brett Singer

Electricity Use Implications of Better Indoor Air Quality

Linda Wigington

Webinar for Tufts University on Air Handler Interventions

March 2019

Linda Wigington

2017–2018

Reducing Household Particles With Filtration: Measured Results, Opportunities and Challenges

2018 ACEEE Conference on Health, Environment and Energy

December 5, 2018

Linda Wigington

Presentation for the Sustainability Salon - Focus on Air Quality

November 2018

Linda Wigington

Radon Monitor

Beyond Dilution - Reducing Exposure to Particle Pollution

Healthy Buildings Summit 2018

October 25, 2018

Linda Wigington

North American Passive House Network 2018 Conference

October 17 – 21, 2018

Healthy Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices in Low-E Homes

Tom Phillips

Beyond Dilution: Reducing Exposure to Particle Pollution in High Performance Homes

Linda Wigington

ROCIS Intervention Workshop

Workshops to Scratch the Advocacy Itch, Clean Air Council

September 2018

Linda Wigington

Health and Safety Panel at Centering Equity in the Sustainable Building Sector Initiative: Launch Summit

NAACP

August 2018

Linda Wigington

Reducing the Impact of Outdoor Pollution in Homes

Allegheny County Clean Air Now (ACCAN) Meeting

August 2018

Linda Wigington and Mark Dixon

2018 HPC National Home Performance Conference

April 23 – 26, 2018

High-MERV Filters in Central Air Handlers: Opportunities and Challenges

Linda Wigington and Rhett Major

What Can You Do With a Consumer IAQ Monitor?

Brett Singer and Linda Wigington

Maximizing Energy Reductions with Non-Traditional Electricity Savings

Linda Wigington and Rana Belshe

Air Quality Presentation to the Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge Meeting

March 2018

Linda Wigington

ROCIS: Low-Cost Particle Monitoring Insights and Interventions

Federal Interagency Committee on Indoor Air Quality (CIAQ)

February 14, 2018

Linda Wigington

Reducing Indoor Particles with Filtration: Opportunities and Challenges

Dry Climate Forum on Home Performance

February 5 – 7, 2018

Tom Phillips and Linda Wigington

LCMP Presentation for Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge

February 2018

Kacy McGill

Redwood Energy's 4th Zero Net Carbon Retreat - Kitchen Range Hood Presentation

January 2018

Tom Phillips

LCMP Presentation for Care About Your Air

December 2018

Kacy McGill

ROCIS’s Low Cost Monitoring and Interventions: Insights and Implications

Healthy Building Summit: Research Into Practice

November 2-3, 2017

Linda Wigington

ROCIS’s Low Cost Monitoring Program: Lessons Learned

Pittsburgh’s Air Quality, Indoor Environments and You

October 25, 2017

Linda Wigington, Rob Busher, and Kacy McGill

Monitoring and Intervention Presentation for Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge

September 2017

Linda Wigington

ROCIS: Low Cost Monitoring Project: Insights Interventions, and Implications

SCA Fellows Air Quality Training

September 22, 2017

Linda Wigington, Rob Busher, and Kacy McGill

ROCIS: Particle Data Explorations and Insights

U.S. EPA Smart City Air Challenge Webinar, Data Use in Community Air Quality Projects

September 14, 2017

Linda Wigington

ROCIS: Low Cost Monitoring Insights and Interventions

68th Sustainability Salon

September 9, 2017

Linda Wigington

ROCIS Low Cost Monitoring Project: Insights, Interventions, and Implications

The Air We Breathe: A Regional Summit on Air Pollution and Asthma in Our Community

September 8, 2017

Linda Wigington

ROCIS High MERV Filter/Air Handler Inquiry: Opportunities and Challenges

DEAWP Meeting (Diagnostic Energy Auditors of Western Pennsylvania)

June 3, 2017

Linda Wigington and Rhett Major

National Home Performance Conference

April 2017

Cost-Effective Electric Savings Not Left on the Table

Linda Wigington and Rana Belshe

Presentation on Air Handlers

Linda Wigington and Rhett Major

Presentation on Air Quality Monitors

Linda Wigington

Linda Wigington Interview by Debra Little

This interview covers the basics of the ROCIS LCMP program and describes the findings emerging from interventions, especially the high MERV filter and the air handler inquiry.

LCMP Presentations at the Forum on Dry Climate Home Performance

February 2017

Linda Wigington

2014–2016

Presentation to Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge

August 2016

Linda Wigington

ROCIS Stakeholders Meeting

February 26, 2016

The focus of this meeting was to glean insights from the ROCIS LCMP cohorts, both by reviewing data and learning from participants’ experiences.

Factory with smoke

ROCIS Stakeholders Meeting

February 27, 2015

This meeting was an opportunity to identify others in our region who share specific common interests around air quality. We set out to clarify barriers and opportunities in moving our initiatives forward and, whether as an individual or an organization, made a commitment to take action.

Creating Healthy Places: Protecting Indoor Spaces from Outdoor Pollution

ROCIS Forum

December 4 – 5, 2014

ROCIS was proud to bring together the knowledge, creativity, connections, and insight of our local community and beyond for a forum on the impact of outdoor pollution on indoor air quality.

Focus on Particulate Matter

Webinar I: Indoor Concentrations of Outdoor Air Pollution

November 21, 2014

Webinar II: Health Impacts, Standards, Monitoring, and Building-level Mitigation

November 25, 2014

ROCIS Stakeholders Meeting

September 11, 2014

This meeting laid out some of the key concepts related to the impact of outdoor pollutants on indoor air quality. We used this opportunity to present a draft white paper focused on multifamily and school buildings in order to get feedback from our diverse stakeholders.

ROCIS Stakeholders Meeting

July 23, 2014

The information in this meeting provided an excellent grounding in the history of air quality in the Pittsburgh region. We also used this opportunity to present a draft white paper focused on the impact of outdoor pollution on indoor air quality—a topic that lies at the heart of our work—in order to get feedback from our diverse stakeholders.