BREATHE
Building Resilient Environments for Air and Total Health
The Big Question
What if indoor air was always safe and healthy?
The Problem
Most people spend more than 90% of their lives inside buildings, and the air we breathe indoors plays a critical role in shaping human health, productivity, well-being, and learning. Respiratory infections like the flu and pneumonia are a leading cause of death in the U.S. and globally, and the risk of airborne infection transmission is greater indoors. Asthma and allergies, which can significantly impact quality of life, are also associated with poor indoor air quality.
The Current State
Over a century ago, water treatment and sewer systems revolutionized public health, but modern buildings still need similar systems for monitoring and improving indoor air quality. The air in the places we live, work, and learn can contain unhealthy levels of viruses, bacteria, fungi, pollen and other bioaerosols. Smart building systems allow for some real-time adjustments, mostly related to occupant comfort and energy use, but they don’t provide air quality monitoring or changes related to occupant health.
The Challenge
The Building Resilient Environments for Air and Total HEalth (BREATHE) program envisions smart building systems that monitor and respond to changes in indoor air quality. Green buildings balance thermal comfort and energy efficiency and BREATHE aims to employ similar approaches to handle indoor pathogen and allergen exposure. To succeed, BREATHE will need to develop tools to sense airborne bioaerosols, assess indoor air quality exposure risk, and deliver cost-effective building interventions to improve human health.
The Solution
BREATHE aims to revolutionize public health by advancing our ability to monitor and improve indoor air quality and forecast emerging health threats. To create a scalable system capable of monitoring and managing indoor air, BREATHE will engage performers across a range of expertise, including molecular diagnostic testing and biosensor instrument developers, data analysts, risk assessment software developers, property management firms, and others. The program has three technical areas: creating indoor biosensors, developing respiratory risk assessment software, and installing systems in buildings to cost-effectively deliver healthier air when needed.
Why ARPA-H?
With the increased attention on indoor air quality and technological improvements in environmental surveillance, ARPA-H can bring together researchers and engineers to collaborate and accelerate an integrated solution for healthy indoor air.
Program Manager
Jessica Green, Ph.D.
Special Notice
Solicitation
Proposers' Day
Matchmaking Webinars
BREATHE is hosting two Matchmaking Webinars on May 22 and 29, including opportunities for performers to present 3-minute lightning talks. To be considered for a lightning talk, register for the webinar at the BREATHE events page. The deadlines to register for the sessions are noon on May 21 and May 28, respectively. Participants are encouraged to participate and discover potential teaming partners, even if they do not present a lightning talk.
The number of lightning talks is limited. Performers must complete a Teaming profile to be considered for a lightning talk, and registration does not guarantee a slot. Selections will aim to capture a breadth of technologies, methodologies, and other relevant aspects within each Technical Area. Due to limited availability, we ask that participants not request a lightning talk if they already provided one at the BREATHE Proposers’ Day. Confirmed presenters will receive an email from the BREATHE program team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Teaming
Uniquely, BREATHE requires performers to form teams to achieve the goals of the program. Teams should aim to capture a breadth of technologies, methodologies, and other relevant aspects within each Technical Area. To facilitate this process, we have created a teaming page where prospective performers can share their profiles and learn more about other interested parties.
