The purpose of the OQAI (French Indoor Air Quality Observatory), appointed by the public Authorities in the framework of a convention, is to improve knowledge about indoor pollution and its origins and dangers, in order to finalise recommendations in the building field to improve the quality of indoor air.

The Observatory organizes measurement campaigns to provide appropriate solutions for prevention and quality control of indoor air through actions to increase awareness of professionals and to inform the general public. The Observatory provides information about policies to be adopted in terms of regulations on materials, equipment, maintenance and construction practice, and labelling of routine consumption products.

The OQAI (French Indoor Air Quality Observatory), launched on July 10 2001 by the Public Authorities, is recognised as being one of the leading actions of the PNSE (Plan National Santé Environnement – National Health and Environment Plan), and works in close cooperation with the AFSSET (Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Environnement et du Travail – French Agency for Health Security in the Environment and at Work), and is represented within the National Air Council by its President Andrée Buchmann.

The Indoor Air Quality Observatory is chaired by Andrée Buchmann, and has three councils – the supervisory board, the scientific council and the advisory committee – that define orientations and assure global scientific quality of the project.

The Indoor Air Quality Observatory is based on a network of scientific and technical players coordinated by a central team at CSTB (Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment –Technical and Scientific Centre for Building).

The role of the Supervisory board is to define general policies, to check on ethics and deontology, independence of the Observatory from pressure groups and transparency of its actions.

It defines the communication policy to inform the public and professionals about activities of the Observatory and campaign results. Its President is appointed by the Minister of Housing after receiving the opinion of the Ministers of the Environment and Health.

The President and members of this authority are appointed for a period of four years.

The Supervisory board is composed of the President of the National Air Council, the President of the Observatory Scientific Council, representatives of Ministries responsible for housing, health and the environment, the ADEME ('Agence de l'Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l'Energie – Agency for Environment and Energy Control), the AFSSET ('Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Environnement et du Travail – French Agency for Health Security in the Environment and at Work) and the ANAH (Agence Nationale pour l'Amélioration de l'Habitat – National Agency for Improvement of Homes).

The Scientific Council guarantees quality and scientific relevance of the work, and defines the Observatory’s scientific policies. It makes decisions about related design and research. It contributes to scientific interpretation of collected data and evaluation of the work.

The President and members of this authority are appointed for a period of four years.

The Scientific Council is composed of a permanent workgroup within the scientific council of the AFSSET. A third of it, apart from its President and members of the AFSSET scientific council, consists of qualified persons from the construction sector proposed by the Minister of Housing. The President of the scientific council of the Indoor Air Quality Observatory is