BRUSSELS/GOLDACH, Switzerland (June 4, 2013) – Air quality expert IQAir is partnering with the European Commission to help raise awareness of air pollution during the Green Week Conference this week in Brussels. The focus of the conference is “Clean air for all.” A photo exhibition prepared for the conference features spectacular scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of diesel soot, mold spores, pollen and other particulates. The images, at a magnification of up to 100,000, are also available atwww.iqair.com/newsroomand set out to challenge the common perception that what you can’t see can’t hurt you.

Janez Potocnik, European Commissioner for the Environment, declared 2013 the “Year of Air” in recognition of both the economic seriousness of air pollution and its impact on humans. “Air pollution is a global challenge that does not stop at country borders nor at front doors,” says Potocnik.

“Lives are being cut short by air pollution, and chronic respiratory disease makes life miserable for many across the continent,” warns Prof. Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the European Environmental Agency (EEA).

This year’s Green Week Conference theme, “Clean Air for All,’” inspired IQAir, a Swiss-based clean-air technology expert, to help visualize the invisible world of air pollution. IQAir worked with award winning science photographer Stefan Diller to capture SEM images of microscopic air pollutants and allergens that surround us and are in the nano- and micro-meter range.

“Improving the air we breathe is incredibly important. Air pollution threatens the healthy development of our children and contributes to serious diseases, including asthma and cancer,” says Frank Hammes, CEO of IQAir. “Our goal has been to provide practical solutions that supplement the efforts by governmental and non-government organizations to reduce our exposure to air pollutants. We are glad to work with the European Commission to bring awareness to this cause.”

About Green Week Conference:

Green Week Conference 2013 is the biggest annual conference on European environmental policy and takes place June 4-7 at the Egg Conference Center in Brussels. Sponsored and organized by the European Commission, Green Week offers a unique opportunity for debate and exchange between scientists, regulators and non-governmental organizations involved in protecting the environment.

About the European Commission:

The European Commission (EC) is the executive body of the European Union (EU), responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union’s treaties and day-to-day running of the EU.

About IQAir:

IQAir is a globally active clean-air technology expert with a focus on practical methods to improve the air people breathe indoors. The Swiss-based IQAir Group develops, manufactures and implements innovative indoor air quality solutions for a wide range of applications, including homes, offices, schools, hospitals and other critical environments in more than 70 countries worldwide.

(MEDIA NOTE: A full selection of images are available to download in the Media Library under “Other Images.”Click here.)

Media Contacts:

Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia:
Saskia Riedel
Director Global Corporate Communications, IQAir AG
Cell: +41 788912168
Tel.: +41 (0)71 / 844 7007
sriedel@iqair.com

North America:
Joe Rookard
Communications Specialist, IQAir North America, Inc.
Cell: 562-204-9379
Tel.: 562 903-7600 x1115
jrookard@iqair.com