Air pollution receives far less exposure than rising temperatures or single-use plastics, even though it’s an environmental issue that affects us all, with serious consequences for property buyers.
What is the connection between air pollution and home decisions? Air pollution touches us not only on a personal level but also affects the reputation of a city for livability. If you’re a homebuyer, it is essential that you understand the level of air pollution in your area.
Why Does Air Quality Matter for Real Estate?
One of the biggest financial investments that most people will make in their lifetime is buying a house, and the real estate industry is unpredictable and competitive. Even though buying a new home can be a thrilling process, it does involve many challenges.
When you’re buying a home, it is wrong not to factor in air quality. While air quality might be a lower priority than mortgage financing, it is still a serious thing that should be considered. You can have a huge spike in air pollution just by opening a window onto a busy road.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2012, 7 million premature deaths were linked to air pollution exposure. This confirms that air pollution is now the main environmental health risk in the world.
Among all of the environmental issues that exist, air pollution seems to be the most closely linked with real estate. With the strong correlation between geographic coordinates and air quality, location is even more important than you think.
Air isn’t something that you’re just exposed to on the road because the pollution is in the air in our homes.
A study has reported that around 1.6 million people die from exposure to indoor air pollution. Poor indoor air quality has been linked to a range of illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, pneumonia, and asthma.
Poor indoor air quality can have particularly harmful effects on the respiratory health of the elderly and the young. It’s no wonder that the levels of pollution are increasingly a factor for home buyers, and the quality of the air is a concern and priority for many families.
Remote and well-ventilated areas, as well as areas that have low industrial activity and traffic, usually have good air quality. One of the major sources of air pollution in urban locations is traffic, so to improve the air quality of your neighborhood, look for houses away from busy roads. Being close to parks with help with pollution.
For those living in buildings next to busy roads, the pollution dilutes on the upper floors, and these floors are less polluted, unlike the lower floors of the building.
Clean air should be an essential criterion when purchasing a home. It is indicative of the overall performance of the home, and it is vital for personal health.
What Can AirCare Do?
We have a collective and individual responsibility to spread awareness about air pollution. What can AirCare do to help us in our quest?
With AirCare, you can see the world pollution map and get an overview of the current air quality all around the globe. You can also see historical pollution data for all locations to see trends in movement.
For families with sensitivity to air pollution or with children, this decision can be critical, which is why it is important to have as much information as possible.
As awareness of air quality rises in the coming years, expect air pollution to become an important consideration for anyone looking to buy property. However, for now, we all have a responsibility to start to take action and spread the message.
Do you want to know the quality of the air you breathe? Download AirCare – our free mobile app that tracks air pollution from your pocket, and check out the AirCare blog!
