Toxic Air, Dull Minds: How CO₂ is Undermining Your Brainpower Indoors – Ep 89 with Sandra Dedesko
In this eye-opening episode of Better Buildings for Humans, host Joe Menchefski sits down with Dr. Sandra Dedesko—engineer, indoor air expert, and healthy buildings researcher—for a compelling dive into how the air we breathe indoors is shaping our minds. From her work with Harvard’s COGFX studies to her current research in Switzerland, Sandra unpacks how even low levels of CO₂ can subtly impair cognitive function—especially creativity. She shares how indoor air acts as an invisible performance driver, and why better ventilation might be the most underrated upgrade in our built environment. They also explore low-carbon ventilation strategies, wildfire smoke protection, and the powerful role of moisture in building performance. A must-listen for anyone who thinks clearer spaces start with clearer air.
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More About Sandra Dedesko
Sandra works at the intersection of engineering and public health to help improve the health and sustainability impacts of buildings. With a background in civil engineering and building design, Sandra elected to pursue a PhD in public health to better incorporate health into her future work. She recently completed her PhD at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health where her dissertation research focused on the link between buildings and cognitive performance. She's recently started as a scientist at EPFL in Switzerland where she continues to pursue her transdisciplinary research, passion for outdoor sports, and proficiency in French.
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