Background
The indoor environment is the environment where we spend more than 90% of our time, at home, at work or during transport. In addition, most of our exposure to pollutants of outdoor origin occurs indoors. More than half of the workforce in modern society works in non-industrial workplaces such as schools, offices, day care centres, and hospitals. As compared to industrial environments, the exposure levels are low, but exposure levels are mostly higher indoors as compared to outdoors.

The indoor environment and indoor air pollution may affect both health, perception of the indoor air quality, and productivity. Asthma, rhinitis, various symptoms including airway and dermal symptoms, headache and tiredness have been suggested to be influenced by the indoor environment, but the associations with indoor environmental exposure is not straight forward. Moreover, new research have included studies on associations between biomarkers and indoor exposure.

Objectives
The course will present state-of-the-art knowledge on effects of indoor exposure on humans, including health effects such as asthma and allergy, environmental perceptions and productivity aspects. It will give insight in new hypothesis, paradigms and approaches, and increase the understanding of the cause-effect relationships between indoor exposure and human responses. It has a multi-disciplinary approach combining expertise on ergonomic, psychology, sociology, chemistry, biology, and various medical specialities. The participants will achieve both a theoretical and practical understanding of the field of indoor environmental research.

Target groups
Occupational safety and health professionals, industrial hygienists, public health officers, indoor environment researchers, and PhD students working in the field of indoor environment, indoor air quality and health. Preference is given to applicants with experience in evaluating air quality and health. Knowledge of chemistry, biology or physiology, industrial hygiene and/ or occupational health is advisable. The maximum number of participants will be limited to about 35.

Course structure and learning methodology
The course will consist of lectures, and tutorials. Moreover there will be short workshops where the participants evaluate relevant original publications on indoor environment issues. The organisers will provide qualified course material to all participants, and it is advisable that the participants familiarise themselves with the topic in advance by reading suggested articles.

Keynote speakers/ main lecturers:
Dan Norbäck, Associate professor, PhD, Dept. of Medical Science, Uppsala University, Sweden
Guihong Cai, MSc, Dept. of Medical Science, Uppsala University, Sweden
Gunilla Wieslander, Associate professor, MD, PhD, Dept. of Medical Science,
Uppsala University, Sweden
Greta Smedje, PhD, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
Roma Runeson, PhD, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
Lena Elfman, PhD, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
Jan Vilhelm Bakke, MD, PhD, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bergen University, Norway
Aino Nevalainen, Professor, PhD, Department of Environmental Health, National Public Health Insititute, Kuopio, Finland
Carl-Gustaf Bornehag, Associate professor, PhD, Publich Health Sciences,
Karlstad University, SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, Borås, Sweden and International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
Pawel Wargocki, Associate professor, International Centre for Indoor Environment
and Energy, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark

Location and accommodation
The course will be held at Park Inn Uppsala. It is a nice four star hotel situated only within five minutes' walk from Uppsala central railway station. There are frequent train and airport bus connections from Arlanda Airport to Uppsala, travel time by train is only 20 minutes.
For more information on Park Inn Uppsala, please visit www.uppsala.parkinn.se

Accommodation has been reserved for the participants at the hotel. The full board price from Monday to Friday including accommodation, breakfast, lunch, conference coffees and dinner amounts to SEK 9603 (EUR 915). The social programme on Wednesday and course dinner on Thursday are also included in the price. For arrival on Sunday an additional cost of SEK 1520 (EUR 144) will be charged. The price of a so called
day-package, including lunch and coffees is SEK 473 (EUR 45)/person/day.
Minor changes in the prices might be possible. More information will be given in the confirmation letter, which will be sent to the participants after the registration deadline.

Registration deadline
10 September 2009

Registration fee
550 EUR (accommodation and meals not included).

When paying the registration fee, please indicate:
 
1. Your name, 2. registration fee, 3. course code 4912. 

The payment should be made by 10 September to:
NIVA
Nordea Bank Finland Plc
Meilahti Branch, Tukholmankatu 2
FI-00250 Helsinki , Finland
Account no: 226238-2043
IBAN: FI79 2262 3800 0020 43
Swift code: NDEAFIHH

Refund of registration fee
Cancellations received by 31 August 2009: full refund
Cancellations received between 1 September and 12 September:
50 % refund of the registration fee
Cancellations received after 13 September: no refund

Course leader
Associate Professor Dan Norbäck
Uppsala University
Department of Medical Sciences
Occupational and Environmental Medicine
P.O. Box 256
SE - 751 05 Uppsala
SWEDEN
E-mail: Dan.Norback@medsci.uu.se

Course coordinator
Annika Bärlund, NIVA
Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A
00250 Helsinki
Finland
E-mail: annika.barlund@ttl.fi


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