We are HBIA:
Our story
Our history, in plain terms.
How HBIA came to be, and where it stands now.
2005
Incorporated in Ohio
The Healthy Building Institute of America was incorporated in Ohio in 2005, when the connection between indoor environments and chronic illness was barely a conversation. HBIA has certified indoor environmental professionals since 2005, and certifications issued under that earlier program remain valid.
Before 2012
Students first
The institute's current owners came to HBIA as students and completed its programs. One of them served as the institute's Director of Continuing Education from about 2009.
2012
Under current ownership
HBIA came under its current ownership in 2012. The standards were not bought; they were learned here first.
Today
Formalizing the written scheme
HBIA is formalizing the written certification scheme behind its program, publishing its conduct rules and complaints process, offering free public guidance, and contributing field data to studies led by university investigators.
Why this work exists
Most of life happens indoors.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has published these figures for years. They are not new, and they are not controversial, but most people have never heard them.
90%
Share of their time Americans spend indoors, on average
2–5×
How much higher indoor concentrations of some pollutants often are than typical outdoor levels
Source: U.S. EPA, Report on the Environment: Indoor Air Quality. The comparison applies to some pollutants, not all.
What we are
An institute, not a service provider.
What HBIA does
- Sets and publishes standards for evaluating buildings through the needs of the people inside
- Trains assessors, contractors, remediators and allied professionals
- Certifies individuals and firms against its own published standards
- Publishes free guidance for the public, in English and Spanish
- Contributes field data to university-led studies
What HBIA does not do
- Perform remediation or construction
- Sell products or take referral fees
- Diagnose, treat or interpret anyone's health
- Issue or replace any state license
- Require the use of any affiliated company, product or brand
A building is not just a structure. It is an environment that either supports or degrades the health of everyone within it.
The belief behind our standards
What we do today
Four areas of work.
Standards
Published standards for how a building should be evaluated, characterized and verified when a sensitized person lives or works in it. Including Level 4 requirements where the occupant is sensitized.
Training
Courses for assessors, contractors, remediators and allied professionals. Course completion currently earns a Letter of Course Completion.
Free public guidance
A room-by-room checklist, a water-event plan and a smoke-ready plan — free, with nothing to sign up for.
Field records and research
Records of the conditions found in buildings, used to inform training. HBIA is a contributing participant in university-led studies; design, analysis and publication remain with the sponsoring institutions.
Questions about HBIA?
Whether you are a family, a healthcare provider or a professional, ask us directly. We will answer plainly, including about what we do not do.
Prefer to talk to someone? 1-800-781-7986
Training and certification. HBIA has certified indoor environmental professionals under its earlier program since 2005, and certifications issued under that program remain valid. The current HBIA certification program — a revised standard with an expanded review process — is in development. Until it launches, completing an HBIA training course results in a Letter of Course Completion, which confirms training only and is not a certification under the new program. Under that program as designed, a review board will evaluate the letter alongside verified credentials; completing a course will not guarantee certification.
What HBIA certification is and is not. HBIA certifies individuals and firms against its own published standards. HBIA is not a licensing authority and does not issue or replace any state license. Where a credential requires a professional license, HBIA verifies a license issued by someone else — it does not grant one. HBIA is not a 501(c)(3), and is not accredited by ANSI, ANAB, or NCCA.
Ownership disclosure. The Healthy Building Institute of America was incorporated in Ohio in 2005 and is currently a division of WeSpiritus, LLC. HBIA shares common ownership with AMOLDBUSTER and Apollo Environmental Solutions, which provide independent indoor environmental assessment and consultation services and perform no remediation. HBIA does not receive referral fees, and HBIA training and certification do not require the use of any affiliated company, product, or brand. HBIA is working toward establishing the institute as a separate legal entity.
Scope. HBIA characterizes indoor environments and sets standards for work performed by others. HBIA does not perform remediation or construction. HBIA is not a medical provider and does not diagnose, treat, or interpret health status. All health decisions remain with licensed healthcare professionals.
Educational content only. Information provided by HBIA is educational and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.
Page reviewed and updated October 9, 2026.
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We advance and accelerate both the contributions of Science and Technology for healthy indoor environments.
The time is NOW to make a difference in the way we handle infectious diseases and its connection to the built indoor air environment.
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