Indoor Air Quality Assurance Influencing Factors Overlooked in Tropical Climates: A Systematic Review for Design-Informed Decisions in Residential Buildings

This systematic review assesses indoor air quality (IAQ) in tropical residences (Köppen Af/Am/Aw), explicitly linking IAQ to ventilation from in situ monitoring and, when relevant, occupant surveys (surveys synthesized qualitatively). This focus is warranted by the scarcity of tropical, housing-specific evidence. Searches were performed exclusively in Google Scholar (25 August 2024–5 August 2025; English/Spanish) under PRISMA, with documented queries/filters; eligible studies reported residential settings, tropical climate, and IAQ–ventilation linkage. Results show a regulatory mosaic with few binding residential limits and heterogeneous protocols that hinder comparison. Robust patterns include cooking-related particle peaks, penetration of traffic dust, humidity-driven VOC/formaldehyde emissions, and mold growth under deficient hygrothermal control. CO2 is a useful operational indicator of ventilation yet insufficient for risk assessment without PM and VOC monitoring. Evidence supports source control, cross-ventilation and/or on-demand extraction/outdoor-air supply, humidity management, and filtration/purification to avoid particle ingress during ventilation. Reporting of sensor performance (calibration, drift, RH/T effects) is inconsistent, and targeted evaluations of TVOC/formaldehyde and window screens (mesh) are scarce. We conclude that tropical residential IAQ management requires multi-parameter, continuous monitoring, standardized reporting, and trials integrating ventilation, dehumidification, and filtration under real occupancy, alongside adaptive regulation and passive tropical design augmented by light mechanical support and informed occupant behavior.