The BENEFIT project evaluates the indoor environmental quality in non-domestic buildings where energy efficiency upgrades will be implemented; a baseline for indoor air quality hass been established across 50+ environments prior to the commencement of retrofit activities. Initial findings in pre-retrofit environments reveal widespread underventilation and the significant influence of outdoor PM2.5 levels indoors in existing classroom and office environments. Detailed pre-retrofit results will be presented at an upcoming conference. 

Nowadays, the building sector faces many challenges on occupant and resource levels. Given many indoor environmental quality (IEQ) complaints collected by field surveys, the first challenge is to provide comfort improvements. The second challenge is to be able to do so without unjustifiably increasing energy costs. The main reason why buildings face such issues is the implementation of IEQ management systems that target the entire space – even unoccupied zones. This doesn’t guarantee comfort and wastes building resources.

This session will begin with providing an overview of presence Personal Environmental Control Systems (PECS) related mention in various countries national codes and standards formulated by industry organizations. It will then articulate possible entry points for PECS in policy document such as building codes, health and safety code and voluntary building performance rating programs. Towards end, it will identify market barriers, market challenges and market opportunities that may aid widespread deployment of PECS.  

Personal Environmental Control Systems (PECS) enable to individually control the environment in the immediate surroundings of an occupant regarding the thermal, air quality, acoustic, and/or luminous domain without directly influencing the entire space and other occupants’ environment. Although many studies on the influence on the respective comfort and acceptance in relation to the different domains already exist and estimates of energy savings have already been made, PECS have not yet established themselves on the market across the board.

This summary highlights the benefits of PECS for occupants’ health, comfort, and cognitive performance. A comprehensive literature review was conducted using databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, focusing on terms related to personalised conditioning, air quality, lighting, and acoustics. Relevant studies were identified and reviewed. 

Daycare centers (DCCs) are pivotal in early childhood development, serving as a primary indoor environment for young children. A notable feature of DCCs, especially in the Netherlands, is the use of semi-enclosed baby beds for children aged 0-4 years. These beds provide safety and comfort but pose challenges in maintaining healthy air quality due to their enclosed design, which is critical given infants' vulnerability to pollutants and extended daytime sleep.

When making homes more sustainable, the emphasis is on scaling up to achieve the climate and energy objectives. Little attention is paid to air quality in homes, despite the fact that an estimated 98% of the Dutch homes do not meet the WHO's 2021 annual guideline value for PM2.5. Tackling sustainability and the indoor environment hand in hand is therefore important.

More than 70% of the dwellings in Chile were built before 2000, when the use of thermal insulation in the roofs of residential buildings became mandatory. This explains why less than 2% of dwellings are considered energy efficient. Social housing is no exception. Several studies have shown poor thermal performance of the envelope of social housing throughout the country, with low levels of thermal comfort and indoor air quality that affect the health of its occupants.

The Performance 2 project (2020-2024) is a French national research project that aims to evaluate the long-term performance and durability of Humidity-based Demand Controlled Ventilation (DCV) systems installed in two multi-family social housing buildings, located in Paris and Villeurbanne, France.

This study evaluates the performance of Single-Flow and Dual-Flow ventilation systems in a residential building situated in Strasbourg, characterized by high PM2.5 levels, permeable tightness, and strong wind conditions. The research examines indoor air quality by measuring CO2 and PM2.5 concentrations in bedrooms and compares the energy consumption of both systems across different cities.