DESCRIPTION OF THE SESSION

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of indoor air quality and appropriate ventilation in buildings to prevent airborne disease transmission. As we move into the endemic phase, it remains crucial that we continue to prioritize effective ventilation and air cleaning to keep occupants as healthy as possible. This topical session will cover the latest research on airborne transmission mechanisms, including implications for ventilation system design, sizing, and operation. Presenters will share case studies of transmission mitigation and lessons learned from the pandemic response. There will be an emphasis on strategies for improving air quality in public buildings within the constraints of operating budgets. Attendees will gain practical knowledge to assess systems to make impactful upgrades, and communicate the ongoing importance of ventilation and air quality to stakeholders in a post-pandemic context. The goal is to ensure the health, safety, productivity, and wellbeing of building occupants now and in the future.

   OBJECTIVES OF THE SESSION

• • Review current research on the relationships between ventilation and airborne disease transmission.
  • Share case studies and lessons learned from ventilation upgrades and indoor air quality improvements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Discuss strategies and best practices for improving ventilation and air filtration in public buildings.
  • Provide guidelines and recommendations for assessing existing ventilation systems and determining needed upgrades or modifications.
  • Explore challenges around operating budgets, costs, and communicating the importance of air quality to stakeholders in a post-pandemic setting.

   SESSION PROGRAMME

1. ASHRAE 241-2023 Control of Infectious Aerosols. Max Sherman, University of Nottingham, UK
2. Can the Wells-Riley model universally assess airborne pathogen infection risk? Benjamin Jones, University of Nottingham, UK
3. Flow dynamic and respiratory particles generation of human expiratory flow: A literature review. Chen Zhang, Aalborg University, Denmark
4. Evaluating the impact of air cleaning and ventilation of airborne pathogens and human bio-effluents at two primary schools in Belgium. Klaas De Jonge, Ghent University, Belgium
5. Review of international norms and standards describing air cleaner test methods. Hannelore Scheipers, Ghent University, Belgium
6. Rethinking different ventilation strategies in a post-pandemic era: a CFD assessment. Alicia Murga Aquino, Kobe University, Japan
7. How the COVID Pandemic and the Energy Crisis Have Influenced Indoor Environmental Conditions in non-residential Buildings. Aurora Monge-Bario, Universidad de Navarra, Spain

   SESSION CHAIRS

1. Benjamin Jones, University of Nottingham, UK
2. Max Sherman, University of Nottingham, UK

   SESSION DURATION
-90 minutes