Achieving sustainable, resilient building operation means there must be a balance between energy efficiency and indoor air quality. To promote national health and be stewarts of our limited resources, exploring the connection between energy efficiency and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and applying the best practices defines the nexus. Integrating state-of-the-art technology and available information, researching indoor airflow patterns and the effects of air contaminants on different demographics leads to applying automated best practices for building ventilation. A management system that makes decisions using local and national outdoor air quality data, public health data, and building and occupant information address the balance between healthy air and energy efficiency. Phase 1 will consist of researching airflow patterns typical in small commercial buildings using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and indoor air contaminants' health effect on people in various building types by identifying consensus positions through literature review. An online software platform will be developed in parallel, and two buildings will be analyzed to determine both their energy and IAQ baselines. The research, software, and building information are integrated, and automatic building control algorithms are implemented, delivering the best possible IAQ while considering the people in the building and energy use effects. This platform will be easily integrated with any Web-Based Building Management System (BMS), making IAQ information readily available to any user. The application of this turnkey solution gives actionable information to facility managers and clearly defines the nexus between energy efficiency and healthy indoor air. The system can be deployed at government institutions, commercial portfolios, and individual buildings.
