Built Environment as Public Health Instrument: Indoor Climate Assessment for Health and Performance Optimisation

Environmental Health through Indoor Climate Integration: From Monitoring to Personalised Well-Being

This contribution combines deep expertise in built environment engineering, HVAC systems analysis, and indoor air quality monitoring with public health methodologies to address a critical gap in eHealth: the integration of environmental determinants into digital health ecosystems.

Core Strengths Offered:

Building Science Expertise: Quantitative assessment of indoor thermal comfort, air quality parameters (CO₂, particulate matter, radon), and ventilation effectiveness in diverse settings (offices, schools, homes). This includes understanding of HVAC system performance and energy-efficiency trade-offs.

Personal Exposure Analysis: Methodologies linking individual microenvironment exposures to health and performance outcomes—moving beyond ambient measurements to actual occupant-level exposures. Experience spans classroom performance, respiratory function, sleep quality, and cognitive outcomes.

Health-Centered Approach: Recognition that the built environment is a modifiable public health instrument. Track record of translating building science into actionable health insights for policymakers, healthcare systems, and occupants. Publications exceed 2,000 citations on indoor climate's impact on respiratory performance, sleep, and occupational well-being.

Integration Potential: Capacity to develop digital monitoring solutions and health outcome linkages suitable for eHealth platforms. Current leadership of the INSIDE-AIR project (€231k, 2023–2026) demonstrates ability to bridge building engineering and public health at scale.

Why This Matters for eHealth: Traditional eHealth focuses on clinical and behavioural interventions. This contribution fills a critical void by embedding environmental health determinants into digital health platforms, enabling personalised, data-driven interventions that account for where people live, work, and learn—not just their personal behaviours.