When designing or renovating buildings, it is relevant to have in mind healthy indoor air quality guidelines to select the proper heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems that will help us maintain a comfortable, safe and healthy environment.

Indoor air quality monitors are becoming more affordable and accurate reporting levels of indoor pollutants in real time. During this course, we will highlight a human-centered design approach prioritizing health, reviewing the type of pollutants, leveraging the latest innovations in IAQ monitoring devices, providing research-based recommendations on pollutant levels that maintains a healthy environment, and describing effective strategies to reduce pollutants to reach healthy levels. Maintaining a healthy indoor environment requires energy. We will conclude the course with some remarks on smart systems, and balancing building sustainability while achieving healthy indoor environments.

Bonus: We will cover some of the IAQ requirements and credits in LEED and GreenStar Homes

Continuing Education Units (CEUS) 1 hour in

• Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)
• LEED AP Homes and O + M
• Building Performance Institute (BPI) NonWholeHouse
• American Institute of Architects – AIA (HSW) (PENDING)
• Certified Green Professional (NARI & CGP)
• Certified GreenHome Professional (CGHP)
• AIBD
• State Architect / Builder License may be applicable

Lessons Learned:

1. Know What we need to measure to assess indoor air quality in buildings and how it applies to LEED v4 BD+C Homes / v4.1 prereq ventilation
2. Review recommendations on safe levels of pollutants we need to maintain to have a healthy environment. How does it apply to LEED V4 O+M Prereq Ventilation
3. Articulate the mechanisms to effectively reduce indoor pollutants and how to get credits in LEED v4 BD+C Homes / v4.1 enhanced ventilation
4. Discuss what is the current state of IAQ standards and how we manage energy to effectively maintain a healthy indoor air quality.

Instructor: Victor G. Niño

Victor G. Niño, Ph.D. PE is the Director of Business Development for Build Equinox. He holds both a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Victor has more than 20 years of industrial experience in the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) field. As a senior research engineer, he developed new heat exchanger technology for air-conditioning systems that use natural refrigerants. As an engineering manager, he led a global team of engineers using Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) software to speed up commercialization of heat transfer products. He is a member of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers) and currently serving as the Government Affairs Committee Chair of the ASHRAE Wisconsin-Milwaukee Chapter. Victor also teaches HVAC Fundamentals at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Continuous Education program.