Conference Examines Impact of HVAC on Airborne Infectious Diseases

The role of HVACR in airborne infectious-disease transmission, design, and control strategies and technology, pandemic preparedness, and airborne infection control will be examined at the IAQ 2010 conference sponsored by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

Co-organized by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and the International Society of Indoor Air Quality (ISIAQ), IAQ 2010: Airborne Infection Control—Ventilation, IAQ & Energy, will take place Nov. 10-12, 2010, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This is the first time the conference is being held outside of the United States.

“The building industry is increasingly faced with the challenge of providing a healthy indoor environment,” Dr. Chandra Sekhar, conference chair, said. “The SARS episode, the current H1N1 pandemic and fears of avian flu have transformed the built environment landscape, raising not only significant public-health concerns but also economic implications on a global scale. Airborne infection and its control in the built environment have tremendous impact in the design, operation, and maintenance of buildings and other enclosed environments. IAQ 2010 will review the state of knowledge about airborne infection and help define future directions.”

The conference will feature peer-reviewed technical papers, workshops, and tutorials. Abstracts are invited in the following subject areas:

• Is airborne infection in enclosed environments emerging as a primary IAQ and health concern?
• What is the current understanding of the airborne infection route in enclosed environments, including buildings and transportation conveyances?
• What is the status of airborne infection-control techniques adopted in different types of enclosed environments and our knowledge about their effectiveness?
• How do mechanical systems and other building and enclosure characteristics contribute to healthy environments in an energy-efficient manner?
• How can we create and sustain healthy enclosed environments through design, construction, commissioning, operation, and maintenance?
• What metrics and tools can be used to quantify the degree to which an enclosed environment is healthy and energy efficient?
• What are the costs and quantifiable benefits of airborne infection-control strategies?
• What government and private-sector programs exist or are proposed, including standards and guidelines for infection control and pandemic preparedness in enclosed environments?
• How well are the existing programs working, and what roles can ASHRAE and other organizations in the field of building science and conveyance design play?

The deadline for abstracts is Jan. 15, 2010. Abstracts, containing titles and maximum 400-word summaries, should be submitted at www.ASHRAE.org/IAQ2010. For more information, e-mail [email protected].