Surendar Balakrishnan

At the outset, this is not a promotion of the upcoming 6th edition of the World IEQ Forum; instead, it is an earnest attempt at highlighting the critical nature of the expected discussions and how their outcome can prove crucial in our battle against the spread of airborne diseases. When viewed in the context of COVID-19, any recommendations relating to design of buildings and HVAC installation strategies may be seen as too late an intervention – though some might argue otherwise – but there is much we can gain out of applying them in the buildings that have not even been conceived.

To quote Ayman Eltalouny, who represents UNEP OzonAction and who spoke in the context of building-related emissions, “Half of the buildings standing in 2060 have not yet been built. There are 3.6 billion cooling units in use today. By 2050, that number is expected to be 9.5 billion. If left unchecked, emissions from cooling appliances are expected to double by 2030.” In much the same way, we have the opportunity of applying key Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)related outcomes of the conference in “half the buildings standing in 2060” hat have not yet been built.

There is a heightened sense of anticipation of a rich harvest of insights and recommendations from the Forum, scheduled to take place on March 16 at the Sweden Pavilion at the World Expo in Dubai. The lineup of speakers and panellists is such that we can look forward to making substantial progress in establishing energy-efficient healthy buildings and communities through listening to them.

What exactly is the composition of the lineup? Well, it comprises policy makers, regulation and standards bodies, doctors, architects, building industry consultants and contractors, sectoral end-users, and manufacturers and suppliers of HVAC equipment. They are people deeply immersed in building performance and tackling the challenges using multiple skills and the richness of their experience.

In 2020, at the height of the hysteria over the pandemic, some of them came together for a webinar CPI Industry conducted on IAQ, and it was heartening to see the manner in which they complemented each other and set the tempo for discussions. The Forum on March 16 comprises a broader group of experts, and it can only be richer in content.

We are onto something big here with the Forum. We must believe in its importance, in its magnitude. Out of that belief will come a deep sense of conviction that every thought that is spread and received will help prevent the spread of airborne diseases in the buildings standing in.