The pandemic has dramatically increased awareness of the role indoor environments play in protecting occupant health. When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) publicly accepted that SARS-CoV-2 transmission was primarily through air, ASHRAE; BREEAM; the Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA); and others recommended 100% outdoor air ventilation, regardless of the consequence on energy use.
As the pandemic eventually loosened its grip, thoughts shifted to extreme weather events, such as wildfires and hurricanes, that were devastating the properties of individuals and communities. These extreme weather events were accurately tied to rising atmospheric carbon levels and greenhouse warming — adding momentum to energy conservation goals and furthering interest to decrease buildings’ carbon footprints. Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine triggered soaring fossil fuel prices, creating economic pressures on building owners and managers to “do the right thing.” As building priorities vacillated between managing IAQ to protect occupant health and operating HVAC systems to decrease the carbon footprint, do we even know what “doing the right thing” is anymore?