Evangelos Belias completed his PhD Thesis at HOBEL
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Evangelos Belias completed his Ph.D. studies at EPFL. His work "Building ventilation and outdoor air pollution: Implications for health, comfort and energy" was conducted under the supervision of Prof. Dusan Licina, Head of HOBEL, EPFL.
As humans spend most of their time indoors, indoor air quality (IAQ) significantly impacts their health. In parallel, building ventilation consumes significant energy, contributing to climate change. However, the relationships between the building ventilation, IAQ and its related health effects, and the energy demand are unclear, making the operation and design of ventilation non-optimal.
This thesis created a comprehensive outdoor air pollution database to investigate how the different ventilation systems influence the IAQ and the energy demand in buildings. The analyses revealed that energy savings in the ventilation systems are possible while, in parallel, improving IAQ when the longitudinal outdoor air pollution is considered in the design and operation phases of the building. Designers and building operators can follow the recommendations from this thesis to design and operate buildings more efficiently. Policymakers can benefit from the results to refine the standards and guidelines, contributing to healthier and more sustainable buildings.
