The Case for Clean Indoor Air in Future-Ready Buildings

Indoor air quality is no longer a “nice to have” or a post-occupancy upgrade—it is critical building infrastructure

Green Build Oman: Future-Ready Buildings, Cleaner Air, Lower Carbon

Two weeks ago, more than 150 industry professionals gathered in Muscat for two days of focused, high-impact discussion at Green Build Oman—an event that continues to play a vital role in shaping the region’s sustainable construction agenda. I was honoured to be invited to speak for the second consecutive year.

This year’s conference theme, “Decarbonisation and Efficient Execution,” brought together speakers from Oman and around the world, each contributing practical insights and technical expertise across a wide range of topics, including:

• The Oman Building Code

• The Oman Calcined Clay Model and low-carbon cement composites

• 3D-printed buildings using LC3 and indigenous materials

• Turning energy data into architectural insight

• Thermal energy storage and advanced HVAC systems

• High-performance HVAC decarbonisation strategies

• Integration of German DGNB standards with Omani regulations

• Construction and demolition waste management and reverse logistics

• Urban heat island mitigation through recycling

• Ras Al Hamra as a benchmark for sustainable communities

• IoT-enabled decarbonisation and efficient resource management

The depth and breadth of discussion reflected a construction sector that is increasingly serious about sustainability, performance, and execution.

My Presentation: Future-Ready Buildings & The Case for Clean Indoor Air

My presentation, “Future-Ready Buildings: Integrating IAQ Technologies for Lower Energy, Lower Costs, Lower Emissions,” focused on a critical but often under-addressed element of sustainable design: indoor air quality (IAQ).

Indoor air quality is no longer a “nice to have” or a post-occupancy upgrade - it is critical building infrastructure. In the high-occupancy, continuously air-conditioned buildings common across the GCC and MENA region, the air occupants breathe directly affects health, productivity, operational resilience, and energy performance. As awareness grows around airborne transmission, wellness, and sustainability, building owners, designers, and regulators are being challenged to rethink how indoor environments are designed and managed. The case for clean indoor air becomes very clear.

Clean air must be treated with the same seriousness as energy, water, and life-safety systems - designed into buildings from day one, continuously monitored, and actively managed.

Cost, Value, and Return on Investment

Achieving these outcomes requires a balanced understanding of both cost and value. Buildings equipped with effective air purification strategies deliver measurable benefits, including:

• Improved occupant health

• Increased productivity and improved presenteeism

• Reduced sickness

• Lower maintenance and operational costs

• Support for LEED, WELL, and Fitwel green building credits

So my view is that we must design boldly - the above are not theoretical benefits - they contribute directly to return on investment and long-term asset value. Importantly, for new buildings, integrating air purification into the HVAC design may cost no more at all. For existing buildings, retrofitting is typically straightforward and represents a modest investment with substantial health and performance gains.

The Role of ASHRAE 62.1 IAQP

A key focus of my presentation was the ASHRAE 62.1 Indoor Air Quality Procedure (IAQP) - a performance-based pathway designed specifically for buildings that integrate air purification within their HVAC systems.

In simple terms, ASHRAE recognises that when a proven IAQ solution is present, less outside air is required to achieve acceptable indoor air quality. In practice, this often translates to around a 50% reduction in outside air, with profound implications:

• Lower cooling loads

• Reduced energy consumption

• Smaller HVAC equipment

• Lower capital and operating costs

In many cases, the reduction in HVAC capital expenditure offsets any incremental cost associated with the air purification system, resulting in a building that is both more energy-efficient and healthier to occupy.

Awareness, Adoption, and the Path Forward

It became clear during the conference that many attendees were unfamiliar with the IAQP pathway and its potential benefits. This is understandable. Adoption of new protocols takes time, particularly when engineers and architects are concerned about the perceived complexity of mass balance calculations. In reality, these calculations require no more information than conventional HVAC design, and specialist providers such as AtmosAir can support design teams by performing the modelling and optimisation using proprietary tools.

A Call to Action

I concluded with a simple but important question:If this approach is proven, practical, and cost-effective, why aren’t all new buildings designed this way?

In the Middle East, buildings account for up to 60% of total energy consumption, with HVAC responsible for roughly half of that. If HVAC energy demand can be reduced by up to 50% through integrated air purification and smarter ventilation strategies, the impact on decarbonisation is significant.

A truly “green” building should not only be energy-efficient—it should also deliver clean, healthy air by design.

Summary

Green Build Oman reinforced a critical message: indoor air quality is fundamental to sustainable, future-ready buildings. By integrating air purification into HVAC design and leveraging ASHRAE 62.1 IAQP, new buildings can reduce energy use, lower capital costs, and significantly improve occupant health - often at no additional cost. In a region where HVAC dominates energy consumption, this represents one of the most effective and underutilised pathways to decarbonisation.