Healthy building design is an emerging field of architecture and building engineering. Indoor air quality (IAQ) is an inevitable factor that should be considered in healthy building design due to its demonstrated links with human health and well-being. This paper proposes to integrate IAQ prediction into healthy building design by developing a simulation toolbox, termed i-IAQ, using MATLAB App Designer. Within the i-IAQ, users can input information of building layout and wall-openings and select air pollutant sources from the database. As an output, the toolbox simulates indoor levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), inhalable particles (PM₁₀), fine particles (PM_2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and ozone (O₃) during the occupied periods. Based on the simulation results, the toolbox also offers diagnosis and recommendations to improve the design. The accuracy of the toolbox was validated by a case study in an apartment where physical measurements of air pollutants took place. The results suggest that designers can integrate the i-IAQ toolbox in building design, so that the potential IAQ issues can be resolved at the early design stage at a low cost. The paper outcomes have the potential to pave a way towards more holistic healthy building design, and novel and cost-effective IAQ management.

This study investigates the integration of Building Information Models (BIMs) and Virtual Tour (VT) environments in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, focusing on Computer-Aided Facility Management (CAFM), Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMSs), and data Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA). The interconnected nature of tasks throughout a building’s life cycle increasingly demands a seamless integration of real-time monitoring, 3D models, and building data technologies. While there are numerous examples of effective links between IoT and BIMs, as well as IoT and VTs, a research gap exists concerning VT-BIM integration. This article presents a technical solution that connects BIMs and IoT data using VTs to enhance workflow efficiency and information transfer. The VT is developed upon a pilot based on the Controlled Environments for Living Lab Studies (CELLS), a unique facility designed for flexible monitoring and remote-control processes that incorporate BIMs and IoT technologies. The findings offer valuable insights into the potential of VTs to complement and connect to BIMs from a life-cycle perspective, improving the usability of digital twins for beginner users and contributing to the advancement of the AEC and CAFM industries. Our technical solution helps complete the connectivity of BIMs-VT-IoT, providing an intuitive interface (VT) for rapid data visualisation and access to dashboards, models and building databases. The practical field of application is facility management, enhancing monitoring and asset management tasks. This includes (a) sensor data monitoring, (b) remote control of connected equipment, and (c) centralised access to asset-space information bridging BIM and visual (photographic/video) data.

This study explores the integration of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Virtual Tours in the Architecture Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, focusing on Facility Management (FM) and Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS). The research addresses the need for different levels of detail in BIMs across various building phases and the potential of Virtual Tours as a complement to BIMs in IoT-based FM. The study’s methodology includes a literature review, a pilot-demonstrator case study, installation of monitoring and IoT control devices, execution of BIMs and Virtual Tour models, and development of links between system elements. The case study is based on the Controlled Environments for Living Lab Studies (CELLS), a unique facility designed for flexible monitoring and remote-control processes. The findings of this research could provide valuable insights into the potential of Virtual Tours to complement and connect to BIMs within a life cycle perspective, enhancing the usability of digital twins for nontrained users and contributing to the evolution of the AEC industry.