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More than 20 leading researchers from around the world gathered at the �鶹Ƶ��Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy (SyracuseCoE) this week to participate in a workshop and meeting on advanced building systems. The events highlighted exceptional research capabilities available at �鶹Ƶ��University and in Central New York relating to improving indoor environmental quality and energy efficiency in buildings.

The 13th International Forum and Workshop on Combined Heat, Air, Moisture and Pollutant Simulations (CHAMPS) included presentations by the international visitors and �鶹Ƶ��University faculty and students. Visitors were also able participate in the Second Expert Meeting of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Annex 68 Project Indoor Air Quality Design and Control in Low Energy Residential Buildings.

The importance of engineering high-performance buildings has become increasingly significant for improving human health and performance and reducing energy consumption. In industrialized countries, about 40 percent of energy consumption is associated with operation of buildings, including heating, cooling and lighting. In addition, natural resources and energy are increasingly scarce as a result of industrialization, and human health and productivity are increasingly compromised due to levels of pollution. To create a sustainable future, innovations are needed to create advanced building systems that reduce energy use and improve environmental quality for the betterment of human health.

“The forum and the expert meeting engage global leaders in research of the indoor environment,” says Jianshun Zhang, conference chair and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the . “We are very glad to welcome participants from China, Denmark, Germany, Japan, France, the United States and other countries to �鶹Ƶ��to focus on major challenges facing the combined heat, air, moisture and pollutant simulations for the design and operation of sustainable buildings.”

“�鶹Ƶ��is very well known in the international community of indoor air quality and sustainable building technology experts as a hub of research expertise and innovation,” says Ed Bogucz, SyracuseCoE executive director and associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “We’re thrilled to host our colleagues from around the world, and we look forward to leveraging the intellectual collisions that will result.”

The focus of CHAMPS 2016 was on major challenges facing the combined heat, air, moisture and pollutant simulations for the design and operation of sustainable buildings, highlighting the most recent progress and identifying opportunities for further collaboration in CHAMPS research, development and applications. Topics included whole building environmental quality, the effects of climate change on indoor environmental quality and of different climates on building performance, and the application of CHAMPS for building systems design.

Participants in the IEA Annex 68 Expert Meeting also shared progress made to date on the project, and discussed the plan for the next steps. There were also general sessions and separate working group sessions for all subtasks, including pollutant loads in residential buildings, modeling, strategies for design and control of buildings and field measurements and case studies. More information about the Annex 68 project can be found in .