About this program:

​

Now, more than ever, it is critical that building operations account for both occupant health and sustainability. While key strategies for maintaining indoor air quality (IAQ) to support occupant health, such as increased outdoor ventilation, require more energy, it is possible to optimize both energy usage and occupant health. Well-established strategies to support both occupant health and sustainability include building commissioning, maximizing outdoor air ventilation, upgrading filters to MERV 13, electrification, using energy-efficient systems, and deploying real-time IAQ sensor networks.

 

This presentation will focus on innovative ways that real-time IAQ sensor networks can be used to support both health and sustainability goals.  The H.E.A.A.L. IAQ analysis ecosystem, used by global companies such as Amazon for analyzing real-time IAQ data, will be used to demonstrate the health value-add of real-time IAQ sensor networks in corporate offices. Real-time IAQ sensor networks can also be used to understand and optimize a building portfolio’s energy use; this presentation will introduce the patented Healthy Energy Insider tool, to identify opportunities for energy savings without compromising occupant health. Finally, this presentation will discuss how custom-building energy modeling can be coupled with real-time IAQ sensor networks to evaluate the impact of modifications to building operations on projected energy savings and IAQ. Case studies will be used throughout the presentation to demonstrate how real buildings are using these tools to advance their occupant health and sustainability work.

The H.E.A.A.L. framework and the Healthy Energy Insider tool are patented methods developed by scientists at 9 Foundations, Inc., a firm specializing in healthy buildings and advanced data analytics.

​

You will learn:

​

1. Understand the connection between indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy use in corporate office environments, and why optimizing both is essential for occupant health and sustainability.

2. Identify evidence-based strategies—such as commissioning, enhanced filtration, and electrification—that can simultaneously improve IAQ and reduce energy demand.

3. Learn how real-time IAQ sensor networks can be deployed to monitor, analyze, and improve both building performance and occupant well-being.

4. Explore ways new technologies can lead to data-driven decisions that balance health goals with energy efficiency targets.

5. Apply lessons from real-world case studies to understand how global companies are leveraging advanced IAQ analytics to achieve measurable health and sustainability outcomes

 

About the Presenter:

​

Amanda Hernandez brings a strong foundation in environmental health, data science, and public policy to her role as Data Analyst at 9F. She holds a Master of Science in Environmental Health degree from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a dual Bachelor’s degree in Geosciences and Environmental Studies from Wellesley College. Prior to joining 9F, Amanda was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow, one of the federal government’s most competitive leadership development programs. She held roles at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she led data-driven quality improvement initiatives and supported national environmental health policy development. At 9F, Amanda leverages her systems-thinking and technical expertise in data analysis, geospatial science, and data visualization on the Advanced Analytics team. Her work transforms vast amounts of data into insights that support decision-making for our clients and advances critical R&D at the company.

​

Program Level: Intermediate

​​

Content Area(s): 

Schools & Commercial Buildings

Building Design & Construction (including Green), Occupant Health/Medical Issues, Investigations, Testing & Research

​

​

​

​

​

​

​