PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES

Indoor Air Quality in the Built Environment: Science, Assessment, and Improvement

An AIRAH and University of Melbourne Alliance

Indoor Air Quality matters, for health, comfort, energy, and trust in buildings This three-day, face-to-face short course equips professionals to understand, assess and improve IAQ in real buildings, without becoming an engineer.

Quick access links to page content

• Learning Outcomes
• This course is designed for
• General course information
• Location
• Topics
• Overview
• Register your course

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course participants will be able to:

• Explain what “good IAQ” means for their specific space (building type, occupancy, activities, constraints) and why it matters.
• Identify common IAQ hazards and sources in real buildings and understand how they translate into occupant impacts and complaints
• Use standards and guidance as decision support—knowing what they indicate, what they don't, and how to apply them sensibly.
• Conduct a structured IAQ walkthrough to spot red flags, document evidence, and prioritise what to investigate next
• Understand ventilation and airflow in practical terms (how air moves, where problems arise) without doing engineering design.
• Interpret basic sensor readouts and trends (what readings may imply what's noise/misleading, and when to escalate).
• Ask the right questions of engineers and HVAC consultants and evaluate recommendations with confidence.
• Select fit-for-purpose, low-risk interventions using the hierarchy of controls (operational tweaks, housekeeping, maintenance, low-cost upgrades).
• Evaluate upgrade and retrofit options (ventilation changes, filtration/air cleaning, smart controls) including feasibility and trade-offs.
• Build an IAQ improvement roadmap that balances IAQ, energy, comfort, cost, and sustainability—and supports stakeholder communication.

Participants who complete the course will receive a University of Melbourne Certificate of Completion with AIRAH accreditation.

This course is designed for

• Facility/building managers and operators
• Building services/mechanical engineers and HVAC technicians
• Energy, sustainability, and ESG leads
• Property, asset, and portfolio managers
• OHS, occupational hygiene and wellbeing roles
• Project, procurement, and contract managers
• Organisational decision-makers.
• Anyone interested in IAQ, its public health impacts, and want to make a meaningful difference!

Course general information

Location

19 - 20 May 2026: Melbourne Connect industry and innovation precinct

Learn in a future-focused innovation hub where people, ideas and technology come together to shape real-world solutions that improve how we live and work. Be immersed in a vibrant, mixed-use precinct powered by the University of Melbourne, bringing together researchers, start-ups, industry and global partners in one place for meaningful collaboration.

Expect hands-on workshops in state-of-the-art event spaces, stronger connections with peers across disciplines, and the kind of real-time discussion and networking that only a dedicated innovation precinct can offer.

21 May 2026: UoM campus, ATLICE Laboratory

Hosted in the newly built ATLICE Laboratory for indoor air quality, intelligent ventilation, and retrofit design. Get hands-on with smart sensors, automation systems, and advanced ventilation technologies through live demonstrations and experiential learning. You'll learn to work with real-time data to make instant improvements and visualise the impact immediately

Topics include

• What is IAQ? The science of IAQ and why context is important.
• IAQ standards, guidelines and their use
• Ventilation in relation to IAQ
• Indoor airflows
• Indoor risk & modelling strategies
• Controlling indoor pollutants
• IAQ diagnostics - methodology and instrumentation
• IAQ measurements and demonstrations
• Air cleaning technologies
• IAQ improvement: impact on energy and sustainability
• Intelligent buildings: demand-controlled ventilation and energy-use uplift
• IAQ checklists
• Industry expert seminars with Q&A

Overview

This course will guide participants in building practical capabilities in indoor air quality (IAQ), including increasing your understanding of what “good IAQ” means for your specific building context. You will examine how common hazards show up in real spaces and how standards influence day-to-day operations. You'll gain the science, context, and technology understanding to spot issues, interpret what sensors and trends may (and may not) be telling you, and have more informed, confident conversations with engineers and HVAC consultants about improvement options and trade-offs.

Through University of Melbourne designed IAQ walkthrough methods for hazard identification, interactive demonstrations, and hands-on time with sensors, intelligent automation systems, and ventilation technologies, you'll learn where to look, who to talk to, and which low-risk fixes, upgrades, and retrofit pathways make sense for your space. You will leave ready to become the IAQ marshal for your building or workplace. You will be able to identify and prioritise issues, plan practical improvements, and organise the next steps with confidence. You will also leave equipped with the language to communicate clearly with stakeholders and occupants – explaining benefits and trade-offs (for example, why a little extra system noise can be worth it). The result is better productivity and comfort at work, and healthier outcomes for all.

In this course, participants will:

• See IAQ come to life through interactive demonstrations that make invisible airflow and pollutants visible.
• Work through real-world building scenarios and case studies (offices, large assets, complex shared spaces).
• Learn a walkthrough method you can use immediately—what to look for, what to record, and how to prioritise issues.
• Get hands-on time with sensors and IAQ tech to understand what they can (and can't) tell you in practice.
• Explore novel IAQ tools and approaches—including automation and smarter ventilation control concepts—without needing engineering design skills.
• Practice interpreting trends and patterns from common readings so you can ask sharper questions and avoid false conclusions.
• Compare air cleaning and filtration options side-by-side and learn how to match solutions to different space types.
• Build confidence to partner effectively with engineers and HVAC consultants—brief them well, challenge assumptions, and assess options.
• Identify quick-win, low-cost improvements you can trial safely, plus longer-term retrofit pathways for bigger gains.
• Leave with a practical IAQ improvement roadmap you can take back to your organisation—clear priorities, trade-offs, and next steps.

Course fees (inc. GST)

Your course fees cover:

• Three-days of in-person training
• Complimentary coffee and tea throughout the course duration
• Catered morning and afternoon tea breaks & a buffet lunch
• Access to all relevant course resources and UniMelb facilities
• UniMelb certificate of completion

Register for course

AIRAH and University of Melbourne Partnership

The collaboration between AIRAH and the University of Melbourne supports stronger connections between industry and higher education. Increased industry involvement alongside university expertise contributes to developing a skilled workforce and advancing outcomes for the built environment.

The University of Melbourne is recognised internationally for indoor air quality (IAQ) research and real-world impact, bringing together leading experts with cutting-edge laboratories and technology to test, validate, and improve IAQ monitoring and implementation in real-world settings. As a member of THRIVE (ARC Training Centre for Advanced Building Systems Against Airborne Infection Transmission) and with dedicated indoor air quality laboratory spaces, UniMelb translates evidence into practical solutions that enhance workplace productivity and deliver broader public health benefits. Alongside the Burnet Institute, UniMelb is leading engineering efforts for Victoria's Pathway to Clean Indoor Air project which is positioned as the world's largest research-and-implementation project of its kind. This project translates IAQ monitoring and ventilation improvements into measurable outcomes in real buildings across the state.