Welcome to HB’2023 Europe

Welcome to the 18th Healthy Buildings 2023 Europe Conference!

Healthy Buildings conferences bridge the gap between science and practice. It is one of the most influential conferences on sustainable solutions for a healthy and sustainable indoor environment.

Healthy Buildings 2023 Europe is organized by University Hospital RWTH Aachen and RWTH Aachen University under the auspices of ISIAQ (the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate).

We have set up an interesting program and are offering on-site attendance with all the benefits of in-person conferences like social interaction, fruitful discussions, and personal exchange.

Beyond disciplinary boundaries

The conference theme is “Beyond disciplinary boundaries – Transdisciplinary perspectives on multisensory stimulation for innovative and creative solutions in a Post-Covid era.” and is reflected in both the conference topics as well as the committee.

The last decade offered a multitude of knowledge gained and solutions developed within individual disciplines. The sensible application thereof however requires a holistic understanding of interdependencies between and across disciplines. At the same time, current crises, such as climate change and COVID-19 pandemic, show the need for inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration to shape the future of healthy and stimulating built environments.

Highlights

We are committed to creating an unforgettable conference for attendees that you will look back on with fond memories for a long time to come. Some of the HB23-Europe highlights are:

  • Following the 2015 guides for “conference do’s and don’t's” introduced by Marcel Loomans, we envision TED style keynotes, which transfer latest research and future visions related to methods and findings from research and practice;
  • new poster format that will leave behind so called “text-walls” in favor of posters that are motivating to look at and engage with the corresponding authors;
  • You will have the chance to visit the beyond state of art laboratory facilities of the Urban Energy Lab 4.0 and University Hospital ranging from advanced chemical analysis, biomonitoring over multi-perceptual subjective human laboratory experiments to full scale façade and HVAC test benches. In addition, the building of the university hospital alone as one of the largest European hospital buildings with a spectacular architecture and HVAC system that is worth a visit;
  • The venue itself offers a future facing combination between a traditional industrial buildings after use and latest technology and media for hosting conferences in the year 2023;
  • During the conference dinner in the Stadtpalais, participants will be able to explore the historical parts of Aachen city and “feel like Karl the Great”. Additional social and cultural programs will enable them to explore the history of Aachen city or the heart of the Euregio, where they can be in three countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany) with different parts of their body at the same time;
  • Participants will be invited to consider their carbon footprint before making travel plans as we will announce an eco-friendliest award which promotes low carbon transport means and creative solutions.

About the hosts

The RWTH Aachen University as one of Germany’s leading institutes of higher education in technology spreads all over Aachen city. Established in 1870, it is one of Germany’s Universities of Excellence with an emphasis on electrical and mechanical engineering, computer sciences, physics, and chemistry. The Faculty of Medicine is one of ten departments of RWTH Aachen University and part of the University Hospital “Uniklinik RWTH Aachen”. The research foci of the faculty are interdisciplinary in nature and aligned with the strategic goals of RWTH Aachen University. In addition, the approach to science and innovation is characterized by a translational performance aiming at the consistent translation of basic scientific findings into clinical application.

Prof. Dr. Marcel Schweiker,
Healthy Living Spaces, Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University hospital RWTH Aachen

President of HB23-Europe

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dirk Müller,
Institute for Energy Efficient Buildings and Indoor Climate, RWTH Aachen University
 

Vice president of HB23-Europe

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Habil Christoph van Treeck,
Institute for Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Building, RWTH Aachen University

Vice president of HB23-Europe

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Janina Fels,
Institute for Hearing Technology and Acoustics, RWTH Aachen University

Vice president of HB23-Europe

Prof. Dr. Med. Thomas Kraus,
Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University hospital RWTH Aachen

Vice president of HB23-Europe