When Worlds Collide: Tropical Wisdom Meets Temperate Challenges In this wide-ranging discussion, Chandra brings over 35 years of experience from Singapore's hot, humid environment to share insights that challenge conventional thinking about ventilation and comfort. As one of three pioneers who established Singapore's indoor air quality research unit in the early 1990s, his team's tagline – "energy efficient, healthy buildings" – has guided decades of innovation in tropical building design. The conversation reveals striking contrasts: while European buildings might operate at 21-23°C, Singapore's newest net-zero buildings maintain comfort at 26-27°C using elevated air speeds from ceiling fans. This isn't just about energy savings – it's a fundamental rethinking of how we achieve thermal comfort. As Chandra explains, tropically-acclimatized people actually prefer air movement, unlike those from colder climates who perceive it as draft.

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Meeting a Legend of Indoor Air Quality
• 00:02:08 Air Quality as a Human-Centered Challenge
• 00:23:17 Making the Invisible Visible: Sensors and Awareness
• 00:42:58 Hot and Humid Climates: Engineering Lessons from Singapore
• 00:52:50 Decoupling Ventilation from Cooling: A Revolutionary Approach
• 01:00:55 Net-Zero Buildings and Adaptive Comfort
• 01:12:25 Global Equity and Simple Solutions
• 01:23:30 Building Preparedness and Future Resilience

Chandra Sekhar - LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/professor-chandra-sekhar-singapore/

The Air Quality Matters Podcast in Partnership with

Zehnder Group - Farmwood - Eurovent- Aico - Aereco - Ultra Protect -

The One Take Podcast in Partnership with

SafeTraces and Inbiot

Do check them out in the links and on the Air Quality Matters Website.

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