AI and Digital Twins Advance Indoor Air Quality Monitoring

Siemens is participating in the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) BREATHE program, a multi-year initiative aimed at improving indoor air quality and reducing respiratory disease incidence. The program focuses on developing integrated systems that combine sensing, analytics, and automated building controls to manage airborne health risks.

Integrated Approach to Healthy Building Systems
The BREATHE program is structured around three technical areas: biosensing, risk assessment, and building control integration. Siemens contributes to the latter two, focusing on linking real-time data analysis with automated responses in building management systems.

This integration enables dynamic control of ventilation, filtration, and disinfection processes based on continuously assessed indoor air conditions.

Digital Twin-Based Risk Assessment
A key component of Siemens’ contribution is the use of digital twin technology to model building environments. These virtual models simulate airflow, temperature distribution, and energy consumption, allowing evaluation of mitigation strategies before physical deployment.

By combining simulation with real-time sensor data, the system supports continuous optimisation of indoor conditions, balancing health requirements with operational efficiency.

Real-Time Monitoring and Automated Response
The system integrates biosensor data with AI-based risk assessment models to detect potential airborne threats. Based on this analysis, building systems can automatically adjust parameters such as air exchange rates or filtration levels.

This closed-loop approach enables rapid response to changing conditions, reducing exposure risks in environments such as healthcare facilities and other critical infrastructure.

Application in Healthcare and Public Infrastructure
Siemens is involved in multiple BREATHE projects, including initiatives focused on hospital environments. These projects combine biosensing technologies, AI analytics, and smart filtration systems to manage air quality in high-risk settings.

Field trials are planned across multiple locations to validate system performance under diverse real-world conditions.

Targeting Measurable Health Outcomes
The program aims to reduce respiratory disease incidence by at least 25% through improved indoor air management. Achieving this requires accurate detection of airborne risks and timely intervention through automated building systems.

Edited by Romila DSilva, Induportals Editor, with AI assistance.