With this in mind, a LinkedIn Group has been created for delegates to connect with other attendees.

You are encouraged to join the group, and communicate your key ideas on the following topics:

− what key ideas you are exploring, within the theme/s of the 2012 Healthy Buildings Conference

− key accomplishments – to date and/or anticipated

− where you are seeking assistance, in the form of funding, collaboration or other support

You can join the LinkedIn group here.

We are also on Facebook so be sure to “Like Us” to stay updated with the latest news and happenings of the conference.

Running through the heart of Brisbane, the picturesque river is the lungs of the city. On both sides of the Brisbane River, extensive pedestrian walkways pass through city parks full of picnickers, cyclist and joggers, while the lit up Kangaroo Cliffs are a popular place for night time rock climbing. In a few spots, mangrove trees grow on the river bank, their elaborate roots always immersed in the water. City Cat ferries glide across the tidal waters of the river and provide a pleasant vantage point from which to observe life in Brisbane. Nestled in one bend of the river, lies the central business district, while on the other side the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and the performing arts complex front the river at South Bank. – Eliza Morawska, Member of the ANZOC

Early Registration has Closed
Early-bird registration for the 2012 Healthy Buildings Conference closed on Friday the 13th April 2012. Regular registration is still open. Please see the Registration page for more details on registration fees and inclusions.

Accommodation can also be booked as part of the registration process. Information on the hotels being offered can be found on the accommodation page. Accommodation is filling fast so make sure you book soon.

Sight-Seeing Companions

Are you thinking of spending some extra time in Australia before or after the conference to see the sights? If you are interested in seeing if other delegates might be keen to join with you and make it more of an informal travelling group, please leave a comment here and we can put you in touch with other keen explorers.

Update on the Program: Message from the President of HB2012

With just under three months left to the conference, and with many of you busy preparing your presentations and posters, booking tickets and accommodations or examining the map of Australia to chose among the many fascinating places to visit, I would like to draw you attention for a moment to the technical program of the conference and the exciting shape it is taking.

Papers – Firstly, the over 600 papers submitted papers, covering a broad spectrum of topics relevant to the conference are being organised into up to eight parallel sessions to take place through each part of the three and a half days of the conference. Please see the conference program at a glance, already available from our website.

Keynote Speakers – Secondly, we have seven excellent plenary speakers, coming from around the world, who are enthusiastic to share with us their knowledge. We will see some familiar faces, but will also have the opportunity to expand our horizons by listening to the presentations on three key topics, chosen based on recommendations from the International Advisory Committee and the Asian Steering Committee of the conference. The topics include: (1) Balance of Power: Energy Conservation versus Indoor Environment Quality; (2) Race Against Time: Population, Urban Growth and Miracles of Innovation; and (3) Infection spread: Will breathing kill you?

Workshops – And thirdly, we have planned many interactive workshops and panel discussions, to ensure that the conference participants have plenty of opportunities for being part of expert conversations rather than only listening to the experts. In response to our call last year we have received close to 40 workshop proposals – much more than the number of the workshops which we were able to accommodate during the conference. Some of the authors have agreed to join forces and to combine their proposals in cases of similar topics, and are now working on their workshop outlines. The Program Committee has prepared a preliminary workshop program and is available from the website.

Also already on the website, are programs of the panel discussions which will take place within the scope of the three Symposia of the conference. These events are an integral part of the conference, but can also be attractive to those who have interest in one specific aspect, and therefore opt to participate in just one of the conference days. Over the last few weeks, the chairs of the panels have initiated discussion amongst the panellists to identify the key elements around which the discussions will be centred during the conference. These and some background material for each of the panels will start appearing on the conference website within the next few weeks and will be available to the participants well in advance of the conference.

I very much hope that you will find the program of the conference as interesting and stimulating as I am finding all the preparations for it and the many discussions which have already started to culminate during the conference!

Lidia Morawska
President, Healthy Buildings 2012

We will then put you in touch with other delegates who might be interested in doing the same.

Stretching from the ocean to the mountains, Currumbin Valley is located 1 hour south of Brisbane on the Southern Gold Coast. Ringed by steep escarpments, this ecological rich valley is crisscrossed by crystal clear creeks and waterholes. A meandering drive, leads to hidden picnic spots near pretty waterfalls. Along the way, stalls sell fresh produce direct from the farm. A walk to the unique Currumbin rock pools passes through World Heritage listed rainforest with a rich indigenous and European past. – Eliza Morawska, Member of the ANZOC

There will be a tour of the Currumbin Ecovillage, for more details please see below.

Early Registration has been EXTENDED

Registration for the 2012 Healthy Buildings Conference is still open for another two weeks to allow authors to finalize the corrections of their papers! Therefore, the Early bird registration will now close at 9am, AEST Tuesday 17 April 2012. Please see the Registration page for more details on registration fees and inclusions.

Accommodation can also be booked as part of the registration process. Information on the hotels being offered can be found on the Accommodation page.

Currumbin Ecovillage Tour

Friday 13 July 2012
8:30am-4:30pm

The Currumbin Ecovillage is a multi-award winning, sustainable residential development on 110 hectares of the picturesque Currumbin Valley in the Southern Gold Coast region. Half the estate is an environmental reserve for the protection of abundant and diverse native flora and fauna. The estate is water self-sufficient and adopts water-sensitive urban design principles. All homes are constructed along passive design principles and incorporate considerations of low embodied energy, energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, healthy indoor air quality, social connectivity and low impact on the land. The highlights of the tour will encompass: audio visual presentation and Q&A regarding Ecovillage master plan, productive landscaping in semi-urban context, community Facilities / urban planning for social sustainability, water sensitive urban design (rainwater collection and use, storm water management, waste water treatment and reticulation), options for transport sustainability, biodiversity (e.g. free roaming kangaroos, abundant bird life, indigenous and native flora), and a tour of several low carbon, low toxicity homes: naturally ventilated, passive solar design, energy and water efficiency, solar power and heating, dual water supply, eco building materials and products, and food production.

COST: Estimated at $120 per person (includes GST) – this price is expected to be valid for tour groups from 20-100 people. The cost includes:

• Coach transport Brisbane – Gold Coast and return (pick up point Brisbane Convention Centre)
• Morning tea and lunch at The Ecovillage
• Guided walk / cycling / driving tours of Ecovillage and free exploration time
• Beach walk (Currumbin Beach)

Program Update

Keynote Speakers – We have now confirmed all 7 plenary speakers from a range of disciplines for the conference. For a full list please visit the speaker’s page.

Symposia – We have now finalised plans for the Symposia. The Symposia topics are based on recommendations from the International Advisory Committee. Information on the Symposia, which are an integral part of the conference can be found here.

Papers – The review process is coming to a close and revision outcomes have been sent to authors. The deadline for final submissions is Friday the 13th April 2012.

HB2012 on Twitter & Facebook

The Facebook page has now got an easy to remember custom URL: https://www.facebook.com/healthybuildings2012. The Student Program Committee are still looking for people to help administer the Facebook and Twitter accounts. Please contact Woody Pattinson at woodroe.pattinson@pg.canterbury.ac.nz if you want to get involved with the social media campaign. It’s hoped that the Facebook page will help students (and other attendees) get to know each other a little bit before the conference itself.

Student Competition

Submissions for the student competition close in six weeks’ time on the 18th May 2012. Please email healthybuildings2012@gmail.com immediately, if you haven’t already, to let us know to expect your submission so that we can organise the presentation session, review of entries, etc. The prize is presenting your work to a plenary session of the conference, so if you didn’t get a paper in before the deadline it is possible to present at the conference by submitting a solution to current issues in the fields of indoor air and “healthy buildings”. More information can be found on the competition page. If there is insufficient interest this competition will be cancelled as it’s undesirable to have an entry win just because no one else entered.

Student Social Event

Sam Clifford, the chair of the Student Program Committee reports:

“Booked the function room at the Ship Inn, South Brisbane, for the student event on the Tuesday night. The Ship Inn is within walking distance of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and overlooks the South Bank Parklands. We are still finalising the format for the night. The Ship Inn is also very close to buses and trains for those who need them to get home and is at one end of the South Bank Parklands for those who wish to continue socialising into the night. Some QUT students are looking into planning less formal social events such as barbecues, picnics and social drinks to ensure that everyone’s got plenty of time to meet other students and enjoy their time in Brisbane.”

Symposia I: Balance of Power: Energy Conservation versus Indoor Environment Quality

Symposia II: Race against Time: Population, Urban Growth and Miracles of Technology

Symposia III: Infection Spread: Will breathing kill you?

Across the shimmering waters of the bay, the sand dunes of Moreton Island beckon. Just an hour by boat, the island offers a seemingly remote taste of paradise. From Mount Tempest, the highest vegetated sand hill in the world, there are sweeping views of the forested island. Bumpy four wheel drive tracks cross the island to Ocean Beach, where the wild ocean crashes onto kilometres of empty sand. On bay side of the island, the crystal clear waters around The Wrecks are home to a myriad of colourful fish. Eliza Morawska, Member of the ANZOC

For more information about the beautiful Moreton Bay (which is also the featured image on the conference banner) please click here.

Registration is now OPEN!

Registration for the 2012 Healthy Buildings Conference is now open! Please see the Registration page for more details on registration fees and inclusions. Early bird registration rates close on 31 March 2012 13 April 2012.

Accommodation can also be booked as part of the registration process. Information on the hotels being offered can be found on the accommodation page.

Update on Program

Paper Submissions- The submission deadline for full papers and extended abstracts has now passed and the majority of authors have now lodged their revised submissions.

Keynote Speakers – The following is a list of keynote speakers who will present at the conference:

Balance of Power: Energy Conservation versus Indoor Environmental Quality

· Opening Plenary Speaker – To be Confirmed

· Professor Phillipa Howden-Chapman: Director, New Zealand Centre for Sustainable Cities, Department of Public Health, University of Otago

Race against Time: Population, Urban Growth and Miracles of Technology

· Professor Kalpana Balakrishnan: Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational Health and Head of the Department, Environmental Health Engineering, Sri Ramachandra University, India

· Professor Jiang Yi: Director, Building Energy Research Centre, Tsinghua University and Co-Director, Tsinghua-UPENN Centre for Building Simulation and Energy.

Infection spread: will breathing kill you?

· Professor Clive Beggs: Chair, Medical Technology, School of Engineering, Design & Technology,
University of Bradford

· A/Professor Raymond Tellier: Medical Microbiologist, Provincial Laboratory for Public Health of Alberta, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary

Closing Plenary Addresses

· The winners of the student competition (one from each category) will give 3 x 10 minute presentations on the final day of the conference – more information about the student competition can be found here.

· Professor Charlie Weschler: Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School & Rutgers University
For further information, please visit the Keynote Speakers page.

Workshops – We received close to 40 workshop proposals for the conference. All authors of the proposals have now been notified of the outcome of their submission – some have been accepted as standalone workshops, while those that were similar to other submissions were combined and accepted as joint workshops. The workshop program is currently being finalised and further details will be available on the website shortly.

HB2012 on Twitter & Facebook

The facebook page has been set up and once we get enough people we will convert it to a custom URL which will make it easier to find. For now, the page can be found at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Healthy-Buildings-2012-Conference/185899311479077

We have also created a Twitter account at http://twitter.com/hb2012 and we are investigating ways to make use of both of these accounts both in the leadup to and during the conference. If you are interested in assisting with the administration of these accounts, please contact Woody Pattinson at woodroe.pattinson@pg.canterbury.ac.nz

Student Competition

A reminder that student competition submission closes on May 18 2012. If you are going to compete please email healthybuildings2012@gmail.com to let us know. We don’t need the finished submission until May but we do need an idea of how many people are going to participate so that we can organise the presentation session, review of entries, etc.

Please see the Registration page for more details on registration fees and inclusions. Information on applying for a Visa to visit Australia can be found here.

Accommodation can also be booked as part of the registration process. Information on the hotels being offered can be found on the accommodation page.

“Overlooking the golden fields of the Scenic Rim is the sweeping green arch of the Great Dividing Range, located on hour from Brisbane. Winding up the hillside, the rainforest gives way to grass trees that cling to the steep slopes. On the plateau, cows graze in the emerald fields surrounded by exposed cliffs. A short walk through tall open forest of towering red gums leads to Queen Mary Falls, where the waterfall drops 40m over basalt cliffs before continuing its twisting journey down the valley floor to join the Condamine River. For avid four wheel drivers, the 14 river crossings track in the Condamine Gorge offers a spectacular spot to test skills”. Eliza Morawska, Member of the ANZOC.

News about the HB2012 Student Program

The Healthy Buildings 2012 Student Program Committee (SPC) is off to a great start, organising an exciting program for students attending the conference. We are learning from our experiences of past conferences and looking at how we can build on the work of those before us to make HB2012′s student conference the best it can be. However, to do that, we will need your suggestions as to what you would like to get out of the student program. We would also appreciate any help you can give us in making your dreams come true.

Kat Healey is currently organising the social program (close to the conference venue, but far away enough that your supervisors won’t be watching) and all of us on the SPC look forward to meeting students and relaxing, both at the event, as well as in and around South East Queensland (adventurous folk may enjoy visiting the Queen Mary Falls and the Condamine Gorge).

The student competition, below, will give you the opportunity to present at a plenary session, so make sure you enter! Presenting at a conference and having conference papers on your CV is a great way to start a career in science, engineering or any other discipline related to Healthy Buildings.

Our social media co-ordinator, Woody Pattinson, will need people to help promote the student program via Twitter (an @HB2012 account lies dormant, waiting for someone to breathe life into it) and Facebook so let me know if you’ve got experience with social media and would like to help maintain our online presence.

We’re only a small group at the moment so if you’re interested in connecting with some motivated students and giving us a hand, or you want to volunteer someone else, please contact me at healthybuildings2012@gmail.com

On behalf of the Student Program Committee,

Sam Clifford (SPC Chair – featured in the photo above doing some impromptu theatre).

Student Competition

As part of the conference there is a Student Competition being run (please see below). Further details about eligibility and entry requirements can be found here.

Requirements – The entry should focus on the solution to a problem related to healthy buildings (rather than the broader topic of “sustainability”), be it at home, in the workplace, in public spaces (schools, hospitals, etc.), in both the developed or developing world.

Categories – The categories for the competition are:
· Policy: how can healthy building design and practice be encouraged?
· Engineering: how can we make a building healthy?
· Design and construction: how do you build a healthy building?
· Developing world: how can we achieve healthy buildings where money is limited?

Deadline
Entries must be received no later than 18 May 2012 (8 weeks prior to the conference). Please email your entry to healthybuildings2012@gmail.com