The relationship between users and the built environment represents a fundamental aspect of health. The factors that define the properties linked to health and well-being are increasingly becoming part of building design. In these terms, building information modelling (BIM) and BIM-based performance simulation take on a priority role. Among the key features for the design of Healthy Buildings, indoor air quality (IAQ) plays a central role. There are numerous indoor pollutants with significant health effects; volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are to be mentioned among these. The paper presents the proposal of an integrated workflow in the BIM process for the check and control of VOC emissions from building materials and their concentration in confined environments. The workflow is developed through the systematisation of IAQ parameters for the open BIM standard, the integration in the BIM process of a numerical model for the prediction of the VOCs concentration in the indoor environment, and the development of model checkers for performance verification. The results show a good adhesion between the numerical model and the implementation in BIM, providing the designer with a rapid control instrument of IAQ in the various phases of the building design. The present study is the first development focused on TVOC, but implementable concerning other aspects of IAQ, as needed for the effectiveness of performance building-based design for health and wellness issues.

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Using the semantic information available in building information models (BIM) during the whole project lifecycle enables faster, safer, and efficient construction, cost-effective operation and maintenance, and cost-effective eventual decommissioning. This paper aims to provide a systematic review of how sustainability rating systems can exploit the BIM approach for an easy collection of data and information and assessment of indicators to reach building certification. This paper is a part of the BIM4REN project, which is dedicated to developing an open-access platform of tools for the digitalization of the building renovation process specifically tailored for SMEs (Small and medium-sized enterprises).