Advancing Energy and Indoor Environmental Quality Through Integrated Co‐Simulation and Multi‐Objective Optimisation for SARS‐CoV‐2 Risk Mitigation: A UK Case Study

In today's modern world, people spend most of their time indoors, making indoor air quality (IAQ) a critical concern, particularly in educational buildings, where densely occupied classrooms demand clean and healthy environments. This study enhances the IAQ of an existing college building in West London by aiming to reduce carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations and SARS‐CoV‐2 infection risk, while maintaining or improving energy efficiency and thermal comfort, assessed using the predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PPD). A multi‐objective optimisation was conducted using the Non‐dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA‐II). A novel approach combining optimisation with EnergyPlus and CONTAM co‐simulation was proposed to obtain the final results. Various scenarios were developed, reflecting different priorities. Energy‐saving scenarios increased PPD by 15.3% to 17.9%, while IAQ‐ and comfort‐focused scenarios raised energy consumption by 26.95% to 53.91% but maintained or improved comfort. EC45 as a mixed‐priority scenario, along with IAQ‐priority scenarios, achieved the lowest average SARS‐CoV‐2 infection risks (9.6%–10.7%). Meanwhile, other mixed‐priority (EP45‐ECP33) scenarios reduced PPD by 13.9% and maintained a 17% infection risk with only a 29% increase in energy use. This comprehensive approach demonstrates the potential for achieving healthier indoor environments in educational buildings without excessively compromising energy efficiency or occupant comfort.