Dusan Licina

EPFL Smart Living Lab HOBEL
HBL 2 4C (Halle Bleue)
Pass. du Cardinal 13b
1700 Fribourg

EPFL Smart Living Lab HOBEL
HBL 2 4C (Halle Bleue)
Pass. du Cardinal 13b
1700 Fribourg

Expertise

Indoor air pollutant dynamics and exposure science 
Building ventilation and environmental control 
Continuous IAQ/IEQ sensing and performance-based assessment
Energy–IAQ trade-offs and nexus
Health-oriented building standards and certifications

Mission

HOBEL advances fundamental and applied knowledge at the intersection of people and buildings. Our mission is to ensure healthy indoor environments while minimizing energy use by uncovering the dynamics and fate of indoor air pollutants, quantifying human inhalation exposures, and developing smart, performance-based ventilation and control strategies. We pursue this through integrated laboratory and field experiments, mechanistic modeling, data-driven analysis, and multi-scale simulations spanning the human, building, and urban scales. 
Dusan Licina, is an associate professor at the école polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and serves as the director of the Human-Oriented Built Environment Laboratory. He conducts fundamental and applied research in the field of sustainable and healthy built environment, with a specific focus on indoor air pollutant dynamics, exposure science and building ventilation.
Dusan holds MSc. and BSc. degrees in mechanical engineering (University of Belgrade). He completed his joint Doctorate degree at the National University of Singapore and Technical University of Denmark, followed by a postdoctoral appointment at the University of California Berkeley. Prior to joining EPFL, he also served as the director of the Standard Development team at the International WELL Building Institute.
Dusan is the recipient of several honors and awards, including Yaglou award by the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (ISIAQ) for significant research accomplishments on sustainable healthy buildings, and Ralph G. Nevin's award by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) given in recognition of significant accomplishment in the study of human response to the environment. He is editorial board member of the highly acclaimed Indoor Air journal. He is passionate about raising awareness about the air quality issues worldwide and developing buildings that are not only energy efficient, but that also contribute to «Michelin Star» indoor air quality.

Awards

Yaglou award

International Conference of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality & Climate (ISIAQ)

2022

Ralph G. Nevins Physiology & Human Environment Award

2018

Journal articles

2026

Our Best Friends: How Dogs Alter Indoor Air Quality

S. YangN. WangT. Arnoldi-MeadowsG. BeköM. Zhang  et al.

Environmental Science & Technology. 2026. DOI : 10.1021/acs.est.5c13324.

2025

PANDORA: An open-access database of indoor pollutant emission rates for IAQ modeling

M. AbadieE. GeffreC. F. PicardM. LoomansF. Babich  et al.

Journal of Building Engineering. 2025. DOI : 10.1016/j.jobe.2025.114216.

Population exposure to ozone and its gas-phase oxidation products in 25 European cities

M. YaoE. BeliasD. LicinaB. Zhao

Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2025. DOI : 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138637.

Ten questions concerning the economics of indoor environmental quality in buildings

S. FlagnerS. SchiavonN. KokF. FuerstD. Licina  et al.

Building and Environment. 2025. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113227.

Indoor air quality in swiss primary schools: impacts of mechanical ventilation and seasonal variation

B. DuJ. F. ReyM. CesariC. A. RouletP. Favreau  et al.

Building and Environment. 2025. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113146.

A multidomain approach to neighbourhood typology for urban environmental studies

K. LyuD. LicinaH. Khodaei TehraniJ. WienoldD. Khovalyg

Sustainable Cities and Society. 2025. DOI : 10.1016/j.scs.2025.106378.

Performance evaluation of radon measurement techniques in single-family homes

J. F. ReyD. LicinaJ. Goyette Pernot

Indoor Environments. 2025. DOI : 10.1016/j.indenv.2025.100087.

2024

Estimating Air Change Rate in Mechanically Ventilated Classrooms Using a Single CO<inf>2</inf> Sensor and Automated Data Segmentation

B. DuI. RedaD. LicinaC. KapsisD. Qi  et al.

Environmental science & technology. 2024. DOI : 10.1021/acs.est.4c02797.

Indoor Emission, Oxidation, and New Particle Formation of Personal Care Product Related Volatile Organic Compounds

T. WuT. MüllerN. WangJ. ByronS. Langer  et al.

Environmental Science and Technology Letters. 2024. DOI : 10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00353.

Resuspension of inhalable particles from clothing: A manikin-based chamber study

H.-Y. JhangS. YangD. Licina

Building and Environment. 2024. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2024.112157.

Exploring indoor environmental perception through questionnaires, physiological monitoring, and facial expression recognition

B. DuG. BeköD. Licina

Indoor Environments. 2024. DOI : 10.1016/j.indenv.2024.100019.

Nanocluster Aerosols from Ozone-Human Chemistry Are Dominated by Squalene-Ozone Reactions

S. YangD. Licina

Environmental Science & Technology Letters. 2024. DOI : 10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00289.

Nanocluster aerosol formation via ozone chemistry on worn clothing: Influence of environmental parameters

S. YangD. Licina

Building And Environment. 2024. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2024.111474.

The impact of real-time carbon dioxide awareness on occupant behavior and ventilation rates in student dwellings

D. BastienD. LicinaL. BourikasS. CrosbyS. Gauthier  et al.

Energy And Buildings. 2024. DOI : 10.1016/j.enbuild.2024.114132.

Influence of Ventilation on Formation and Growth of 1-20 nm Particles via Ozone-Human Chemistry

S. YangT. MuellerN. WangG. BekoM. Zhang  et al.

Environmental Science & Technology. 2024. DOI : 10.1021/acs.est.3c08466.

What is NExT? A new conceptual model for comfort, satisfaction, health, and well-being in buildings

S. AltomonteS. KacelP. W. MartinezD. Licina

Building And Environment. 2024. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2024.111234.

Physiology or Psychology: What Drives Human Emissions of Carbon Dioxide and Ammonia?

S. YangG. BekoeP. WargockiM. ZhangM. Merizak  et al.

Environmental Science & Technology. 2024. DOI : 10.1021/acs.est.3c07659.

Performance evaluation of radon active sensors and passive dosimeters at low and high radon concentrations

J. F. ReyN. MeisserD. LicinaJ. G. Pernot

Building And Environment. 2024. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.111154.

Evaluating the impact of indoor aerosols on the performance of real-time radon sensors

J. F. ReyN. MeisserD. LicinaJ. Goyette Pernot

Frontiers in Built Environment. 2024. DOI : 10.3389/fbuil.2024.1407499.

2023

European residential ventilation: Investigating the impact on health and energy demand

E. BeliasD. Licina

Energy And Buildings. 2023. DOI : 10.1016/j.enbuild.2023.113839.

Size-resolved inhalation intake fractions for particles released from human activities in residential indoor environments (vol 244, 110763, 2023)

D. LicinaB. E. Boor

Building And Environment. 2023. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.111026.

Deposition of inhalable particles onto human clothing: A manikin-based chamber study

H.-Y. JhangS. YangD. Licina

Building And Environment. 2023. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110986.

Investigation of indicators for personal exposure and occupancy in offices by using smart sensors

S. YunD. Licina

Energy And Buildings. 2023. DOI : 10.1016/j.enbuild.2023.113539.

Size-resolved inhalation intake fractions for particles released from human activities in residential indoor environments

M. MerizakB. BoorD. Licina

Building And Environment. 2023. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110763.

Adequacy of stationary measurements as proxies for residential personal exposure to gaseous and particle air pollutants

V. G. SerranoE. Z. LinK. J. G. PollittD. Licina

Environmental Research. 2023. DOI : 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116197.

Energy, SBS symptoms, and productivity in Swiss open-space offices: Economic evaluation of standard, actual, and optimum scenarios

D. KhovalygC. A. BerquandG. VergerioV. M. BarthelmesA. Chatterjee  et al.

Building And Environment. 2023. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110565.

Optimal sensor placement for personal inhalation exposure detection in static and dynamic office environments

S. YunD. Licina

Building And Environment. 2023. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110459.

Comparison of two methods for bioaerosol sampling and characterization in a low-biomass chamber environment

A. MuthalaguH. Niculita-HirzelS. YangM. MerizakM. Pikridas  et al.

Building And Environment. 2023. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110458.

Influence of outdoor air pollution on European residential ventilative cooling potential

E. BeliasD. Licina

Energy And Buildings. 2023. DOI : 10.1016/j.enbuild.2023.113044.

Human personal air pollution clouds in a naturally ventilated office during the COVID-19 pandemic

S. YangA. MuthalaguV. G. SerranoD. Licina

Building And Environment. 2023. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110280.

Housing, street and health: a new systemic research framework

A. PaganiD. P. ChristieV. BourdonC. Wall GagoS. Joost  et al.

Buildings and Cities. 2023. DOI : 10.5334/bc.298.

2022

Proxy methods for detection of inhalation exposure in simulated office environments

S. YunS. ZhongH. S. AlaviA. AlahiD. Licina

Journal Of Exposure Science And Environmental Epidemiology. 2022. DOI : 10.1038/s41370-022-00495-w.

Integration of Indoor Air Quality Prediction into Healthy Building Design

S. YangS. D. MahechaS. A. MorenoD. Licina

Sustainability. 2022. DOI : 10.3390/su14137890.

Outdoor PM2.5 air filtration: optimising indoor air quality and energy

E. BeliasD. Licina

Building & Cities. 2022. DOI : 10.5334/bc.153.

Why has the COVID-19 pandemic generated such global interest from the engineering community?

J. W. TangD. Licina

Indoor Air. 2022. DOI : 10.1111/ina.13027.

Comparing thermal performance of standard humanitarian tents

A. UllalS. Aguacil MorenoR. VannucciS. YangJ. Goyette Pernot  et al.

Energy and Buildings. 2022. DOI : 10.1016/j.enbuild.2022.112035.

Longitudinal assessment of personal air pollution clouds in ten home and office environments

V. G. SerranoD. Licina

Indoor Air. 2022. DOI : 10.1111/ina.12993.

2021

Ozone Initiates Human-Derived Emission of Nanocluster Aerosols

S. YangD. LicinaC. J. WeschlerN. WangN. Zannoni  et al.

Environmental Science & Technology. 2021. DOI : 10.1021/acs.est.1c03379.

Development of indoor environmental quality index using a low-cost monitoring platform

I. MujanD. LicinaM. KljajicA. CulicA. S. Andelkovic

Journal Of Cleaner Production. 2021. DOI : 10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127846.

Occupant satisfaction with indoor environmental quality, sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms and self-reported productivity before and after relocation into WELL-certified office buildings

D. LicinaS. Yildirim

Building and Environment. 2021. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108183.

Indoor air quality investigation before and after relocation to WELL-certified office buildings

D. LicinaD. Licina

Building and Environment. 2021. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108182.

Particle release and transport from human skin and clothing: A CFD modeling methodology

D. Al AssaadS. YangD. Licina

Indoor Air. 2021. DOI : 10.1111/ina.12840.

Human Emissions of Size-Resolved Fluorescent Aerosol Particles: Influence of Personal and Environmental Factors

S. YangG. BekoP. WargockiJ. WilliamsD. Licina

Environmental Science & Technology. 2021. DOI : 10.1021/acs.est.0c06304.

2020

Performance assessment of low-cost environmental monitors and single sensors under variable indoor air quality and thermal conditions

I. DemanegaI. MujanB. C. SingerA. S. AnđelkovićF. Babich  et al.

Building and Environment. 2020. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.107415.

Fungal Contaminants in Energy Efficient Dwellings: Impact of Ventilation Type and Level of Urbanization

H. Niculita-HirzelS. YangC. Hager JörinV. PerretD. Licina  et al.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020. DOI : 10.3390/ijerph17144936.

The Indoor Chemical Human Emissions and Reactivity (ICHEAR) project: Overview of experimental methodology and preliminary results

G. BekoP. WargockiN. WangM. LiC. J. Weschler  et al.

Indoor Air. 2020. DOI : 10.1111/ina.12687.

Special Issue Editorial: Green Buildings and Indoor Air Quality

D. Licina

Atmosphere. 2020. DOI : 10.3390/atmos11050441.

Volatile organic compounds in 169 energy-efficient dwellings in Switzerland

S. YangV. PerretC. H. JorinH. Niculita-HirzelJ. G. Pernot  et al.

Indoor Air. 2020. DOI : 10.1111/ina.12667.

Energy, indoor air quality, occupant behavior, self-reported symptoms and satisfaction in energy-efficient dwellings in Switzerland

S. YangJ. G. PernotC. H. JorinH. Niculita-HirzelV. Perret  et al.

Building And Environment. 2020. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2019.106618.

Emissions of volatile organic compounds from interior materials of vehicles

S. YangX. YangD. Licina

Building and Environment. 2020. DOI : 10.1016/j.buildenv.2019.106599.

2019

Radon Investigation in 650 Energy Efficient Dwellings in Western Switzerland: Impact of Energy Renovation and Building Characteristics

S. YangJ. G. PernotC. H. JoerinH. Niculita-HirzelV. Perret  et al.

Atmosphere. 2019. DOI : 10.3390/atmos10120777.

Occupant health & well-being in green buildings: Trends and Future Directions

D. LicinaS. BhangarC. Pyke

ASHRAE Journal. 2019.

Use of IoT sensing and occupant surveys for determining the resilience of buildings to forest fire generated PM2.5

J. PantelicM. DaweD. Licina

PLOS ONE. 2019. DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0223136.

2018

Clothing as a transport vector for airborne particles: Chamber study

D. LicinaW. W. Nazaroff

Indoor Air. 2018. DOI : 10.1111/ina.12452.

2016

Emission rates and the personal cloud effect associated with particle release from the perihuman environment

D. LicinaY. TianW. W. Nazaroff

Indoor Air. 2016. DOI : 10.1111/ina.12365.

Teaching & PhD

PhD Students

Taylor Oran Medina, Tianqi Liu, Khadija Sharaf Din, Ruijie Zhu, Enes Gusinjac, Maria Loizou, Hui Dong

Past EPFL PhD Students

Evangelos Belias, Maria Viviana Gonzalez Serrano, Seoyeon Yun, Joan Rey, Han-Yun Jhang

Courses

Energy and comfort in buildings

CIVIL-407

The course presents the fundamentals of energy demand in buildings while emphasizing the need for the comfort and well-being of occupants. In addition, prioritizations and trade-offs between energy and comfort are discussed.

Fundamentals of indoor climate

CIVIL-212

The indoor climate impacts building performance and human well-being. This course covers fundamental knowledge of indoor air quality and thermal environment, with their assessment methods. It also outlines strategies for creating comfortable, healthy, and energy-efficient spaces.

Indoor air quality and ventilation

CIVIL-460

This course covers the fundamentals of indoor air quality and ventilation strategies for optimal building air quality. Through lectures, discussions, modeling software, a hands-on group project, students explore indoor air pollutants, their properties, emission sources, and control mechanisms.