IAQES: an expert system for indoor air quality problem resolution

The design of IAQES (indoor air quality testing and evaluation expert system), a rule-based expert system application that diagnoses and suggests resolutions for common air-quality complaints that occur in office buildings, is discussed. This system was built for Public Works Canada for in-house use. The IAQES provides expertise to building operators so that they may investigate and solve ordinary air-quality problems without consulting air-quality experts. The IAQES could also be part of a larger air-quality management package that would provide other services, such as ventilation system design aids and online air-quality databases. The IAQES can serve as a training tool; by making up example buildings, building maintenance personnel could learn to recognize the cause of common air-quality problems