Indoor microbiomes and healthy buildings: rethinking the future of indoor health

The workshop Indoor microbiomes and healthy buildings: rethinking the future of indoor health brought together more than 40 participants from engineering, architecture, environmental sciences, microbiology, public health, data science, and related disciplines. The event critically examined how indoor microbial ecosystems influence health, sustainability, and resilience, and sought to identify opportunities for interdisciplinary research and collaboration. A key outcome of the discussions was a shift in perspective—from viewing buildings as passive structures to recognizing them as dynamic socio-ecological systems, in which microbial communities interact continuously with occupants, materials, environmental conditions, and behaviors. This systems-based framing was consistently reflected across both invited talks and group discussions. The workshop situates indoor microbiomes within a broader systems-based and One Health framework, recognizing that human health, environmental processes, and built infrastructure are tightly coupled. The workshop therefore positioned indoor microbiome research at the intersection of One Health, environmental sustainability, and built environment design, highlighting its growing importance in addressing complex global challenges such as climate change, urbanization, and health inequalities. Together, these perspectives emphasize the need for integrated, interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and designing indoor environments that support both human and microbial health.