About me
I’m Dr Ashvin Manga, a researcher and lecturer at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth. I hold a doctorate and was South Africa’s first Certified Passive House Designer. My research focuses on how buildings actually perform in use, with a particular interest in indoor air quality, indoor environmental quality, energy efficiency and retrofit. I started Building Performance Solutions (BPS) as my independent consultancy so that building owners, managers and designers can use the same evidence-based, measurement-led approach in their own buildings. BPS is not affiliated with Nelson Mandela University.
Building performance is a deep interest of mine, and I’m passionate about helping clients on their journey towards more sustainable buildings, whether that’s a family home or a commercial property. My aim is simple: to help you improve energy efficiency, reduce operating costs and create healthier, more comfortable spaces, based on evidence rather than guesswork.
Research that informs my work
My consulting is grounded in peer-reviewed research. Here is some of the published work behind my approach to healthier, more efficient buildings.
Digital Twin Insights from a Green Star-Rated Learning Environment
Manga, Haupt & Allen (2025), CIB World Building Congress. https://doi.org/10.7771/3067-4883.1804
Real-time monitoring of South Africa’s first Green Star-rated public building showed CO₂ regularly exceeding recommended limits, even at moderate occupancy. The lesson for owners: a green rating doesn’t guarantee healthy, efficient operation. Measured data shows where ventilation and HVAC schedules need attention.
Implications of a Natural Ventilation Retrofit of an Office Building
Manga & Allen (2021), SEEDS 2020, Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79450-7_12
After openable windows were fitted to a mechanically ventilated office, indoor PM2.5 fell by 22%, PM10 by 17%, and office hours with CO₂ above 1,000 ppm dropped from 36 to zero. A well-designed retrofit, based on measurement first, makes a measurable difference to the air people breathe.
Leveraging AI and IoT for Improved Management of Educational Buildings
Manga & Allen (2023), ICCCBE 2022, Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35399-4_2
Linking real-time occupant counts with medical-grade air quality measurements showed CO₂ building up even at low occupancy. Ventilation problems can hide in plain sight; pairing occupancy and air quality data supports better decisions about ventilation and building use.
Leveraging Computer Vision for Improved Facility Management
Manga & Allen (2025), SEEDS 2021, Springer. Winner of the Smart and Sustainable Digital Innovation Award. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-73947-7_26
Using existing camera infrastructure to measure real-time occupancy gives the starting point for matching building services to actual demand, rather than running systems on fixed assumptions.