Building a vibrant, multidisciplinary community of researchers working on the microbiology of the built environment requires bringing together a wide range of life scientists (microbiologists, ecologists, mycologists, bioinformaticians, etc.) and building scientists (engineers, architects, aerosol scientists, indoor air quality specialists, etc.)  Funds from this grant support the administrative and organizational costs for two annual meetings of the microbiology of the built environment research community, to be held in 2015 and 2016.  In addition to paper presentations, panels, and plenaries, the conferences will include significant outreach activities targeting younger researchers in an attempt to engage the next generation of researchers in microbial ecology.  Additional grant funds will support a feasibility study to examine ways to make the conference self-sustaining going forward.