Developing an architectural design microbial risk model (ADMRM) for the built environment

Abstract

Studies indicate that an estimate eighty five percent of our time is spent indoors, with people sited as the main contributor of bacteria, and consequently pathogenic bacteria in indoor environments. This highlights the significance of the indoor air and surface quality of buildings. To date architects and designers do not have the means to assess design and planning decisions considering potential health risk. The authors doctorate thesis research findings of an architecture and microbiome study of two South African, Western Cape hospitals (SAHM) proposes the genesis of a novel building design HAI risk model. The study objectives were, firstly to identify factors in the built environment that are associated to architecture and planning, which impact the microbial community composition and vice versa. Secondly, applying the findings to develop the basis of a risk assessment design tool. Hospitals and, Accident and Emergency (A & E) departments are complex environments driven by function. The utilization of Space Syntax spatial analytics to model social interaction through core and global integration considering local space connectivity, provides an architectural relationship to community, organism dispersal and composition. The investigation considered architectural spatial analysis, environment, and microbiology sampling and sequencing data. Building design dynamics such as, the fluid nature of social factors, strength of program and spatial relationships contribute to the complexities in spatial planning analysis. The findings indicated that the community composition consisted of up to sixty five percent, majority Proteobacteria followed by Firmacute Phylum. The difference made up from outdoor sources. In conclusion, the outcome provides a novel means to quantitatively determine occupancy interactions which can be applied to room grading, to determine potential health risk to occupants enabling corrective strategies. The paper presents the genesis of an ADMRM for application in healthy building design and planning.