On the frontier, you work together to create new opportunities and possibilities. This pioneer ethos is the foundation of Oregon’s collaborative spirit and a reason we are successful at solving challenges. Climate change, population growth, diminishing resources and human health are challenges on the new frontier and we must continue to innovate solutions by working together to design for health, design for evolution and design the unseen. Collaborating with communities, municipalities, and academic and industry partners, the Institute for Health in the Built Environment advances, integrates, and applies new knowledge from diverse scientific disciplines to support a healthy, thriving community and planet.
Architectural Design and the Indoor Mircrobiome
The built environment is its own ecosystem, and architectural features in the indoor environment can change those ecosystems and the organisms living there. Bathrooms and kitchens can act as sources of water or natural resources, the availability of which affects microbial survival, and the spatial design of the building and flow of air and occupants […]
Ventilation Source Affects the Indoor Air Microbiome
The two main sources of microorganisms indoors are the macroscopic occupants; people, pets, plants, and pests, and the environment outdoors, in particular – outdoor air. When buildings are operated in a “closed mode”, they may utilize mechanical ventilation, recirculated air, and/or closed or inoperable windows. If human occupants are present, operating a building in […]