COVID-19 AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Government and Industry Funded

 

With the increasing spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that results in coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), corporate entities, federal, state, county and city governments, universities, school districts, health care facilities, assisted living organizations, daycares, homeowners, and other building owners and occupants have an opportunity to reduce the potential for transmission through built environment (BE) mediated pathways.  Over the last decade, substantial research into the presence, abundance, diversity, function, and transmission of microbes in the BE has taken place and revealed common pathogen exchange pathways and mechanisms.

Buildings are the engines of our economy and they make space for our communities to flourish. Buildings are also home to countless microbes (bacteria, fungi, and viruses), including of course, the newest coronavirus. To reduce indoor transmission in buildings, the University of Oregon  launched a SARS-CoV-2 monitoring campaign focused on critical infrastructure in collaboration with Oregon Health & Sciences University. We cannot test every person every day for coronavirus, but we just might be able to test every building every day. This is the evidence that can help guide decision makers about how to most safely reopen the economy. Check out all of the work we’ve done on SARS-CoV-2 below.

 

As of January 1st, 2022, we are also maintaining CovidStraightTalk.org, created by Last Mile and NYCOSH. CST is a worker-focused COVID-19 safety and information resource. CST helps essential workers fight for safe workplaces, and we are bringing our scientific and built-environment expertise to help keep this platform up to date with the latest COVID-19 news and guidance. 

Our Publications

Public Communication & Educational Resources

Student McKenzie Vanko explores hospital architecture in relation to COVID-19 through water modeling. 

Our Work in the News

Our Wonderful Collaborators

OHSU

Dr. John Townes, Infectious Disease

Dr. Robert Martindale, Surgery

Dr. Amy Hermesh, Obstetrics & Gynecology

Dr. William Messer, Infectious Disease

Dr. David Constant, Infectious Disease

Dr. Bory Kea, Emergency Medicine

Dr. Fikadu Tafesse, Infectious Disease

Dr. Alison Edelman, Obstetrics & Gynecology

Kyirsty Unger, Intensive Care

Andrew Wilkes, Facilities

Skai Dancy, Facilities

Roger Cole, Facilities

UC Davis

Dr. David Coil, Biology

Dr. Jonathan Eisen, Biology

 

PSU

Dr. Richard Corsi, Chemistry / Engineering

 

Drexel

Dr. Charles Haas

Funding & Support from Industry & Government

Thermo Fisher Scientific – R&D of a SARS-CoV-2 bioaerosol detection device (AerosolSense) at bench, room and field scale. On-going.

Smith Detection – field and chamber studies of SARS-CoV-2 detection equipment. On-going.

DB Engineering – room-scale testing of dielectric bipolar ionization technology (Atmos Air). On-going.

On-site – room-scale testing of photocatalytic oxidation technology (Genesis Air). On-going.
Clanton & Associates UVC literature review. Completed.

Velux – development of an analysis and visualization pipeline for simulating effect of daylight on SARS-CoV-2 indoors. On-going. Daylight and viral decay indoors

TRC – field tested various air monitoring equipment in Covid-19 positive hospital spaces.

Related state government-funded research

Oregon Health Authority – funded retroactive forensic building study for senior living Covid-19 outbreaks and creation of a building manager’s toolkit for ventilation