• What mitigations are needed in our buildings, and what mitigations are used, to minimise the spread of infectious diseases and contribute towards a healthy and resilient environment?

Background

This theme reflects the importance of DfE's physical estates, not just to delivery of the Opportunity Mission but also in relation to health and the Clean Energy Mission.

Full details can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-education-areas-of-research-interest

Next steps

Get in touch with [email protected]

Related UKRI funded projects

  • BuildAir: a holistic framework to design safe built environments

    BuildAir seeks to incorporate the infection risk component in building codes and design guidelines, whilst providing comprehensive tools and frameworks to make it possible. This overarching idea is motivated by the clear...

    Funded by: MRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Birmingham

    Why might this be relevant?

    Addresses the need for mitigations in buildings to minimize the spread of infectious diseases and provides a holistic framework for design.

  • CECAM - Chamber for Environmental Control of Airborne Microorganisms

    The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed how significant a role the indoor environment plays in the transmission of infection. The virus has highlighted how there are substantial gaps in knowledge relating to how microorganisms...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Leeds

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project specifically addresses the role of indoor environments in the transmission of infectious diseases and proposes solutions for mitigation.

  • Creating Safer Indoor Environments

    Keeping Indoor Environments virus-free plays a key part in reducing or slowing the transmission of many airborne infections. Since viruses have an approximate diameter of 150 nm, they can be easily carried by aerosol dro...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: VENTIVE LTD

    Why might this be relevant?

    Focuses on creating safer indoor environments by researching ventilation strategies to reduce disease transmission.

  • Influence of ventilation design on the prevalence of anti-microbial bacteria in homes

    This project will investigate how contemporary housing design affects the indoor microbiome, and what the effects of this might be on anti-microbial resistance. In the early 19th century, the way that houses were designe...

    Funded by: AHRC

    Lead research organisation: Glasgow School of Art

    Why might this be relevant?

    While the project investigates the influence of ventilation design on indoor microbiome, it does not directly address mitigations for minimizing the spread of infectious diseases.

  • EFRI-EPSRC "ENG-EPSRC EFRI ELiS: Developing probiotic interventions to reduce the emergence and persistence of pathogens in built environments"

    The project 'ENG-EPSRC EFRI ELiS: Developing probiotic interventions to reduce the emergence and persistence of pathogens in built environments' is an international, multidisciplinary research project that addresses cont...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON

  • Healthcare Environment Control, Optimisation and Infection Risk Assessment (HECOIRA)

    Hospital buildings are critical for supporting effective patient treatment. There is strong evidence that the design of patient environments influences well-being and comfort, recovery rates and can both cause and contro...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Leeds

    Why might this be relevant?

    Addresses the design of hospital environments to control infection risk and improve patient outcomes.

  • Infrastructure and the 21st century infectious diseases

    My vision is within the next 10 years, we will revolutionise the way of thinking and practice in infrastructure function, design and construction to create a new environment which resists the 21st century infectious dise...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON

  • "Niches for Organic Territories in Bio-Augmented Design" - NOTBAD

    How can beneficial microbes be physically integrated into buildings in such a way as to encourage positive health benefits and discourage potential aesthetic or cultural objections that building occupants, users and desi...

    Funded by: AHRC

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON

  • AI-Enabled Bio-Safety Assessment Tool for Sustainable Building Design in Pandemic Conditions.

    At this time not only is there a global pandemic for the novel coronavirus COVID-19, at time of writing this application there is the 11th outbreak of Ebola being fought in Africa, Europe is recovering from a 3-year outb...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: DATA INNOVATION.AI LTD

  • HumanIC: Human - Centric Indoor Climate for Healthcare Facilities

    Over 4 million hospital patients acquire a healthcare-associated infection (HAI) in the EU each year. Moreover, the global crisis of antimicrobial resistance means that HAI is posing an increasing cost and risk of mortal...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: University of Leeds

    Why might this be relevant?

    Focuses on improving indoor climate in healthcare facilities to reduce infection risk and enhance thermal comfort.

Similar ARIs from other organisations

What evidence is available to improve the health, safety and environmental standard of buildings, and protect building users How can health resilience be supported through building standards including aspects such as moisture control, ventilation and sanitation for infection control? Health and Safety Executive, 2025
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