Building-in infection control saves lives

The government must “seize the post-pandemic opportunity” to mandate long-term improvements to infection control in commercial, public and residential buildings to reduce the transmission of future waves of Covid-19, new pandemics, seasonal flu and other infectious diseases, according to a new National Engineering Policy Centre (NEPC) report.

The report, Infection resilient environments: time for a major upgrade, estimates that, even without the extreme circumstances of a pandemic, seasonal diseases cost the country as much as £8 billion a year in disruption and sick days. Improving ventilation, air quality and sanitation in buildings could minimise transmission and reduce the number of people infected, saving lives and reducing ill health, the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), one of the organisations leading the research, reports.

Any system used within a building design should be considered from an infection perspective to identify if and where there are wider opportunities to improve experiences and duty of care for building users, the report adds. It also recommends new regulations and standards to create healthier building environments.