| Project description |
| As people spend most of their lives indoors, our health depends upon the composition of the community of the microscopic organisms (bacteria, fungi and viruses) that live within our built environment. However, the conditions within buildings will vary in the future, for example because of changes in climate as because of the need for more energy efficient buildings and an increased use of sustainable materials. Changes in climate, building design and materials can alter moisture content and temperature (the environment) of the building and thus the kinds of microscopic organisms that can grow. Indeed, with predicted warmer and wetter weather, buildings could become more susceptible to increased microbial growth, affecting the health of humans and buildings. We aim to identify how building materials and design affects the building environment, and whether or not this changes the types of indoor microscopic organisms that grow indoors and in the air that we breathe. |