Loughborough University recognised for project designed to reduce infection risk at large scale gatherings
Loughborough University scooped the Learning and Development award at the CIBSE Building Performance Awards for what the judges called an ‘accessible, well-written report, with research that has resulted in usable guidance and tools to help designers identify and mitigate infection-control risk’.
Driven by the pandemic to consider infection risk at large-scale gatherings, Airborne infection reduction through building operation and design (Airbods) involved multidisciplinary research that contributed to government guidance on opening up the country after Covid.
The project team’s participation in the Events Research Programme contributed generally to the resumption of large-scale events. For example, at Wembley Stadium, a problem with ventilation provision was identified in a space because it had high CO2 concentrations. Subsequently, the space was reconfigured to improve ventilation, thereby reducing the risk of long-range transmission of airborne pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2.
The analytical risk models developed by Airbods are contained in a risk assessment tool that can identify scenarios and space types that should be targeted for remediation by improving the ventilation system or using air cleaning systems.
It has enabled policy-makers and stakeholders to evaluate the changes in risk that modifications to ventilation rates, occupancy density, and exposure times have at a population scale, so that interventions can be better focused.
Airbods continues to develop computational fluid dynamics tools to assess the role of ventilation on exhaled aerosols in collaboration with experimental work in environmentally controlled chambers.
This category attracted a wide range of entries – from infection control to virtual environment and graduate training programmes – all of which recognised the need to improve skills across the industry to address the critical shortfall. This was welcomed by the judges, who said it is clear that the industry is looking to tackle current challenges, including climate change, fire safety and the operational performance of buildings.
Build Better Now – COP26 Virtual Platform, an immersive experience for COP26, was highly commended by the judges, who said it demonstrates how the virtual environment has a place in designing buildings and infrastructure projects, as well as a learning and development tool.
Find out more about the CIBSE Building Performance Awards and see all of the 2023 winners via https://www.cibse.org/what-s-on/cibse-building-performance-awards-2023