| Conceptual Reference Database for Building Envelope Research |
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| Essay:Aerobiological Engineeringhttp://www.engr.psu.edu/www/dept/arc/server/wjkaerob.htmLAerobiological Engineering is the art and science of designing buildings and systems for the control of airborne pathogens and reduction of respiratory infections in indoor environments, including commercial buildings, hospitals, and residences. Aerobiology is the study of microorganisms in the air which may be detrimental to human health. Included among these organisms are viruses, bacteria and fungi. The air can be full of transient populations of microorganisms, but none actually live in the air. Most microbes die off in the outdoor air as a result of sunlight, temperature extremes, dehydration, oxygen and pollution. Spores and some environmental bacteria are naturally more resistant and can occur outdoors seasonally in high concentrations.The controlled climate of the indoors favors the survival and transmission of contagious human pathogens as well as some outdoor fungi and bacteria. Since people spend 93% of their time indoors, the solution to the problem of most airborne infections, therefore, lies in engineering control of the aerobiology of the indoor environment. | ||||||||||