Active Projects

The feasibility of natural ventilation strategies in healthcare buildings

The physical characteristics of healthcare facilities can have positive impacts on the occupants.They can reduce the level of anxiety and stress, and aid patient recovery. The concept of designing therapeutic environments is not new; however, the relationships between environmental stimulus and response are complex and not fully understood. Healthcare facilities that have been appropriately designed with specific reference to the needs of patients, staff and visitors are delivering positive outcomes; nevertheless, there is a high degree of complexity involved with many often conflicting environmental parameters that need to be considered and reconciled.

Project Facts

Start date: July 2009
End date: July 2012
Investigators Professor Andrew Price; Dr. Malcolm Cook
Staff Employed Zulfikar A. Adamu; Full-time PhD student
Status Active

Project Partners

  • UCL
  • Leicestershire County and Rutland Community Health Services
  • Leicester City PCT
  • Nottingham City PCT
  • MJ Medical
  • NHS

Project Partners

HaCIRIC
Department of Civil and Building Engineering
Loughborough University
Ashby Road
Loughborough
Leicestershire
LE11 3TU
T: +44 (0) 15 0922 2627
E: a.d.f.price(at)lboro(dot)ac(dot)uk

This project aims to develop and demonstrate how innovative design solutions relating to aesthetics and lighting (e.g. the availability of natural light/ day light and use of the arts) of healthcare spaces impact on the clinical outcomes of patients, staff productivity and facility performance. This area of our work studies the effects of various ventilation strategies and their relative impacts on quality of air within healthcare facilities for the overall wellbeing of occupants