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Design Implications and Applications that Reduce the Concentration of Airborne Droplets and Aerosols
The School of the Architecture and School of the Arts are pleased to announce that the CAVA team Monika Koeck (Director/Editor) and Richard Koeck (Executive Producer) have been selected to provide an urgent response to intervene in the current COVID-19 pandemic. Funding has been provided by University of Liverpool’s Global Challenges Strategy Group and is part of the University’s Research England QR GCRF allocation.
The project is a practice-based research and impact partnership between CAVA, Prof Andrew Woods (FRS and Director, BP Institute, University of Cambridge), Prof Alan Short (Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge), and Prof L.S. Shashidhara (Dean of Research, Ashoka University, India). Using funding from the recently announced COVID-19 ODA Rapid Response Fund, CAVA is producing in collaboration with CineTecture a 12-minute documentary and a series of imbedded animations, explaining Prof Woods’ and Prof Short’s research findings. The Cambridge University researcher have developed a series of practical solutions to reduce the concentration of airborne virus experienced by patients and healthcare workers in buildings converted into makeshift hospitals.
The Cambridge University’s research is relevant for ODA countries such as India, Africa and South America, but also could find application more globally. The CAVA team will translate the Cambridge team’s fluid mechanics and design research into digital research outputs (film, animations and potentially VR) and, as such, focus on the design implications and applications. The documentary research film will be released in several languages; including Hindu, Chinese, Vietnamese, Spanish, Polish, German and French (African countries).
Monika Koeck (Director, CineTecture) says: "We were approached by the Cambridge team who are working on ground-breaking research that could help to reduce the concentration of airborne droplets and aerosols containing the Covid-19 virus in makeshift hospitals globally.”
Prof Andrew Woods (BPI, University of Cambridge) says: “In a large hall, airflows mix up the airborne aerosols all too efficiently and disperse them through the space across patients and perhaps more significantly nurses and healthcare workers. A small measure, such as the installation of part-enclosed patient bays with exhaust ducts can help reduce this dispersion.”
Prof Alan Short (University of Cambridge) says: “Effective ventilation is critically important in helping to suppress cross-infection, and nowhere more so than in an infectious diseases ward. The strategies will work in many different climates.”
Prof Richard Koeck (Director, CAVA) says: “We are pleased that our expertise in moving image production, digital visualisations and immersive technologies will be used to translate fluid mechanics and design research into creative digital outputs that can help governments and policymakers to make informed decisions.”
Prof Alan Short’s and Prof Andrew Woods’ principles are currently implemented in one location in India. While the project was first conceived with a focus on this geographic location, the last couple of weeks have shown that their work is relevant globally, with Africa and South America potential further ODA countries that could make use of the research findings.
Monday. 28 Apr 2020
project website cambridge University
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