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An architectural investigation into the microbiome of the built environment at two selected South African hospitals

Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria 2019.

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Other Authors: Vosloo, Pieter Tobias
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2019
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Vosloo, Pieter Tobias
author_browse Vosloo, Pieter Tobias
author_facet Vosloo, Pieter Tobias
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2018 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria 2019.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/68469
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:38:21.763Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2019
publishDateRange 2019
publishDateSort 2019
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/68469 An architectural investigation into the microbiome of the built environment at two selected South African hospitals Vosloo, Pieter Tobias jnice@csir.co.za Cowan, Don A. Nice, Jako-Albert Architecture Microbiome Spatial Analytics Microbiome of the built environment Health Hospitals UCTD Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-03 Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-11 Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria 2019. This thesis presents an investigation into the hospital microbiome of the built environment. The researcher characterised the microbial landscape of two Western Cape hospitals through a multi-disciplinary approach. The researcher employed an integrated cross-disciplinary methodology that combined spatial analytics, environmental monitoring and microbial sampling and sequencing. This thesis presents the first South African hospital microbiome classification. Buildings may influence the health and well-being of their occupants through healthcare acquired infection (HAI). HAI contributes to two thirds of all patient readmissions. The researcher suggests a paradigm shift in building ecology to approach this established public health concern. The relationship between microorganisms and the built environment is much more prevalent than previously recognised. The built environment is a landscape that consists of distinct series of landscapes connected by micro and macro ecosystems. These ecosystems are local and unique, integrated, and dependent on the adjacent environment. Microbiology of the built environment (MoBE) combines built environment studies by merging soft and hard science with seemingly unrelated but systemic dependable study fields. These study fields include engineering, architecture, microbiology, the health sciences, epidemiology, anthropology and sociology. As with all new emerging fields, relationship interplay and interpolation of data parameters in each field dictate the scope of discovery. What constitutes a “healthy” indoor environment is yet to be determined, characterised or defined. One needs to understand the manner in which to process various known and unknown dynamic factors. Indoor environments are complex by nature - extremely integrated, dynamic ecosystems - and require a vast interdisciplinary field of researchers. This study found that not only do indoor built environment biomes change seasonally, but the indoor conditions of the built environment also experience seasonal variations. Room types and potentially building types, can be distinguished through their microbiomes, as is reflected by the unique biomes associated with each hospital room type investigated. The factors that determine the biome are still unclear but represent possibilities for future research investigation. The researcher considers the following as pertinent findings of the research: 1) Design guidelines for health, in architecture and engineering, are realised where microorganisms are considered. 2) There is confirmation of seasonal variations in the composition of hospital microbiomes. 3) The data provide an indicator list that represents the core species associated with a South African Western Cape hospital biome. 4) This thesis contributes to and confirms the association of known Healthcare associated infection (HAI) pathogens through sequencing and culture, identifying both presence and viability. 5) This thesis contributes to the MoBE research agenda at various levels. The thesis pursued health and design associated understanding to stimulate public health centred architectural response, and improve indoor building environments for the user. It investigated the spatial relationships of indoor environments and the composition and distribution of the local microbiome. A methodology for infection prevention and control (IPC), building assessment and operational guidance proposes further development. CSIR mi2026 Architecture PhD Unrestricted SDG-03: Good health and well-being SDG-11: Sustainable cities and communities 2019-02-15T10:46:36Z 2019-02-15T10:46:36Z 2019-04-24 2019-02 Thesis Nice, J 2019, An architectural investigation into the microbiome of the built environment at two selected South African hospitals, PhD Thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/68469> A2019 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/68469 en © 2018 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf application/vnd.ms-excel application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet application/octet-stream application/pdf application/pdf application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet application/pdf application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Architecture
Microbiome
Spatial Analytics
Microbiome of the built environment
Health
Hospitals
UCTD
Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-03
Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-11
An architectural investigation into the microbiome of the built environment at two selected South African hospitals
title An architectural investigation into the microbiome of the built environment at two selected South African hospitals
title_full An architectural investigation into the microbiome of the built environment at two selected South African hospitals
title_fullStr An architectural investigation into the microbiome of the built environment at two selected South African hospitals
title_full_unstemmed An architectural investigation into the microbiome of the built environment at two selected South African hospitals
title_short An architectural investigation into the microbiome of the built environment at two selected South African hospitals
title_sort architectural investigation into the microbiome of the built environment at two selected south african hospitals
topic Architecture
Microbiome
Spatial Analytics
Microbiome of the built environment
Health
Hospitals
UCTD
Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-03
Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-11
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/68469