Xerophilic fungi, especially Aspergillus species, are prevalent in the built environment. In this study, we employed a combined culture-independent (454-pyrosequencing) and culture-dependent (dilution-to-extinction) approach to investigate the mycobiota of indoor dust collected from 93 buildings in 12 countries worldwide. High and low water activity (aw) media were used to capture mesophile and...

As childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions, it is critical to devise interventions that target the root causes of obesity and its risk factors. The two main components of childhood obesity are physical inactivity and improper nutrition, and it is becoming increasingly evident that the built environment can determine the level of exposure to these risk factors. Through a multidiscipli...

Executive summary Europe is facing serious challenges, which are evident in the built environment. Damage has been caused by unexpected weather patterns resulting from climate change. Higher sea levels threaten underground rail systems in northern cities. The infrastructure in Eastern Europe is in disrepair. Water supply and wastewater systems throughout the EU are increasingly dilapidated and ...

Collective efficacy, i.e., perception of mutual trust and willingness to help each other, is a measure of neighborhood social capital and has been associated with positive health outcomes including lower rates of assaults, homicide, premature mortality, and asthma. Collective efficacy is frequently considered a "cause", but we hypothesized that environmental features might be the foundation for...

The Synthetic Biology engineering based approach to living systems intersects with the new interdisciplinary field of unconventional computing and suggests a new method for design in architectural practice. Living systems possess unique properties that are not present in digital/mechanical systems their sensors and effectors are intrinsically coupled, perform parallel forms of computation, are ...

In a lecture hosted by the National Research Council’s Center for Education, Shulman (2005) contrasted the different roles and responsibilities of faculty staff teaching students within subject areas or disciplines and those teaching students intending to practise within a professional area. Given the practice-oriented fields in which many built environment students go on to be employed such a ...

INTRODUCTION The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in empirical investigation into the relations between built environment and physical activity. To create places that facilitate and encourage walking, practitioners need an understanding of the specific characteristics of the built environment that correlate most strongly with walking. This article reviews evidence on the built environme...