Architecture and Vector Control

The character of buildings plays a major role in disease control. It is understood that water supply and sanitation are critical for the well-being of residents. Current vector control programs aim to prevent the access of vector to the human host. This can be achieved through screened windows, closing of eaves and insecticide treated bednets. All of these interventions have an effect on the indoor climate. Temperature, humidity and airflow are critical for a comfortable climate. Air-conditioning and fans allow us to control indoor climate, but many people in Africa and Asia who carry the brunt of vector-borne diseases have no access to electricity. Many houses in the hot, humid regions of Asia have adapted to the environment, they are built of porous materials and are elevated on stilts features which allow a comfortable climate even in the presence of bednets and screens. In contrast, many traditional African buildings are built on the ground, have brick or mud walls which minimize airflow. Indoor cooking increases the temperature, screens and bednets minimize airflow, and as a result, many residents prefer to sleep outdoors during the hottest period of the year, defying the purpose of powerful interventions such as bednets and screens. An interdisciplinary group consisting of architects, entomologists and epidemiologists will discuss the current vector control interventions which minimize the access of the vector to the human host, the concept behind a comfortable indoor climate, compare and contrast buildings in Africa and Asia in respect to their indoor climate characteristics and finally, show how state-of-the-art 3D modelling can predict climate characteristics and help to optimize buildings.