At the request of Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the National Engineering Policy Centre set up a Commission to review the actions needed to make infrastructure more resilient to infection. This identified the most critical issues as: (1) working to establish what good and bad ventilation in buildings look like, with clear guidance on the amount of fresh air required; (2) Highlighting the vital role ventilation plays in controlling infection spread and how can we raise the knowledge and skills levels for those managing non-domestic buildings and (3) for most buildings, domestic and non-domestic, the skill level of the people responsible for managing ventilation doesn’t lead to good decision-making and effective control. Who will promote the policies required to ensure that both existing and new buildings are infection resilient environments?

Chair: Professor Peter Guthrie OBE FREng, Commission Chair

Panel:

Professor Catherine Noakes OBE FIMechE, FIHEEM, University of Leeds

Dr Shaun Fitzgerald OBE, FRENG, University of Cambridge

Dr Hywel Davies, Technical Director, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers

Professor Peter Guthrie

Professor Catherine Noakes

Dr Shaun Fitzgerald

Dr Hywel Davies