- Location
- Webinars will be held via Zoom. Webinar details will be sent to all registered participants via EventBrite.
- Series/Type
- DLSPH Event
- Dates
- September 30, 2022 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Links
Title: The Microscopic World of Building Science
We spend the majority of our time indoors where the built environment has important implications for human health. This is particularly critical for those in low-socioeconomic communities where poor-quality housing is associated with mold and moisture exposure. One of the main exposures to mold in housing is through the resuspension of floor dust. Microbes grow in carpet dust at elevated relative humidity conditions and release microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs). Understanding chemical and biological interactions in the indoor environment represents the next frontier in environmental engineering and has the potential to lead to substantial improvements in public health. My ongoing work links climate change, social justice, and the indoor microbiome to contribute to healthy, sustainable and equitable indoor environments.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Haines
Dr. Sarah Haines is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering in the Building Science Group. She holds a BS in Environmental Engineering and an MS and PhD in Environmental Science from The Ohio State University. Her research uses cutting-edge microbiology techniques such as next-generation sequencing, metatranscriptomics and bioinformatics to study indoor environmental quality in relation to moisture. Results from her work improve our fundamental understanding of the intricacies between indoor microbiomes and human health.