Extending lifecycle and protecting against the bugs

Microbes such as bacteria, mould, and fungi, can have a negative impact on healthcare buildings – and can also affect internal fixtures and fittings, products, and equipment. David Hall, managing director of antimicrobial solutions specialist, BioCote, explains how antimicrobial technology can help to guard against microbially induced corrosion, which can result in costly and inconvenient repair and maintenance work, and how it also reduces the risk of cross-contamination by supporting internal cleaning regimes. 

Awareness of microbes such as bacteria, mould, and fungi, and the detrimental effect they can have when they contaminate buildings – whether external structures or internal fixtures and fittings – has been heightened exponentially in recent years, and controlling microbial growth has become increasingly important. It is essential for health estates managers to consider the potential impact that microbes can have on buildings such as hospitals, health centres, and clinics (and subsequently the services they provide), as the consequences can be significant and costly. Many building materials are susceptible to microbial growth and can be adversely affected – including concrete, which, being the earth’s most commonly used man-made material, is used extensively in buildings.

Microbially induced corrosion