In the United States of America, a significant number of immune compromised patients die in hospitals each year due to nosocomial infection. In order to reduce the risk from fungal microorganisms, it is important to analyze the dust movement throughout hospitals. In this thesis, I will apply a method of architectural diagramming called access analysis to provide insights on how dust may be transmitted throughout buildings, in particular via doorways and through the HVAC system. Access analysis is derived from Space Syntax methods of understanding the spatial configuration of a building and how human beings move through connected space. The first step in conducting this research is to create 3D Revit model of a hypothetical hospital and design the HVAC system for that building. The writer also needed to generate access diagrams using a Revit add-in and other software in order to compare all potential routes of dust movement from the exterior to a certain space within the building. The paper provides a working example of a hospital and creates an access graph and its subsequent analysis. The paper also discusses the potential application of this approach to provide a comprehensive model for the analysis of dust movement in a hospital.
