Overview
ISO/TR 5202:2023 is a Technical Report that compiles relevant information on building resilience strategies for public health emergencies. Rather than prescribing new mandatory requirements, it gathers challenges, adaptation measures and literature to inform resilient design and operation of the built environment. The report focuses on six derivative scenarios commonly seen during epidemics and pandemics: maintaining indoor safety, quarantine, maintaining hospital operations, alternate care sites, working/studying from home, and reopening (including mold/Legionella risks). Excluded are emergency operations and personnel organization/management.
Key Topics and Technical Focus
ISO/TR 5202:2023 organizes practical resilience topics across building systems and scenarios. Key technical topics include:
- Concepts and terminology: resilience and definitions of public health emergencies.
- Derivative scenarios: six typical building-use situations that inform adaptation strategies.
- Challenges faced by the built environment, e.g., infection risk, medical overload, functional mismatch, reduced productivity at home, and post-closure health hazards.
- Resilience strategies by system and scenario:
- Layout and spatial planning for infection control and quarantine zones.
- Building envelope and interior finishes that support hygiene and cleaning.
- HVAC strategies for ventilation, airflow management and filtration to reduce infection risk.
- Plumbing and waste considerations (including Legionella prevention on reopening).
- Structure and interior design adaptations for alternate care sites.
- Electrical and smart systems to support telework, monitoring and rapid reconfiguration.
- Advanced technologies and references to relevant literature and guidance.
- Bibliography and references to existing guidance and studies (non-normative).
Practical Applications
ISO/TR 5202:2023 is useful for translating pandemic lessons into built-environment practice. Typical applications:
- Designing new buildings with improved infection resilience (ventilation, layout, materials).
- Retrofitting offices, schools, malls and residential buildings for safer occupancy during health emergencies.
- Planning and converting spaces into alternate care sites (stadiums, halls).
- Developing reopening protocols that address mold and Legionella risks after closures.
- Implementing HVAC, plumbing and smart-system upgrades to support remote work and health monitoring.
Who Should Use This Standard
- Architects, building engineers and HVAC/plumbing designers
- Facility managers and building owners
- Healthcare planners and hospital administrators
- Public health authorities and policymakers
- Standards-developing organizations, manufacturers and builders
- Investors and project managers assessing resilience risk
Related Standards (if applicable)
ISO/TR 5202 complements other ISO and regional standards on building services, ventilation, plumbing, and health & safety. Users should consult applicable ISO building standards and public-health guidance when applying the strategies summarized in this technical report.
Keywords: ISO TR 5202, building resilience, public health emergencies, HVAC, quarantine, alternate care site, infection control, Legionella, reopening, built environment.