What makes housing more vulnerable to pandemics? A Review of Post-Covid19 literature

Abstract

While the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly heightened awareness of vulnerabilities within residential buildings, this study, applying a systematic literature review methodology, aims to identify the primary factors contributing to vulnerability in housing. Focusing on potential factors that impact the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, a comprehensive search conducted on the Scopus database and other citation sources was explored using the PRISMA-ScR Checklist. The selected literature was analyzed to extract a set of vulnerability indicators, categorized into three dimensions of vulnerability: exposure (E), sensitivity (S), and adaptability (A). The first dimension involves external factors that affect housing quality and can be identified at the neighborhood scale, such as urban density, connectivity, land use, and environmental quality. Indicators measuring occupancy, closeness features, and contagious materials inside the dwelling concern the sensitive dimension, as they are related to indoor space characteristics that are likely to facilitate virus transmission. The adaptability-based vulnerability expresses the adaptive capacity of housing to overcome the pandemic, emphasizing layout design and surrounding spaces for better prevention, human comfort, and wellbeing. These vulnerability indicators underscore the importance of establishing building epidemic prevention standards and integrating epidemic prevention into the architectural planning and design phases.