Multidrug-resistant bacteria could cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050. Their presence in buildings — through water, wet surfaces and air conditioning systems — makes the microbiological quality of the built environment a public health priority.
The proliferation of multidrug-resistant bacteria has become one of the most significant health threats of the 21st century. According to the World Health Organization, infections caused by resistant bacteria could lead to up to 10 million deaths annually by 2050 if no action is taken. In Europe, it is estimated that more than 35,000 people die each year from antibiotic-resistant infections, with more than 670,000 people affected and an extremely high healthcare and social cost.
A recent study published in Nature Communications (July 2025) has revealed the global dissemination of the npmA2 gene, responsible for total resistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics, in bacteria such as Enterococcus faecium and Clostridioides difficile. This gene is transmitted via mobile genetic elements (ICEs), which facilitates its spread in both healthcare and community settings.
This scenario compels us to rethink and redirect prevention strategies. Beyond the hospital setting, the presence and persistence of these pathogens has also been documented in office buildings, hotels and recreational facilities. Wet surfaces, water pipes, air conditioning systems and consumption points can act as microbiological reservoirs, promoting the persistence and transmission of resistant bacteria, particularly under biofilm conditions.
The presence of microbial biofilms in water systems can account for up to 95% of total bacterial biomass, and is responsible for a considerable number of water-associated infections, which can result in sick leave, hospitalisations, partial service closures or reputational damage, especially in hotel and public environments.
In response to this challenge, HAUS has been recommending solutions that act on the environment itself, not just on the user. One such approach is water ionisation, a non-invasive technology that modifies the physicochemical properties of water to hinder bacterial adhesion, break down biofilms and reduce microbial proliferation. Solutions such as those offered by the Dileka system — which combines ionisation, dynamisation and infrared emission — can help reduce the presence of opportunistic bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, Legionella and Pseudomonas, particularly at critical points such as showers, drains, tanks and hot water circuits.
This technology also operates without chemical products and generates no waste, making it consistent with the sustainability, hygiene and prevention criteria that HAUS incorporates across all its projects.
Bacterial resistance is not only a hospital problem. It is a cross-cutting challenge that affects the way we design, maintain and inhabit buildings. As such, strategies must also be cross-cutting: from life cycle analysis of materials to the quality of water flowing through installations. In this context, ionisation is establishing itself as a relevant tool within the range of solutions that HAUS can prescribe to make every built space a healthier, safer and more resilient place.
Carolina Hernández
HAUS Healthy Buildings
Topics
