Damp, Mould and Health — BBC Coverage and International Conference Highlight Manchester Expertise

The article quoted Dr Riina Rautemaa-Richardson, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Infectious Diseases and Honorary Consultant in Medical Mycology at the University of Manchester and Mycology Reference Centre Manchester (Wythenshawe Hospital, MFT).

In the BBC piece, Dr Rautemaa-Richardson explained that “mould will only grow if it is given moisture, nutrients and warmth.” She added that while tenants can take simple steps such as avoiding drying clothes indoors, keeping rooms ventilated, and not overheating homes, landlords remain responsible for addressing structural causes of damp — including roof leaks, poor drainage or inadequate ventilation.

Read the full BBC News article →

Keynote presentation at ICMB 25

That same week, Dr Rautemaa-Richardson delivered a keynote lecture at the International Conference on Moisture in Buildings (ICMB 25), hosted by the UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings (UKCMB). Her talk — “Damp, moulds and health – challenges and solutions” — explored how building design and maintenance directly influence health outcomes through exposure to fungal growth.

Key messages from Dr Rautemaa-Richardson’s presentation

• The impact of mould exposure ranges from transient colonisation to allergic asthma and invasive fungal disease.
• Moulds causing invasive disease must be able to grow at human body temperature.
• A wide range of moulds can provoke allergic or respiratory illness.
• The built environment is a key exposure source when ventilation or drainage is poor.
• Effective prevention depends on reducing moisture, warmth and nutrients — not relying on anti-mould sprays or surface agents.

Bridging science, housing and health

Dr Rautemaa-Richardson’s participation in both national media coverage and an international research forum highlights Manchester’s leadership in connecting medical mycology, public health and building science.

“Mould prevention is as much about building design and maintenance as it is about health behaviour,” said Dr Rautemaa-Richardson. “Collaboration between engineers, landlords and clinicians is essential to stop avoidable illness.”

Together, the BBC article and the ICMB 25 keynote show how scientific understanding is shaping housing policy and public-health practice, particularly following the introduction of Awaab’s Law, which sets strict legal time limits for social landlords to investigate and fix damp and mould.