By Dan Hounsell

Ultraviolet (UV) light has moved to center stage as healthcare facilities managers look for long-term measures to prevent the spread of illnesses such as COVID-19 in their buildings. Now, two industry organizations have announced a partnership designed to give managers support and assurances the technology will deliver as intended.

ASHRAE and the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) have signed a new memorandum of understanding formalizing the organizations’ relationship. The agreement defines parameters by which ASHRAE and IUVA will work cooperatively to promote the advancement of emerging research and technologies to support a more sustainable built environment.

The MOU includes the following initiatives related to development of ANSI certifiable standards and related source documents:

• test and measurements on specific pathogens across a specified light spectrum and in specified mediums
• test and measurements on efficacy outcomes for antimicrobial UV-C devices and systems in specified, well defined testing environments, such as simulated hospital rooms equipped and arranged in a standardized configuration with predetermined numbers and locations of sampling points
• test and measurements on efficacy outcomes for antimicrobial UV-C devices and systems installed in upper room HVAC applications
• standards and guidelines that establish the minimum requirements for commissioning permanently installed UV antimicrobial systems in existing and newly constructed facilities
• standards and guidelines for the application of UV disinfection of water used in cooling towers to control spread of bacteria, such as Legionella, algae and fungi into the building HVAC system