Preventing HVAC From Spreading Airborne Coronavirus

Good ventilation, filtration and humidity control can be crucial to mitigating the spread in facilities


What can be done to ensure people are getting clean air and minimizing the risk of coronavirus virus transfer a healthcare facility? There are strategies and technologies that can be effective, according to an article from the Building Operating Management on the FacilitiesNet website.

Adjust your building controls to increase the amount of outdoor air flowing through your system. ASHRAE and others have suggested a two-hour flush prior to occupants arriving in the morning. The whole concept here is to bring in fresh air, thereby diluting the recirculated and potentially virus-laden, indoor air.  

Augmenting filtration with local air purifiers can be an effective way of ensuring clean air for building occupants, while also providing a visual cue to people to help them know they are being protected. Localized air purifiers (or scrubbers), typically allow for more air exchanges, closer to occupants. 

Finally, relative humidity should be maintained between forty to sixty percent to minimize the environments where these pathogens thrive. 

Read the full article.

 

 



August 20, 2020


Topic Area: HVAC


Recent Posts

What Does Light Daily Cleaning Miss in Patient Rooms?

Most environmental services workers still clean as if they are wiping dust off a countertop, not disrupting a living, structured community.


Smart Lighting Overhaul Boosts Efficiency, Diagnostics and Wellness at Bryan Health

Case study: LED upgrade and advanced controls across Bryan Health campuses cut lighting energy use by 57 percent while enhancing patient care and staff productivity.


AdventHealth Opens New Freestanding ER in Florida

The approximately 13,700-square-foot emergency room features 12 patient rooms, respiratory therapy services, diagnostic imaging including CT scans, X-ray and ultrasound.


Dirty Floors: How Pathogens Can Accumulate and Spread Underfoot

Studies show that healthcare floors are covered in bacteria and can quickly spread throughout patient rooms. 


WellSpan Health Opens Its Newberry Hospital in Pennsylvania

This marks the opening of its 10th hospital in the region spanning Central Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.