Minimize the Risk of Virus Transmission Through HVAC Systems
By Saagar Patel
By Saagar Patel
Attention can also be given to the building’s HVAC in reducing risk associated with transmission of an airborne virus.
The transmission associated with coughing, sneezing and shouting can produce small airborne particles if connected to another host (such as dust). To date, there are no known COVID-19 cases that have resulted from airborne transmission. However, per ASHRAE, HVAC systems can change operation in the following ways to help alleviate these concerns by diluting the indoor air with more outdoor air and cleaning the indoor air with filtration media:
While your building’s HVAC can assist in reducing the spread of a virus, please also review the best practices shared by the CDC and ASHRAE in your facility:
ESD has observed facility operations and management teams implementing the CDC’s best practices above prior to preoccupancy. With a mission of Improving Society Through the Built Environment, ESD has developed a Rapid Building Wellness Assessment checklist to foster a dialogue about actions building owners, operators and tenants can take to welcome the workforce back and prepare for the future.
Please reach out to Saagar Patel for a copy of the checklist and to explore an assessment for your unique building or workplace.
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As offices rebound from the global pandemic, ESD’s Practice Leader for Commissioning and Energy+Eco Saagar Patel says now may be the perfect time to reevaluate office systems. (Read more about the benefits of retro-commissioning.)
FacilitiesNet, the online magazine of Building Operating Management (BOM), recently published an article by ESD Commissioning and Energy+Eco Operations Director Saagar Patel that explains why this may be the right time to reexamine the efficiency of building systems. (Read Saagar’s article about return-to-office reviews.)