Indoor Air Quality, Tenant Experience
Filtered Thoughts Basics for Indoor Air Quality By: Kevin Delahunt, BGE Clean Air, National Air Filtration Association What a different world we live in today compared to just 18 months ago. After many years in the filtration industry, I never thought I would see the increased status that filtration plays for the safe and healthy return of occupants to the built environment. When employees, tenants, occupants, and students return to work and school they come with an increased understanding of ventilation rates, microbial size, viral transmission, and MERV. Is your staff knowledgeable on these topics and able to articulate answers to these, and other difficult questions? Educate your front-line staff on all things COVID-19 and HVAC related. Their expertise will provide the piece of mind to all who are returning that the facility management team has taken every step to provide the highest level of air quality. During the pandemic, I have given many presentations to various industry groups and my message has been consistent; The air quality in most Class A commercial buildings is exceptional, and substantially better than your home, the mall, schools, and elderly care facilities. And why you ask? Class A commercial buildings have the mechanical system capacities, unlike the other facilities just mentioned, to provide adequate air changes, the introduction of more outside air, the ability to humidify or dehumidify, and to filter the air to remove virus size particles at an efficient level. What most commercial buildings fail to do is to promote the quality of their indoor air. Make the invisible visible by displaying it openly and often. How reassuring would it be to enter a building and see the quality of the indoor air displayed on a monitor, or being able to access it on a phone app? The technology exists and could easily be considered a competitive advantage for the forward-thinking facility management team. If you do not do it, someone else will, and you might not like the results!
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Insight • Issue 3, 2021
The increased awareness in filtration has seen the rise in a myriad of alternate air cleaning technologies that may, or may not, be effective in reducing the airborne concentration of the SARS CoV-2 virus.
When asked about the efficacy of these technologies my answer is constant; take care of the basics first. When asked about the efficacy of these technologies, my answer is constant; take care of the basics first, and then if you feel you need supplemental performance, look for third-party, peer reviewed documentation on any air cleaning technology you are considering. The basics I am referring to are the use of mechanical filter systems, especially MERV 13 and higher, found in all commercial buildings. There are good reasons why mechanical filters are consistently used, designed, and referenced. They are rigorously tested to meet current protocols and standards and have a long history of efficacy on virussize particles. What often gets overlooked when evaluating filter performance is two equally important elements: • The filter itself • The holding apparatus/framework that the filter sits in. The often forgotten holding apparatus/framework takes on more importance when filter efficiency is increased. The best value for your IAQ dollar is eliminating unfiltered air bypass. The fix is often inexpensive with the use of caulking, gasketing, duct tape and sweat. Reach out to your air filter supplier to validate your filter systems’ integrity; the goal being 100% of the air going through the filter. It sounds easy, but I know from experience that very few systems meet this challenge.
