‘A LITTLE BIT SAFER’

Dr Flavia Dinnebier, Research Director, Eneref Institute, says MERV-13 filters, deployed across schools that come under the New York City Public School District, are protecting students against deadly viruses

ACCORDING to the United Nations, one new infectious disease emerges every four months across the globe. In that context, building filtration may play a crucial role in mitigating future respiratory infections caused by viruses. Respiratory infections – including the common cold and flu, as well as asthma –are caused by airborne pathogens.

Eneref Institute examined how New York City public schools’ early adoption of MERV-13 filtration in window air conditioning units may have reduced COVID infections. Eneref Institute is a Washington DC-based research and advocacy organisation for socially responsible sustainable development. The NYC public school district is the largest in the United States, with over one million students. To protect students from respiratory virus infection, MERV13 air filtration is highly recommended by organisations responsible for school safety. Equally important, MERV-13 filters improve IAQ, minimising adverse health effects for students by reducing pollutants.

The New York City school buildings’ filtration upgrade has not been wellpublicised and is the Education Department’s best-kept secret in their fight against COVID-19. “I know about the filters, because I’m friends with the custodian, but I don’t know if everyone else knows,” said Leisha Borden, Secretary to the Principal of Boys and Girls High School. “It would make them feel like I feel—a little bit safer.”

The air conditioning units in the schools act as a filtration system to capture virus particles throughout the year by continually re-filtering and circulating conditioned air regardless of temperature demand.

Lavonne Gaston, Parent Coordinator at Boys and Girls High School, noted, “We talk about the cleaning and all those things with parents, but I think sometimes we don’t go into the air conditioning and those types of details with them.”

Eneref found that during cooler, winter months, the units were used in fan-only mode, where the energy demand is negligible. Howard Blady, Owner, Klearview Appliance, said: “You can put it on fan mode to [capture the virus], and it’ll cost you a fraction of the money in energy. You’re only spinning the fan motor, and you have MERV-13 filtration.” The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) purchased the MERV-13 filters from Klearview Appliance.

All of the window air conditioning units installed with MERV-13 filters were manufactured by Friedrich Air