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Subject to constraints that may include comfort, energy use, and cost, ventilation, filtration, and air cleaners can be implemented flexibly to fulfil exposure reduction targets within certain bounds. This is accomplished by establishing goals for the equivalent clean air supply rate and stating how well filters, air cleaners, and other removal systems operate. Let’s talk about some fundamental suggestions for lowering exposure to airborne pathogenic aerosols.

FACTORS:

• Public Health Guidance
• Ventilation and Filtration
• Air Cleaning
• Proper maintenance of HVAC pieces of equipment and Installation of UV air filters

Public Health Guidance:

Adhere to all statutory and regulatory standards, as well as suggestions for social seclusion, mask use and other PPE, administrative measures, occupant circulation, reduced occupancy, hygiene, and sanitation.

Ventilation and Filtration:

A common engineering control for interior air quality is the dilution of indoor pollutants of all kinds with outdoor air. However, one of a building’s biggest energy consumers is conditioning external air utilized for ventilation. Early in the pandemic, advice from a variety of sources encouraged as much outdoor air as possible. This advice has been changed to allow for flexibility in combining various control approaches to achieve airborne risk reduction goals, as will be covered below. This enables establishing a minimal external airflow rate at the system’s intended limit.

Air Cleaning:

Air cleaning may benefit from the addition of technologies that can purify the air. One technology that has a great track record of performance and safety is germicidal UV light. Other air purification techniques that are being offered during the pandemic lack independent, peer-reviewed proof and standards.

Proper maintenance of HVAC pieces of equipment and Installation of UV air filters:

Maintaining as-designed conditions is advised because installing humidification systems in buildings that are not humidified can be expensive and potentially dangerous for the structure, its occupants, and its systems due to moisture damage and mold growth. Maintain the same level of clean air supply needed for design occupancy anytime someone is in the area a system serves.