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Dallas County Reports a Total of 512 New Positive 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases and 10 Deaths, Including 195 Probable Cases

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Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) provided more than 500,000 total doses of COVID-19 vaccine at the Fair Park mega-vaccine clinic, which operated from January 11 through July 17. A vaccination clinic is open at the Dallas College Eastfield Campus Location on Thursdays – Saturdays from 9 am-6 pm. A weekly pop-up vaccination clinic will also take place at Fair Park on Tuesdays from 12:30 pm-6 pm and on Sundays, from 10 am – 4 pm.

The additional deaths being reported today include the following:

  • A child who was a resident of the City of Richardson. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 50s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A woman in her 60s who was a resident of the City of Irving. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 60s who was a resident of the City of Desoto. He expired in an area hospital ED and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A woman in her 70s who was a resident of the City of Irving. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 80s who was a resident of the City of Grand Prairie. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A woman in her 80s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A woman in her 80s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She expired in hospice and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A woman in her 90s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Carrollton. She expired at the facility and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A woman in her 90s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Richardson. She expired in hospice and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

To date, a total of 1,830 cases with SARS-CoV-2 variants have been identified and investigated in residents of Dallas County, including 162 cases of B.1.1.7 (Alpha); 4 cases of B.1.351 (Beta); 1,440 cases of B.1.617.2 (Delta); 14 cases of B.1.427 (Epsilon);  20 cases of P.1 (Gamma);  9 cases of B.1.526 (Iota); 4 cases of C.37 (Lambda); 2 cases of B.1.621 (Mu); 174 cases of B.1.1.529 (Omicron); and 1 case of P.2 (Zeta). Three hundred and twenty-two cases have been hospitalized and 47 have died. Thirty COVID-19 variant cases were reinfections. Four hundred and seventy-nine people were considered fully vaccinated before infection with a COVID-19 variant. As of 3/11/2022, a total of 585 confirmed and probable cases were reported in CDC week 9 (week ending 3/5/22), which is a weekly rate of 22.2 new cases per 100,000 residents.

As of the week ending 3/5/2022, about 81% of Dallas County residents age 12 years and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, including 98% of residents age 65 years and older; 86% of residents between 40-64 years of age; 78% of residents 25-39 years of age; 67% of residents 18-24 years of age; and 62% of residents 12-17 years of age.  In the cities of Addison, Coppell, Highland Park, Irving, and Sunnyvale, greater than 92% of residents 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.  In the cities of Cedar Hill, Desoto, Farmers Branch, Garland, Lancaster, and University Park, greater than 80% of residents 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Of all Dallas County residents tested for COVID-19 by PCR during the week ending 3/5/2022 (CDC week 9), 3.9% of respiratory specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. For week 9, area hospital labs have continued to report elevated numbers and proportions of respiratory specimens that are positive for other respiratory viruses by molecular tests: parainfluenza (2.41%), rhinovirus/enterovirus (37.29%), and RSV (2.5%).

There are currently 41 active long-term care facility outbreaks. A cumulative total of 6,402 residents and 4,317 healthcare workers in long-term facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Of these, 1,310 have been hospitalized and 888 have died. About 16% of all deaths reported to date have been associated with long-term care facilities.

There have been 4 outbreaks of COVID-19 in a congregate-living facility (e.g. homeless shelters, group homes, and halfway homes) reported within the past 30 days. A cumulative total of 840 residents and 295 staff members in congregate-living facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

New cases are being reported as a daily aggregate, with more detailed data dashboards and summary reports updated on Friday evenings, available at: https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/dchhs/2019-novel-coronavirus/daily-updates.php.

Local health experts use hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and ER visits as three of the key indicators as part of determining the COVID-19 Risk Level (color-coded risk) and corresponding guidelines for activities during our COVID-19 response. The most recent COVID-19 hospitalization data for Dallas County, as reported to the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council, can be found at www.dallascounty.org/covid-19 under “Monitoring Data,” and is updated regularly. This data includes information on the total available ICU beds, suspected and confirmed COVID-19 ER visits in the last 24 hours, confirmed COVID-19 inpatients, and COVID-19 deaths by actual date of death. The most recent forecasting from UTSW can be found here.

“Today we report an additional 512 cases and 10 deaths, including the death of a child under 10 who had underlying conditions. This is a somber reminder that COVID-19 can affect people of all ages. The best protection against COVID at this point is a vaccine or a booster. If you’re eligible for a vaccine or due for a booster, find a vaccination site near you at vaccines.gov,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

All Dallas County COVID-19 Updates and Information can be found here: https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/ and all guidance documents can be found here: https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/guidance-health.php
Specific Guidance for the Public:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends taking everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

  • Avoid close contact outside your home: Put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others and continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.
  • Stay home when you are sick, except to seek medical care
  • Wash your hands often and with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and help young children to do the same. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
    Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces daily using a regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve, not your hands. Immediately wash your hands.
  • Monitor your health daily. Be alert for symptoms. Take your temperature and follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop.

Additional information is available at the following websites:

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Dhaka WASA’s incompetence leads to water tariff hike

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In comparison with Chattogram, Rajshahi and Khulna WASA, water price of Dhaka WASA is almost double. Dhaka WASA sells per unit (1000 litre) of water at Tk 15.28 for domestic use and Tk 42 for commercial use while Khulna WASA’s rates are Tk 8.98 and Tk 14 respectively, Chattogram WASA’s rates are Tk 13.02 and Tk 31.82 and Rajshahi WASA’s rates are Tk 6.81 and 13.62 respectively.

Almost 100 per cent water of Rajshahi WASA is collected from deep tube wells. Rajshahi WASA sources said the production cost of per unit water in Rajshahi WASA is around Tk 9.

Although Dhaka WASA has been increasing the price of water every year, it is not drinkable before purifying through boiling. Mizanur Rahman, a resident of the Jurain area in the capital, came to Dhaka WASA along with his family with a bottle of water, a jug, limes and a packet of sugar to make the MD realise the quality of the water WASA provides. However, he couldn’t meet the MD that day.

Asked about the new proposal to increase the price of water, he said, “The WASA has been raising the price of water every year which is not drinkable. The WASA should focus more on the quality of the water they provide. People nowadays do not protest in fear. Therefore, they can impose the burden of their expenses on the consumers quite easily.”

In 2019, Transparency International Bangladesh published a report titled “Dhaka Wasa: Challenges of Good Governance and Way Forward” regarding the discrepancies and corruption within Dhaka WASA and the shortcomings in their customer service.

It said that Dhaka WASA had failed to supply drinkable water through pipelines. Some 91 per cent of the consumers drink the water supplied by the WASA after boiling. The gas needed to boil the water costs Tk 3.22 billion every year.

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Disruptor of the year wants to save the planet

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“We’ve created a smart cities platform suite that does so much. So it’s a real disruptor; it is disruptive, and I’m very happy to take the claim of being the Disruptor of the Year.”

Sharon says that even without expensive retrofits of ageing, clunky and inefficient buildings, he can easily achieve efficiencies in savings of up to 70 per cent in carbon emissions and 50 per cent in operating costs just by plucking low-hanging fruit.

Sharon’s system consolidates an array of functions, this state-of-the-art technology embodying excellence in the cloud, IoT, interoperability, smart sensors and controllers, machine learning, predictive maintenance, and cybersecurity.

His product Encompass Blue provides a broad, open platform for digital transformation in facilities management, infrastructure, buildings and smart cities.

The system does away with archaic control rooms and instead can be controlled from anywhere with a smart phone with his multitudes of IoT sensors monitoring conditions throughout the building and making adjustments to the endless machines which control our climate that lives in our built environments.

And he can do it with a 70 to 100 per cent reduction of conduit or drilling a hole in a single wall because the basis of the system is wireless.

Importantly, his sensors monitor the quality of the very air that we breathe when we are in the buildings that have been retrofitted with his devices, which reduce or prevent hot spots and cold spots in our offices. With such air quality data, existing systems can be adjusted to improve air quality. Remediation through Blue IoT monitored Air Purifiers can also be installed to mitigate risks.

“We can go to our customers and say, we can help you become sustainable. We can help you with your net-zero or ESG targets.”

“And we make it financially sustainable. So it’s a win-win. You’re not going to lose out of this. Any CFO would give me a big hug, metaphorically speaking of course.”

Asked about challenges, Sharon immediately dwells on the woes of running a start-up in Australia.

“The biggest challenge is getting recognition. Because firstly, there’s an old saying, ‘you never got sacked for buying an IBM’,” says Sharon, whose interests transcend business and environmental sustainability. His passions include building orphanages, preventing child slavery, as well as ending child marriage and poverty, and mentoring struggling entrepreneurs.

“And so here’s this little upstart company coming in. Oh, who are you? Oh, yeah, you got this wireless stuff. Oh, no, we can’t run buildings reliably on that.”

“Now people say, that’s not going to happen —- not interested. So people are very risk averse. And in Australia, they’re even much more risk averse than most countries.

“That’s why many organisations have to get capital offshore, because here it’s a lot harder. It’s another example, but I guess that was one of the big challenges, just sticking my head above water and saying here we are.”

He says technological transformation is now advancing much faster because of what happened with COVID, “and so everything in this space is accelerating”.

“So the future of our industry is extremely bright.”

He sounded one note of caution: “The thing we need to watch out for, of course, is one, the quality of people, and what we call the ‘cowboys’. So in the IoT space or the industrial IoT space, you know, it’s a bit like the Wild West and a lot of smoke and mirrors, a lot of false promises.”

He says awards for excellence such as the ACS Digital Disruptors Awards will “help separate the wheat from the chaff”.

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Wallner Expac To Showcase Expanded Metals At FiltXPO – Nonwovens Industry Magazine

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Wallner Expac, a 100% employee-owned company and North America’s largest manufacturer of HVAC expanded metals will showcase its expanded metals that offer optimal quality and performance for various filtration applications..

As the first manufacturer to develop expanded metal for use in pleated filters as a replacement for welded wire, Wallner Expac is committed to delivering sustainable and environmental solutions that contribute to better indoor air quality. As such, many leading filter companies partner with Wallner Expac as it continues to develop and introduce innovative products and solutions.

Featured Wallner Expac products on display with available samples include:

  • X-Mesh®: The patented industry standard in filter media backing for residential, commercial, and industrial applications that increases structural stability, Minimizes spring back in the pleat, and more.
  • MicroForm®: Expanded metal foils that are manufactured in Wallner Expac’s dedicated climate-controlled environment and engineered for use in microfiltration, advanced battery technologies, speaker grilles, EMI/RFI shielding, and more.
  • Perfex: Expanded metals that are manufactured to look like perforated metals and are ideal for use as diffuser grilles, vent mesh, ceiling and wall panels, and more.

Additional standard and decorative expanded metal patterns will be displayed with samples available.

Wallner Expac representatives will be on site to share its industry products and knowledge with attendees and demonstrate how their organizations can benefit from its comprehensive products and services including design, engineering, manufacturing, and fabrication. Furthermore, attendees can learn how expanded metal has many uses beyond filtration including automotive, construction, architecture, and more.

 

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London property: Doctors to start asking patients about air quality in their homes

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People with heart or lung problems should be asked about the quality of air in their homes by their doctors, health officials have said. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said that people with breathing or cardiovascular conditions who have “repeated or worsening respiratory symptoms” should be asked about their housing conditions by a healthcare professional.

It said that exposure to poor indoor air quality may cause or worsen symptoms such as cough and wheeze, particularly among those who have these conditions. MyLondon has written stories on London housing, where damp and/or mould was causing breathing difficulties for residents.

One man from Ealing was forced to sleep on his bathroom floor after the damp and mould in his bedroom, he says, led to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an inflammatory lung disease.

Read more: Housing association Clarion with flats full of mould and pests given £5.2m by government

Baldev said he has lost a lost of his friends due to the the housing disrepair and effect on his mental health

Baldev, who has lived in the property for 22 years, told MyLondon: “It feels like I’m being poisoned by the property. It’s so poorly ventilated, I feel like I can’t breathe. The blinds in the bedroom are all sticky and mouldy. It feels like that’s what has happened to my lungs and my skin.”

Another case showed a single mum of two in West London who said her two-year-old son now has to use an inhaler to help his breathing because of the horrendous black mould that has consumed their home.

The new draft “quality standard” from NICE says that asking people about their housing conditions will “allow healthcare professionals to consider and address factors that could be contributing to or causing their respiratory symptoms”.

It also suggests that local authorities develop a process to help people when poor indoor air quality is identified or suspected. Questions about air quality could include gathering information on ventilation and room size as well as damp and mould exposure.

People might also be asked about the location of their homes and whether noise or security risks mean residents do not open windows or that they are exposed to outdoor air pollution. Nice has launched a consultation on its quality standard which will run until April 11.

Do you have a housing story you want to share? Is your house causing health problems? Get in touch in confidence [email protected]

Want more from MyLondon? Sign up to our daily newsletters for all the latest and greatest from across London here.

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What is Needed to Really Clean Indoor Air in 2022?

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Originally Posted On: https://www.advancediaqconsulting.com/whats-needed-really-clean-indoor-air-2022/

What’s the Current Challenge with Contagious Disease & Indoor Air Quality?

Research has shown that certain environmental conditions will contribute to the transmission of infectious diseases requiring multiple key steps to reverse that transmission. Ventilation supplemented by proven air purification technology has accomplished this. The new variant strain of SARS CoV-2 Omicron is continuing its march into the world’s indoor air environments and there will be more strains of covid and other infectious diseases to follow. The good news is that this pandemic will eventually end. The bad news is that influenza and the COVID variants will be with us for years. The current low rates of influenza and common colds have shown us that we can effectively reduce these contagious diseases by effectively cleaning the air we share with others. The focus needs to be on the areas where person-to-person transmission is occurring.

It is clear now that the vast majority of the spread from person to person is the result of inhaled aerosol, with a lesser amount of transmission attributed to droplet contact. Indoor aerosols linger longer inside than outdoors and in a stale air environment may pose a transmission threat for up to 72 hours under the right environmental conditions. Also, certain environmental factors such as relative humidity and carbon dioxide levels and other common airborne components can actually increase the overall transmission.

What Are the Real Variables?

Single-step actions to clean and disinfect the indoor air will not be effective in a real-world setting.

Marketing rhetoric claiming a 99.9% reduction in particles, microbials or viruses are primarily generated in closed testing chamber settings. The varied circumstances found in a real-world setting where the transmission can occur by several potential routes and where frequently found conditions actually promote the spread are everchanging and problematic. Providing the best overall indoor air quality is a necessary component to success.

What Are the Choices?

Ventilation, natural and mechanical, is the first and primary choice to reduce the risk of airborne infections.

The US CDC recommends 6 to 12 room air changes per hour (ACH) with infection-free fresh air. Studies have shown that one air change removes approximately 63% of room air contaminants, the second air change, another 63% etc. The greater the source of infection, the higher rate of infection-free air is needed. For Omicron, 6 -12 ACH of infection-free ventilation may not be enough. Achieving that high rate of ventilation is beyond typical building and HVAC design parameters. Adding HRV and ERV devices can assist in boosting that number of turns but risk the advent of recirculating air containing airborne contaminants throughout the building. Mechanical alterations are also costly and may not be possible in some building designs or in settings that are required to support the building’s usage or function. To battle the viral pathogens that are emerging, equivalent ventilation producing high levels of supplemental air disinfection will be needed.

High Efficiency Air Filter

The Importance of High-Efficiency Air Filtration

The use of MERV 14 to 20 high-efficiency HEPA filters that remove up to 99.9% of respirable particles can convert recirculated air into an equivalent of infection-free air. This will require the use of these filters in duct systems within central forced air systems as well as in portable in-room units. There is little confirmed evidence that this virus is successfully transmitted through duct systems but it is theoretically possible. This strategy supports the practical action of decontaminating the air within the room where the person-to-person transmission is occurring.

Portable in-room units depend on two key factors to evaluate their efficacy.

1. The CADR (clean air delivery rate) relative to the space being treated.

2. The flow patterns of the treated air within the space.

When this supplement action can produce at least 6 ACH throughout the entire space, these in-room units can provide an effective intervention to reduce in-room transmission of airborne pathogens and viruses.

Germicidal UV (GUV) Technology

UV-C refers to ultraviolet light with wavelengths between 200 – 280 nanometers(nm). UV-C destroys the RNA/DNA of microbials, infectious diseases and viruses, rendering them unable to replicate. UVGI (Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiance) effectiveness depends primarily on the UV dosage delivered to the microorganisms and the necessary dwell time being achieved to produce the desired inactivation level of > 99%. PCO (photocatalytic) and PHI ( photo hydro ionization units) emit an output of ionized hydroperoxide plasma using a metal oxide semiconductor that produces a faster inactivation rate in the air and on surfaces.

This technology is used in upper room germicidal UV (GUV) fixtures, in duct probe units, engineered systems inside Ahu (air handler units) and portable in-room devices. The air mixing produced by upper room units results in high rates of air disinfection in the lower occupied spaces sometimes referred to as the “breathing zone.” More efficient LED light sources are being developed for more versatility and may become the predominant technology for upper room use. The use of this technology is done in sealed applications or units where the UV light will not damage the outermost layers of skin and penetrate the liquid layer covering the surface of the eye. Portable in-room air purification devices should be sized properly to produce an equivalent of 6 ACH and be placed in a strategic location in relationship to established airflow patterns.

Far UV refers to 222 nm UV that has the ability to be an even more effective use of GUV against airborne viruses and bacteria. Far UV appears to be much safer yet with little potential for even mild eye or skin irritation when used within the exposure guidelines and use of effective filters. GUV is much more cost-effective and can be very effective in inactivating airborne pathogens and viruses. GUV devices such as handheld wands to deliver effective dosages of irradiance to surfaces are unreliable in delivering the sanitizing results needed based on the variability of application, dwell times needed on different surfaces and the lower dosage needed to avoid accidental over exposure to eyes and skin.

Ionization

A variety of ionizers, (bipolar, unipolar and cold plasma) generate positive and negative ions, directed into occupied rooms and forced air filtered systems. Raising the indoor level of positive ions to > 500 ions per cubic centimeter is required to become effective. This causes infectious particles to be attracted to filters of stick to each other and settle out of the air and onto surfaces where they can no longer be inhaled. The overall effectiveness against airborne pathogens and viruses in a real-world setting is still being studied. This technology is inherently safe and will freshen the air. This can result in particles clinging to walls and surfaces that became ionized and the generation of ozone and interaction with other room contaminants to produce potentially other harmful compounds.

The Hybrid- Combined Technologies

The combining of these technologies into an active and passive synergistic application has emerged. This entails the combined use of HEPA air filtration, BPI and UVC in portable units designed for placement on walls, counters and floors. Induct HVAC applications utilizing UVC PCO and BPI are also available. Prefilters and HEPA filter are being coated with a proprietary coating that traps and destroys odors and VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and increases the overall effectiveness of purifying air and sanitizing surfaces within the delivery area. This promotes a continuous air/surface cleaning and sanitation process.

Real World testing being performed on this hybrid delivery system has shown significant and sustained efficacy in reducing airborne VOC’s, allergens, pathogens and disease. This is utilizing existing proven technologies into a synergistic delivery system that is both cost-effective and extremely versatile in application to achieve the best and sustained results.

Hybrid IAQ Technologies

Conclusion

It is clear that for indoor spaces, air disinfection is a safe and efficient way to reduce transmission. The continued practice of real-world on-site testing on the delivery devices designed to deliver these technologies is most critical. Technology is most effective when properly utilized and uniformly delivered to the target spaces. Implementation of effective air disinfection devices should find its way into building codes and practices so that we can be best prepared to mitigate ongoing epidemics and the next pandemic.

Get Your Indoor Air Tested Today

Reference Materials:

Edward A. Nardell, Feb 1st, 2022 – If we are going to Live with COVID-19, It’s time to clean our air properly. ASHRAE Position Document on Airborne Infectious Disease

ASHARAE Position Document on Filtration and Air Cleaning

Greentech Environmental

Media Contact

Company Name
Advanced IAQ Solutions, Inc.
Contact Name
Keith Roe
Phone
610-972-1293
Address
630 Trach Rd
City
Bath
State
PA
Postal Code
18014
Country
United States
Website
https://www.advancediaqconsulting.com/

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EPA and Illinois Propose Chicago Area Now Meets 2008 Federal Air Quality Standard for Ozone, An Important Step Toward Reducing Health Impacts from Air Pollution

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March 10, 2022

CHICAGO (March 10, 2022) –Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposal to formally redesignate the Illinois portion of the Chicago area to attainment of the 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone.  Air monitoring data from 2019 through 2021 show the area now meets the national standard set in 2008 to protect public health.  The area continues to exceed health-based ozone standards set in 2015.

“People in the Chicago area are breathing cleaner, healthier air due to EPA’s partnership with the state of Illinois,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Reducing ozone pollution in the air is especially helpful for vulnerable populations.”

EPA worked collaboratively with Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin to develop strategies for attaining the ozone standard in the Chicago area, which consists of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties and portions of Grundy and Kendall counties in Illinois as well as Lake and Porter counties in Indiana and a portion of Kenosha County in Wisconsin.  EPA is proposing to redesignate the Illinois portion of the Chicago area to attainment and proposing to approve Illinois’ maintenance plan to ensure that the area will continue to meet the 2008 ozone standard of 75 parts per billion through 2035.  EPA will be accepting comments on this proposal through April 11, 2022.

Ground-level ozone is not emitted directly into the air but is formed when nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react in the presence of sunlight. Emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents are some of the major sources of NOx and VOCs.  Reducing ozone will help people to experience fewer health problems including chest pain, coughing, throat irritation and congestion.  Less ground-level ozone will also help to avoid worsening conditions such as bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma, and it will help to avoid reducing lung function or inflaming the linings of the lungs.  Children will especially benefit from reduced exposure to ozone because their lungs are still developing.

The improvement in air quality is due to state and EPA programs to reduce NOx and VOC emissions. These control measures include more protective vehicle emissions standards, nonroad engine emissions standards, and programs to reduce emissions from power plants.  Nationally, average concentrations of ozone decreased 20% from 2000 to 2020. All other air pollutants regulated under NAAQS – carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter and ozone – have also significantly decreased thanks to the various air quality management and control strategies developed and implemented at the local, state, regional, and national level.

On February 7, 2022, EPA published a proposal to redesignate the Wisconsin portion of the Chicago area for the 2008 ozone standard, and on March 3, 2022, EPA published a proposal to redesignate the Indiana portion of the Chicago area for the 2008 ozone standard.

In 2015, EPA revised the NAAQS for ground-level ozone by strengthening the standard to the level of 70 ppb. The Illinois portion of the Chicago area continues to be designated as nonattainment for the more stringent 2015 ozone standard. EPA continues to work with state partners on strategies for attaining all health-based air quality standards.

For more information about NAAQS: https://www.epa.gov/naaqs

For information about air quality in your area: https://www.airnow.gov

For information about air quality trends: https://www.epa.gov/air-trends

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Filed Under: EPA

Jonathan Rose On Green Housing and Building on the US’ Largest Passive House – Commercial Observer

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At the end of January, Jonathan Rose returned to his Midtown offices from a trip to Bhutan that he’d undertaken at the behest of the South Asian country’s king. Due to Bhutan’s strict COVID-19 restrictions, Rose spent two weeks quarantining at a hotel with international urban planners and engineers as well as Bhutanese leaders and urban planning staff, even though everyone was virus-free. They worked diligently on an urban plan, green building strategies and affordable housing for the Thimphu-Paro region.

The on-site meeting was part of a regional planning process that kicked off in the fall of 2021. Rose, 69, had been to Bhutan multiple times, but the pandemic made travel there prohibitive until January.

That kind of project — for which Rose is a volunteer adviser — is outside the purview of Rose’s eponymous firm, but in his wheelhouse as a leader in the integration of business, public policy and nonprofit work into the creation of more environmentally, socially and economically resilient communities, and author of “The Well-Tempered City: What Modern Science, Ancient Civilizations and Human Nature Teach Us About the Future of Urban Life.”

Rose’s firm, Jonathan Rose Companies, established in 1989, develops new affordable and mixed-income housing. It also has a series of private equity investment funds that buy existing affordable housing and preserve it as affordable. The firm’s portfolio includes 101 properties with 17,584 units in 17 states.

Jonathan Rose Companies is committed to making developments greener following the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria, which Rose said is “like LEED for affordable housing,” referring to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the U.S. Green Building Council’s rating system to measure a building’s sustainability and resource efficiency.

Part of Jonathan Rose Companies’ approach is integrating a “communities of opportunity” strategy, through which the firm connects its residents to all kinds of resources for their health and well-being. As Rose explained: “So we have asked as a company, can we take every property that we own, no matter where it’s located, and bring to it on-site services, through partnerships with not-for-profits and local hospitals, etc., to make each one a mini-ZIP code of opportunity. So that’s our mission.”

Commercial Observer sat down with Rose — a married father with two daughters and five grandchildren — at his offices on the 23rd floor at 551 Fifth Avenue on March 3, as his firm’s COVID-19 taskforce was meeting. (“We agreed to relax our mask mandate, making masks optional for vaccinated staff, bringing us in line with recent changes to CDC guidance and state rules, etc.,” Rose later said.) 

Jonathan Rose. Photo: Yvonne Albinowski/ For Commercial Observer

In addition to talking about the trip to Bhutan, Rose discussed how he got into mission-based work and the largest project the company has underway in New York — Sendero Verde in East Harlem, a joint venture with L+M Development Partners and the Acacia Network. There, the companies are building 700 homes for a mix of families from the formerly homeless to those with middle-range incomes.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Commercial Observer: Where have you been during COVID?

Jonathan Rose: My home is in Garrison, N.Y. It’s an hour and 10 minutes by the nicest train in the world. So you may have noticed that this office is two blocks from Grand Central [Terminal]. And my home is a mile from the Garrison station. And I love the train.

How often have you worked from the office versus home?

It’s varied depending on when I needed to be here and, over the last two years, there have been times when I haven’t been in the city at all and times when I have come to the city fairly frequently.

Did you go anywhere interesting over the course of the pandemic like some of your colleagues did?

I just came back from two weeks in Bhutan.

That’s fancy.

Not fancy. I wrote a book on cities called “The Well-Tempered City,” and the king of Bhutan read the book. The king invited me to advise the country on urban planning. And ever since I’ve been advising the country on his urban and regional planning issues. And this has ramped up and I’m now leading a global team with Bhutan on the replanning of its capital city region.

The capital’s called Thimphu and the other main city near it is called Paro. So, we’re doing a regional plan for the Thimphu-Paro region. And, because Bhutan has a very serious COVID policy, I and others flew into Bhutan, like, a month ago. We were there for two weeks in a hotel quarantining the entire 14 days. The Bhutanese we were working with were required to move into the hotel and quarantine for 14 days. And so we spent 14 days deeply working on this regional plan and then I got a plane and flew out.

You all quarantined together?

We all were frequently tested. We’re all healthy, but they kept us in this 14-day quarantine period. So we worked day and night. We occasionally would go out in a car to go look at something and then come back. [laughs]

Back to your book. Are you planning on writing another one?

I’m writing another book. It’s going very slowly.

What’s the new one about?

“The Well-Tempered City” looked at the history of cities in the beginning of civilization and really asked, What do we need to know about designing better cities. And I’m now writing a book called, “The Well-Tempered Society,” which asks, What do we need to do to design the societies to live in these cities well.

What other cities are you advising?

In general, [Bhutan is] who I’m advising now. I have done advice for other cities, like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro [both in Brazil]. And, very early on, when the Czech Republic was still Czechoslovakia, I advised them on an affordable housing project. I advised the island of Nantucket in the late 1990s on affordable housing. Throughout my career, there have been different cities or places that I have advised on affordable housing issues. But what [my work with] Bhutan looks like now is a call every Friday morning. And it’s ramping up. I mean, there’s a lot of work we’re doing. So I had a call from 7 to 8 this morning.

What did you discuss?

The call this morning was actually about how to shift the construction technology from the reinforced concrete to timber and other biological materials, which is greener, which creates more local jobs, which is a more indigenous kind of architecture. And, by the way, globally, the industry is shifting more towards timber construction. The building code I think just shifted in New York to permit it. So we’re going to be seeing more of it here.

How are you compensated?

For Bhutan it’s a donation. I donate my time.

And the other cities?

In the past, the company did more of this work and we had a small planning group here that did that and we were paid consulting fees. But we don’t do that anymore. 

The company’s 33 years old now, and when I began I did all kinds of things and, as we’ve grown larger, we’ve focused more actually on just the affordable mixed-income housing, either buying it and building it or renovating it, making it green and bringing social health and education services to our residents. And what I found was, as much as I really enjoy these international consulting projects, they were a distraction from the company’s focus on its prime mission.

How did you get into this mission-based work?

It’s a calling, for I feel like I was born into it. I’m a third-generation real estate developer; I was born into a real estate developing family called Rose Associates. From the time I was a small child, my father [Fred Rose] was building some Mitchell-Lama buildings in the Bronx. And I would go visit those, like as a 6 year old and on weekends with him and kind of inspect them, and it was the time of the civil rights movement; I was really moved by this opportunity to create affordable housing for people in need. And then, at the same time, I was deeply interested in the environment and always wanted to bring together environmental work, affordable housing, work and development, because I loved all three.

After graduate school [at the University of Pennsylvania] I joined my family’s business; I was a partner there for 13 years and learned the craft of building and development. And, then, in 1989 I left to start my own company to be purely mission focused as a for-profit focused on green, affordable and mixed-income housing. And, although I had an instinct for this idea of communities of opportunity, I didn’t have the tools or the resources to figure out how to implement that at that time. 

That was always part of the original vision. It’s just taken longer to bring it to being.

How do you apply these principles to your personal life?

So, first of all, my own home has all green material — everybody should live with green materials. And, you know, one of the interesting things is, for example, we have residents who have come to us who’ve said that when they moved into one of our buildings their kids were missing many weeks a year of school because of asthma. And, when they moved into our building, their asthma went away because of the nonvolatile indoor air environment. Every parent — I mean anybody — should want to live in a green environment. 

My house has solar power and uses geothermal energy for heating and cooling, and it is well-insulated. I take the train to work and so I try to apply these ideas personally too [though] I’m imperfect.

Changing gears. I saw there recently was a housing lottery for phase one of Sendero Verde in Harlem. When will people move in?

We should be welcoming our first residents around June 1.

When built, Sendero Verde will be the largest Passive House development in the U.S., per your company. What makes it so?

It’s an energy efficiency standard that requires the building to be super insulated. The building has triple-glazed windows and extra insulation, so that it both rejects heat so it’s cooler in the summer and it stays warmer in the winter. It requires significantly less energy to heat and cool.

Sometime in the next few weeks, there will be an announcement. Enterprise Green Communities [Criteria], which has been around for at least 15 years — and I was one of the people who helped create it as an affordable housing guideline — has now kind of integrated with a national global guideline for health called the WELL [Community Standard]. And the first building to be certified under the combined enterprise and WELL guideline is one that we have renovated in the South Bronx called Thessalonica [Court Apartments at 350 Saint Anns Avenue].

Final question: How do you think the mayor’s doing?

First of all, I love the fact that he’s a vegan. As I understand it from his story, it’s really an attempt to get to root causes, that he found himself with diabetes, and then he asked, “Why do I have diabetes?” Instead of saying, “I’ll take drugs and dialysis or whatever all my life,” he said, “I’m going to get to the root cause.” And that is exactly the mindset that we need in a mayor; that’s the kind of thinking that we need to address the problems that the city has. 

And, on the environmental side, he has appointed Rohit Aggarwala as the head of [New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection]. He’s a fantastic choice for DEP, and [the mayor’s] choices in housing — he’s made some great choices. He’s off to a good start as far as I’m concerned.

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Village receives vital access to clean water – MissionNewswire

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Project made possible thanks to donor funding from the Salesian Missions ‘Clean Water Initiative’

NAMIBIA

(MissionNewswire) People living in the Ngwa-ngwa village, close to Rundu, Namibia, have access to clean water thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project, part of the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative,” provided a new borewell and water tank to supply fresh drinking water.

In Namibia, over one quarter of the population lacks access to clean water and more than half lack access to proper sanitation facilities. Inadequate water and sanitation are major causes of disease, and reduce a community’s ability to thrive.

Ngwa-ngwa is a small village of 250 people. Most of the people living there are poor and survive on small-scale farming and government grants. The village has erratic shortages of water. The only water source is a small river that runs during the rainy season and dries up in summer. During summer, people survive on water from unsafe holes and small wells, causing many to become sick. The COVID-19 pandemic has also created a demand for improved hygiene.

In order to address these water challenges, donor funding was used for a solar-powered borewell and a 10,000-liter tank (2,641 gallons). The tank was mounted three meters (3.2 yards) up from the ground to ensure stronger water pressure. Solar power was used as an alternative green energy. Two water taps have also been installed to allow people to collect water without difficulty.

“People in this village have struggled a lot and suffer so much due to lack of water,” said Father Louis Malama, the parish priest who oversaw the project. “Access to safe drinking water is vital for social well-being. The new water supply will alleviate unnecessary sicknesses and will help the start of a vegetable garden that will reduce poverty in the village.”

This new water source also provided clean water access at Don Bosco Youth Primary School in the village. Clean water will help prevent illness caused by waterborne disease and increase the number of children coming to school to learn.

According to the World Bank, Namibia is just one of nine countries in Africa considered as upper middle income, but poverty is still prevalent with extreme wealth imbalances. Namibia’s poverty rate is 32 percent with an unemployment rate of 29.6 percent. Poverty in Namibia is acute in the northern regions of Kavango, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Kunene and Ohangwena, where upwards of one-third of the population lives in poverty. HIV prevalence in the country is 16.9 percent.

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

To learn more about the Salesian Missions Clean Water Initiative, go to SalesianMissions.org/water.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Namibia

World Bank – Namibia

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Originally Appeared Here

Farmington AR Air Conditioner Repair – HVAC Cooling Expert Service Launched

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West Fork,United States – March 12, 2022 /MarketersMEDIA/ —

This move is part of the company’s efforts to cater to more clients throughout the state. It offers a full range of repair and maintenance services to both commercial and residential HVAC clients.

More information about Seaton Heat N’ Air is available via http://seatonheatnair.com

The announcement coincides with the arrival of warmer weather, when air conditioners will be used more extensively. Proactive clients are recommended to have their HVAC systems maintained to ensure optimal operation.

Spring weather in Arkansas can be hot and humid, with temperatures peaking between 62F and 80F. If an HVAC unit suddenly stops working or does not output enough cooling, comfort will be compromised.

As such, Seaton Heat N’ Air provides expert servicing so clients can rest assured that their equipment will be in tip-top shape. It employs only licensed and highly trained technicians who can diagnose and fix problems quickly.

The HVAC contractor can handle all kinds of air conditioner issues, including low cooling, electric control issues, and loud noises. Likewise, the company can do 24/7 emergency repairs as well. All first-time clients will get a 10% discount on any services.

To help clients better prepare for the cost of repairs, the company issues no-obligation quotations. Prospective clients can request one by calling the office or by filling out the contact form found on the site.

About Seaton Heat N’ Air

Seaton Heat N’ Air was founded by Chris Seaton to provide quality and affordable HVAC servicing to customers. Among its other specializations are indoor air quality optimization, precision tune-ups, and equipment replacement. In addition to Farmington, it now also serves the nearby communities of Greenland and West Fork.

A company spokesperson says: “Seaton Heat N’ Air offers prompt service to minimize downtime so you can get the comfort you deserve. Our technicians provide up-front pricing so you are never left wondering what the repair will cost. Whether you’re looking for residential or commercial HVAC services, our staff can handle any problem you might have.”

Interested parties may visit http://seatonheatnair.com if they need further details about the company and its services.

Contact Info:
Name: Chris Shelton
Email: Send Email
Organization: Seaton Heat N’ Air
Address: 12399 Green Plastic Rd., West Fork, AR 72774, United States
Phone: +1-479-346-2138
Website: https://www.seatonheatnair.com

Release ID: 89070106

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COMTEX_404090003/2773/2022-03-14T06:19:14

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Originally Appeared Here