WESTWOOD, Mass., March 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — enVerid Systems, the leader in sustainable indoor air quality (IAQ) solutions, announced today that its sorbent air cleaning technology for HVAC load reduction has been validated by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) High Impact Technology (HIT) Catalyst program. The validation comes after field testing of enVerid’s HVAC Load Reduction® (HLR®) modules by DOE’s National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) in commercial buildings in the eastern and southern U.S. NREL found that HLR modules provide substantial Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) energy savings and load reduction potential. Powered by enVerid’s Sorbent Ventilation Technology™ (SVT™), HLR modules safely remove carbon dioxide, ozone, formaldehyde, and a wide range of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from indoor air so that ventilation rates can be optimized to improve energy efficiency and IAQ, which can lead to reductions in HVAC equipment costs, operating costs, and buildings’ carbon emissions.

DOE’s HIT Catalyst program conducts evaluations of new energy efficiency technologies in coordination with the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) Green Proving Ground (GPG) program. NREL assessed enVerid’s HLR modules in commercial and educational buildings located in hot, humid, and cold climates across the country. The findings were published in the report, Energy Performance Validation of a Gaseous Air Cleaning Technology for Commercial Buildings. GSA has posted the NREL report and an infographic with key findings from the report on the GPG Published Findings page.

“Addressing building decarbonization and resilience are among our top priorities,” said Kevin Powell, Director of GSA’s Green Proving Ground program. “NREL’s assessment gives us valuable guidance on where sorbent air cleaning technology will help save energy and meet the net-zero carbon targets established in the President’s recent executive order.”

Based on NREL’s findings, DOE’s Better Buildings initiative has also identified sorbent ventilation air cleaning technology as a step building owners and operators can implement to achieve smart, healthy, and low-carbon small offices, large offices, and primary schools in the Better Buildings Low Carbon Technology Strategies Toolkit.

“NREL’s validation of the energy saving capabilities of enVerid’s HLR modules and its underlying Sorbent Ventilation Technology in real world applications is another critical affirmation of this technology,” said Christian Weeks, CEO of enVerid Systems. “Sorbent Ventilation Technology can be employed to achieve the dual priorities of healthy indoor air quality and reducing HVAC energy intensity to lower building carbon emissions. The timing of this important development aligns well with the actions being taken under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Biden Administration’s recent commitment to prioritize decarbonization across the 370 million square feet of space in 9,600 buildings GSA oversees, addressing IAQ, carbon emissions, and building resilience.”

SVT and IAQP – A Compelling Combination
enVerid’s SVT, the core technology in HLR modules and other SVT-enabled HVAC systems, when applied in combination with the ASHRAE 62.1 Indoor Air Quality Procedure (IAQP), enables cleaned indoor air to replace a portion of the outside air required to maintain acceptable indoor air quality in a way that is fully compliant with existing building codes. This is an important consideration as large volumes of outside air are very energy intensive to condition and outside air is increasingly compromised by pollution and wildfire smoke. Using SVT in combination with the IAQP, annual HVAC energy use can be reduced by up to 40%, substantially lowering a building’s energy intensity and carbon emissions without comprising indoor air quality.

About enVerid Systems, Inc. 
enVerid Systems, the leading provider of sustainable indoor air quality (IAQ) solutions, helps buildings achieve air quality goals, save money and reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Its flagship HVAC Load Reduction® (HLR) modules are award-winning air cleaners that deliver up to 40% HVAC energy savings and superior indoor air quality in new and existing buildings. For new HVAC systems, HLR modules also enable immediate capital cost savings. At the core of all HLR modules is enVerid Sorbent Ventilation Technology™ (SVT™), uniquely designed to capture gaseous contaminants that degrade indoor environmental quality. enVerid’s HEPA air filtration products remove particulate and microorganism contamination, including viruses, from indoor air without the significant cost of upgrading mechanical systems and increasing mechanical ventilation rates. enVerid’s products are deployed in commercial, academic, and government buildings globally. Its air cleaning products are ASHRAE Standard 62.1, LEED®, and WELL compliant and eligible for utility rebates. For more information, please visit https://enverid.com.

SOURCE enVerid Systems

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The study details the risk of contracting airborne illnesses — in this case, COVID-19 — while on public transportation that uses air conditioners with recycled air. Of particular note, the researchers cite data that showed substantially higher rates of respiratory infections among people in the UK who traveled on a bus or tram within a few days of developing symptoms. These instances highlight the importance of air filtration systems, though it’s necessary to determine which filters work best against the diseases we most commonly face in public spaces.

The experts also focus on COVID-19 and the risk one faces when using public transportation, citing past research that found high numbers of new cases among people who used buses and similar public options during the pandemic. Air conditioners set to recycle air may be to blame for these large case numbers among commuters, which is where air filtration systems come in.

HEPA filters are one popular option, but the new study points out that not only are they energy-intensive, but they also fail to actively destroy the airborne pathogens, potentially allowing them to “proliferate within the air filtration system.” The researchers behind this study went a different direction and instead applied chlorhexidine digluconate (CHDG) as a coating on air filter fibers, finding that it performs well against COVID-19.

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In the White House’s National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan plan, within the “Clean Air in Buildings Checklist,” lurks a risky landmine: “ventilation and filtration.” That approach, the latest proposed “Operation Warp Speed,” is incompatible with most public building ventilation systems, would be expensive, noisy, windy, and worst of all, won’t adequately disinfect the air.  

Far superior, cheaper, safe and effective proven solutions are available. Here’s some simple arithmetic to understand why. 

First, the scientific reasoning: Filtering air after it leaves the room does zero to prevent transmission to people sitting in a room with someone repeatedly exhaling viruses. That’s why many experts favor in-room air disinfection.  

What about air filtration? High-efficiency particulate air filters — HEPA filters (also called MERV-17) can remove 99.7 percent of particles larger than 0.3 microns. That’s great for tuberculosis (1-5 microns) but unfortunately, coronavirus and the flu virus are both 0.2 microns or smaller. HEPA will remove viruses attached to large water droplets but nature doesn’t impose that requirement on every virus particle; dry viruses also swirl in room air. 

Yet ventilation and filtration advocates are now promoting even less efficient filters, (MERV-13) that are only 66 percent effective for that size particle. That is because our heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) system blowers aren’t able to move air through those very tight HEPA filters. For a 100-200 cubic feet room with a ceiling less than 7.5 feet, whose air you can’t easily exhaust outside, a wall-plug HEPA air purifier is far better than nothing but for disinfecting larger rooms, forget about HVAC filtration as a cure.   

Understanding why the ventilation cure fails requires multiplication. The American Society of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineers (ASHRAE) sets standards (62.1) that most states and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rely upon. A 9,000 cubic feet school classroom requires 10 cubic feet per minute of fresh outside air per occupant. That’s 300 cubic feet per minute for 29 students and a teacher, 18,000 cubic feet per hour — two air changes per hour to adequately remove odors and carbon dioxide.  

Since many HVAC systems are designed to provide 17 to 33 percent outside air — it’s too energy-inefficient and expensive to condition more of that cold or hot and humid outside air — at least 900 cubic feet per minute of fresh air is needed to meet the outside air requirement. Recalling CDC’s recommended six to 12 air changes per hour for minimal disinfection, multiply that 900 cubic feet per minute by three to reach the minimum of six air changes per hour and arrive at 2,700 cubic feet per minute of fresh air needed per classroom.  

If our classroom’s ductwork and registers (vents) were optimally built to have about 3 tons of cooling capacity delivered by a maximum of 1,500 cubic feet per minute, existing ductwork, registers and HVAC blowers cannot possibly move close to double that air volume required for minimal disinfection. Also, the noisy wind tunnel that the classroom would become would be intolerable — so the magical but inadequate filtration solution is invoked.  

Exhaust fan ventilation to the outside is a good idea for rooms where short stays won’t make the temperature intolerable and in bathrooms, where sick people go for private respite. Blow thick cigar smoke underneath those fans to test if they truly exhaust — defying existing codes, some noisy bathroom fans just blow into the attic.  

Disinfecting indoor air is crucial. For a ceiling of at least 7.5 feet, the least expensive, highly effective, and safe solution is a low-dose upper-room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation system. The 9,000 cubic feet classroom would be covered for $850 with a ready-made, plug-and-play system with nearly 1 watt of ultraviolet C output, or for $220 if someone spends an hour putting parts together for a bare-bulb unit with a small sheet of simple reflective aluminum below, tilted slightly up, so room occupants can’t directly view the bulb itself. 

Just two seconds of exposure 3 feet away or 60 seconds of exposure 30 feet away, providing total radiant energy of 600 microJoules/sq cm, will inactivate 90 percent of coronaviruses, tuberculosis and influenza. A ceiling fan or a $25 floor fan tilted along a wall, running at slow quiet speed, completes the installation, assuring exhaled air moves up into the disinfection zone. A school with 50 classroom equivalents would cost $42,500 (off-the-shelf) or $11,000 (self-assembly), plus the cost for fans. The 30W-40W ultraviolet germicidal irradiation bulbs consume minimal electricity and require replacement after 9,000 hours (one year.) Maintenance? Turn them off and get on a ladder with a gentle feather duster every 3 months.  

The Government Accountability Office reported in June 2020 that 40 percent of school districts have 50 percent of schools needing basic ventilation overhauls. Ventilation installers and consultants are eager to sell new filters, bigger blowers, consulting services and even gimmicky unproven ionizers as infrastructure money becomes available.  

Science-informed policy will follow the arithmetic and won’t be fast-talked into some new version of the Segway bust. Adequate and updated ventilation is essential for deficient indoor spaces but is not the path to viral air disinfection. 

Bruce L. Davidson, MD, MPH, a pulmonary and public health physician and member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers, is clinical professor of Medicine at Washington State University College of Medicine and was president of the National Tuberculosis Controllers Association.

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You may have noticed increased adoption rates of facility management technology among your peers. Many professionals realize that carefully chosen technology could positively impact their workflows. Here are some of the digital trends shaping the sector now and likely to affect it in the future.

1. IoT sensors provide more visibility and control

People are increasingly interested in using Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to gain insights that previously remained hidden. Using the IoT can give people information that helps operations run more smoothly.

An IoT sensor might alert a technician about abnormal component behavior. It’s then more likely that they can address the problem before it causes a massive disruption, such as by reordering a part or scheduling a service call.

Additionally, the IoT can help with building occupancy comfort levels and energy efficiency. For example, sensors might activate to bring the room to a preferred temperature shortly before a meeting begins in a specific part of the building.

IoT sensors in restroom dispensers can alert staff before paper products run out so they can be refilled. IoT sensors can even help you pinpoint indoor air quality issues in your facility.

These are some of the many reasons why facility managers are getting on board with installing IoT sensors or at least strongly considering it. The real-time sensor data can give them a better understanding of what’s happening throughout a facility.

2. Cloud software and apps supporting mobile working

A facility manager’s typical day at work probably doesn’t involve much staying in one place. Fortunately, cloud-based software and apps let them get the information they need regardless of location or the device they use to access the content.

Suppose a facility manager is communicating with several parties about upgrades in progress. A cloud-based app could keep everyone on the same page and even allow people to upload pictures for context.

Similarly, cloud-based apps can assist with scheduling. A manager might need more people at a facility on a given day due to a large event or another demanding occasion. If so, they can use an app to see how many people are currently on the roster to work and contact more to come in if required. Cloud functionality means they can pull up this data from anywhere rather than needing to be in a particular place.

3. Security tech facilitating risk management goals

Risk management is a significant part of running a successful facility. Statistics indicate that workplace violence affects 2 million people annually. Depending on the type of business a facility manager oversees, the potential dangers extend not just to employees but also to students, tenants, patrons, and other groups.

Managing the risks entails protecting assets, too. For example, if someone breaks into the building and damages all its critical equipment, such an outcome would severely interrupt operations and harm profitability.

However, facilities management technology includes products that help keep buildings secure. Taking the time to assess risks and plan mitigation strategies will help you get the best return on investment from such solutions. Additionally, even the most advanced security technologies will not work as well as they could if you never maintain them after the initial setup. Including the security tech in your overall maintenance strategy supports best practices for risk management.

4. Augmented reality minimizes the need for site visits

Augmented reality (AR) is becoming more widely used in industries such as manufacturing. A person could stand in front of an advanced piece of machinery in a factory and see a digital overlay with instructions for using it. Alternatively, the digital content might show a checklist that people should follow before turning on the machine. Likewise in the cleaning industry, product manufacturers are developing similar systems that allow workers to call up product labels and usage instructions for cleaning specific areas, such as a glass mirror or sink in a restroom. 

AR is becoming more widely chosen in the facility management sector, too. A survey of people using it for that purpose found that 27% of respondents cited physical contact reductions as a primary benefit of the technology. That’s a notable outcome, given that we are in a global pandemic. Additionally, 47% said AR helped them automate maintenance needs. That advantage could also minimize the need to take trips to physical sites.

The study revealed that 40% of people thought the cost was the biggest factor limiting adoption, however. That’s not to say that individuals who are interested in possibly implementing AR will hold off for good with their intentions. However, it could take time to get executive buy-in and convince decision-makers that AR may have a higher-than-average upfront cost, but it could pay off over time.

Facility management technology is worth consideration

These four trends illustrate how facility management technology is changing the industry. However, merely deciding to adopt a certain technology solution does not guarantee it will pay off as people hope.

Instead, the relevant parties must take the time to identify their most significant challenges and goals. From there, they’ll be in a better position to conclude whether technology could make headway in those areas, and if so, how and when they should adopt it.

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The coronavirus pandemic has left the majority of North Americans feeling anxious about entering buildings they believe may have poor indoor air quality (IAQ), according to a new survey from Ambius.

The survey of 3,000 U.S. and Canadian adults discovered that 76% would consider joining the “Great Resignation” if their employees did not guarantee wellness factors such as healthy IAQ, work-life balance, and proper workplace cleanliness. The survey found:

• 70% of survey respondents think their workplace air quality needs improving
• 39% describe the current condition of their workplace’s IAQ as either average, poor, or bad 
• 69% said their workspaces need better investment in health, hygiene, and safety in 2022 and beyond, while 62% said the same about restaurants and businesses. 
• 57% said workspace environments have become more important to them since the pandemic.
• 48% list better air hygiene as important, while 43 value spaces designed with wellness and health in mind.

“As we continue to struggle with consequences of COVID-19, and as employees gradually return to workplaces and general public spaces, it is clear priorities have shifted with health, safety and wellbeing at the forefront of concerns,” said Matt Hayas, Director of Product and Innovation at Ambius. 

Learn more about the importance of good IAQ in your facility, especially with the end of mask mandates, in the video below featuring experts with the Global Biorisk Advisory Council™ (GBAC), a Division of ISSA.

 

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