Indoor Air Quality Analysis
Many facility owners are looking for ways to improve indoor air quality (IAQ), reduce contaminants, and mitigate risk of virus transmission. It is important to seek data-driven, long-term solutions that not only address current concerns with the COVID-19 virus, but that provide improved indoor air quality and prepare for potential future onsets of other airborne viruses that would once again threaten operations.
A variety of strategies can be implemented to reduce contaminants and risk of virus transmission. However, without investigating the specific conditions of a space, modifying your HVAC systems, could be a mistake, given that not every occupied space presents an equal risk, and the most aggressive solutions can have long-term drawbacks. These can include increased energy use, uncontrolled humidity and wasted operating expense.
We work with our clients to assess the infection risk levels of various space and system types through indoor air quality analysis and provide data-driven implementation plans that incorporate appropriate remediation strategies for a combination of typical conditions.
occupancy and HVAC analysis & remediation
To evaluate infection risks associated with specific indoor environments and the comparative benefits of optional improvements, we:
- Identify – create a list of buildings, systems, and representative spaces of specific concern and/or most likely to pose the highest risk factors. Not every space requires analysis since certain combinations of system type and occupancy are low risk.
- Analyze – use the Airborne Infection Risk Calculator (AIRC), made available by Alex Mikszewski & colleagues, as a preliminary decision‐support tool to determine the level of risk for the identified spaces, based on current conditions, documented assumptions, and intended occupancy.
- Respond – develop, document, and oversee the implementation of strategies to any unacceptable risk so that you can confidently return to high-value in-person activities.
COVID resilience & long-term facility condition / sustainability
Your air quality assessment results can be reviewed in conjunction with deferred maintenance and energy savings project opportunities to prioritize system improvements in light of short and long-term safety, maintenance, funding, and energy concerns.
We use these questions to score, analyze, and prioritize each system:
- Is the space high risk for in-person activities? Does it have a need for risk mitigation or IAQ improvements to return to in-person activities?
- Is the system a deferred maintenance liability, and how close is it to end-of-life? What is the actual current condition of the system?
- Logistics: Can the desired work be completed in the funding timeframe? Is there swing space to enable implementation quickly?
- Are there energy savings opportunities or alternative approaches to offset or avoid the increase in energy that many IAQ or risk mitigation improvements cause?