In the spring of 2022, most businesses and schools were open and ready to return to normal. Of course, this new normal included changes to the way users think about safety in buildings.
Improving indoor air quality remained a top concern for building owners and facilities managers. They looked at ways to enhance IAQ through inspections, cleaning, and monitoring as well as ways to fund these efforts using available tax credits. They also offered advice on how to reduce energy costs through HVAC maintenance.
Optimized HVAC performance
As they discussed in April, IAQ is enhanced by optimized HVAC performance. Therefore, it stands to reason that a better indoor environment results from a well-maintained system. Optimizing the system’s performance is not cost-prohibitive. On the contrary, routine inspections and cleaning go a long way toward improving indoor air quality while reducing costs. As well, monitoring the indoor environment detects issues with IAQ before they develop into more serious problems.
Cleaner indoor air also reduces worker absenteeism while reducing energy costs
The ASHRAE Standard 62.1, which specifies the minimum ventilation requirements for commercial and institutional buildings, is something they advised building managers to review. Keeping with this standard improves IAQ. As a result of cleaning indoor air, cognitive functioning improves. This helps children in school perform better on tests. Cleaner indoor air also reduces worker absenteeism while reducing energy costs. WTI – Pure Air Control helps businesses improve IAQ with our PURE-Steam cleaning and PURE-Duct cleaning methods as well as their HVAC New Life Restoration process.
Meeting the clean air challenge
As the year progressed and businesses set about improving indoor air quality, they reminded readers about the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan. This plan includes a challenge to building owners to improve IAQ.
The goal of the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge is to reduce the spread of viruses indoors. Along with the COVID preparedness plan, the challenge asked that facilities managers focus on four key actions. For example, the creation of an action plan that includes inspection and repairs improves IAQ. Optimizing ventilation also allows more fresh outdoor air into buildings. Improving air filtration using portable air cleaning technology is another important step. Lastly, they stressed the importance of encouraging all building occupants to stay engaged and report their IAQ concerns to management.
Improving indoor air quality
Cleaning, disinfecting, and restoration improve, not just efficiency, but indoor air quality as well
As summer began they reminded readers of the benefits of improving IAQ with funds gained from the Airborne Act legislation. Using the IAQ tax credits proposed in the Airborne Act allows building owners to improve their HVAC systems.
This starts with an inspection and assessment of the system’s performance. Cleaning, disinfecting, and restoration improve, not just efficiency, but indoor air quality as well. Additionally, IAQ monitoring ensures that indoor conditions remain stable. In addition to improved indoor air quality comes the added benefit of reduced energy costs and fewer missed days of work for employers.
HVAC Asset Planning
In June they suggested the creation of an HVAC asset plan for improving indoor air quality. They laid out the three parts of the plan which included visual inspections, regular cleaning, and restoration. They recommended scheduling HVAC inspections quarterly and semi-annually as well as annually.
They also discussed the benefits of restoration over the replacement of system parts
The quarterly inspection checks dehumidification and humidification devices for microbial growth while the semi-annual check covers ventilation and IAQ-related control systems and devices, the evaporator coil, and outdoor air intake louvers as well as natural ventilation openings. Annual checks cover fan blade housing, air filter fit, damper operation as well as drain pans, drain lines, and coils. They also discussed the benefits of restoration over the replacement of system parts.
Reduces operating expenses
Cost is a significant factor because replacing the system will only save you 20 percent. However, restoration increases the equipment’s lifespan, which gradually reduces operating expenses as a whole. For instance, upgrading the Q-PACTM Fan Array boosts the AHU’s efficiency, which reduces energy expenses and eliminates the need for motor and belt maintenance. Additionally, there is the advantage of increased energy efficiency.
They covered a lot of ground this year. They also provided advice on improving indoor air quality as the COVID pandemic continues to teach them lessons on virus transmission. The information users learned about the role ventilation systems have in this spread is invaluable.
