Increased Ed Ramps Up HVAC Checks for Fall Reopening
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July 21, 2021 – Contact FacilitiesNet editorial team »
Higher education institutions plan to welcome students and faculty back in the fall as the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be easing. What the returning residents will find in these facilities remains to be seen, but it is clear that maintenance and engineering managers and their staff are implementing a range of HVAC tactics and strategies to create safe spaces and keep residents healthy guarantee.
At the University of San Francisco, facility management staff evaluated more than 600 ventilation, air conditioning and filtering devices, replacing 76 non-standard devices. Facility management staff checked for heating and cooling-related issues and checked the quality of ventilation for each unit to prevent airborne transmission of the coronavirus.
At the University of Virginia, facility management has set up a task force that advocates energy savings and at the same time implements measures to ensure a safe indoor climate. The group focused on identifying and evaluating existing HVAC mitigation measures and ranking them for implementation. One area the group focused on is the use of high efficiency filters and increased ventilation rates to create an extra layer of airborne reduction in buildings.
At Simon Frasier University, facility services examined campus ventilation, room entry, measuring airflow, and verifying that the systems met the best indoor air quality standards. The audit covers approximately 1,000 rooms and includes the review of plans and diagrams that are reviewed on site by energy specialists, air conditioning mechanics and HVAC balancing service providers.
Dan Hounsell is the Senior Editor of Facility Market.
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