Prepare your office, retail, medical or school building’s HVAC system to help prevent the spread of illnesses—by assessing systems and practices.
OLA’s phased approach helps clients to ensure your current HVAC system is in good working condition; determine if additional outdoor air and/or increased MERV or HEPA filtration is the right choice for you; perform an engineering analysis of purification options; and develop a customized preventative maintenance plan to keep your system and occupants healthy.
PHASE I: ASSESS EXISTING SYSTEMS
OLA can perform an engineering assessment to determine what ventilation equipment currently exists and if it is operating properly. We can also review options for better IAQ in areas that currently have mechanical ventilation and for areas that do not.PHASE II: REVIEW INCREASING OUTDOOR AIR AND/OR FILTRATION
OLA can review if increasing outdoor air and/or increasing filtration is appropriate for your systems. Equipment capacity may not be able to handle additional outdoor air. This could impact both space temperature and humidity. Increasing filtration to higher MERV rated filters requires a review of your HVAC equipment to see if the fans have enough horsepower to overcome additional pressure drop. HEPA filtration may be a consideration for certain facilities requiring a higher level of filtration.PHASE III: CONSIDER PURIFICATION
OLA can perform an independent engineering analysis of various purification options, including:Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI)
UVGI is a proven technology, used for decades in hospitals and other facilities serving at-risk populations. Consideration should be given to UVGI for new installations. Installation may be difficult for retrofit situations due to required length of ductwork or need for additional section in an air handler.Bipolar Ionization (BPI)
Older BPI technology releases small amounts of ozone. Current technology meets UL 2998 for zero ozone emissions and is considered much safer. BPI can be implemented in both new installations and retrofits. The technology not only sanitizes air across the ionizer, but the ions released into the space will continue to sanitize the air in the space. BPI has several configurations for retrofit and can be mounted in equipment as small as a VRF or PTAC unit. * Please note that the above purification measures are not approved by NYSED for use in NYS public schools.PHASE IV: DEVELOP PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PLANS
Consideration must be given to proper maintenance of equipment. Keeping ventilation systems operating as designed with clean filters and proper outdoor air ventilation is vital to indoor air quality. If a Preventive Maintenance Plan is not in place, OLA can provide guidance and expertise in developing one specifically for your facility.