Stopping the Spread of Airborne Illnesses Indoors

What if we could stop the spread of airborne illnesses like COVID-19, flu, and colds inside buildings? That’s just what new Federal ventilation and air quality guidance aims to help building owners and operators do. 

This week, as part of the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, the Federal Government launched the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge — a call to action for organizations to make indoor air quality (IAQ) improvements. The government has also made available funds, through the Federal Government American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to help with ventilation and other IAQ upgrades.

The pandemic has already prompted some organizations to take ad hoc steps to improve indoor air quality with HEPA filters and disinfectants, but to get our country back to “normal” — scratch that — a better normal where we don’t have to worry about catching something from schoolmates and coworkers, organizations must consider upgrading their facilities with HVAC systems designed to increase environmental quality and minimize the spread of pathogens.

Ventilation and Your Health 

The link between poor air quality and sickness isn’t new. In the early ‘80s, the World Health Organization linked well-sealed buildings with windows that could not be opened to sick building syndrome. Today, we know that inadequate ventilation can lead to a plethora of problems, including sickness and disease, exhaustion, and the inability to learn and concentrate. 

The Importance of a Properly Designed HVAC System 

Hospitals and labs are already required to meet stringent ventilation and air quality requirements, but schools, colleges, universities, and commercial buildings are chronically under-ventilated. Why? Reasons vary, but one of the biggest reasons is poor heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system design and the perceived cost of upgrading.

The current mindset is that it’s cheaper to replace the system in place with an identical one. This is a short-sighted approach because what’s “cheap” about this kind of replacement is “first-cost” — the cost of one-to-one replacement, which may or may not (probably not) solve air quality and other issues like energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. 

At Millig Design Build, we take a holistic approach to mechanical systems design — one that solves several challenges at once. From improved air quality and occupant comfort to increased energy and maintenance savings to decreased emissions, we design and install systems that deliver the most value at the lowest “whole-life” cost.

On average, HVAC systems last 20 years. This means building owners and operators have one shot every two decades to make meaningful environmental quality improvements. If your system is reaching its end-of-life, why not take a comprehensive approach and have a system designed to your unique needs — one that will not only keep your occupants safe from the spread of disease but will also lower your energy and maintenance costs for years to come?