Green Building Blog

In the age of COVID, we have to look at all available - and viable - options for occupant safety.

To help slow the spread of the coronavirus, ASHRAE, CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and WHO (the World Health Organization) currently recommend running HVAC systems for a minimum of 4 hours (but preferably more) on a daily basis with 100% outside air (OA) to “flush out” the virus. I would love to be 100% on board with this recommendation all year round. But I’m not.

Some estimates place the cost of poor indoor air quality (IAQ) to the United States' economy at $200 Billion in today’s dollars. In the age of COVID-19, good IAQ as we have known it is no longer enough. (Updated chart, 2/25/21)

(updated chart, 2/25/21) As those of us in the building management and maintenance field prepare to “re-open” buildings, the health and safety of our tenants, guests, patients, staff and residents remains top-of-mind. Soon the general public will leave the comfort and safety of their homes where they have been limiting human contact for weeks, and venture out into the world with other people.

We must be prepared for them so they can feel safe when returning to shop, work and play in “the new normal.”

Nothing about building maintenance will be normal – perhaps for quite a while.  Every commercial building in the US and probably in most industrial nations, is now taking – or should be taking – extra precautions to ensure safety. People should feel safe going back to work, and building owners and managers must enact measures to both ensure safety and prevent, or at least minimize, potential litigation.

Spring is supposed to be a time of growth, renewal and hope. Many cultures and religions celebrate sacred holidays, most of which take place communally, with family and friends.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year many of us are observing these special occasions alone or with family and friends but only virtually.

While we are celebrating with social distancing, we can pause to give thanks for what we have, and offer immense gratitude to the doctors, nurses, first responders, grocery store workers, maintenance and sanitation workers and all those other front-line workers who are giving so much of themselves to help others.

Two weeks ago I shared on our social media pages (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn), an article by one of my favorite local speakers and writers, Josh Linkner. He wrote about ANTs. Not the kind that are the bane of any facility manager or building owner, but Automatic Negative Thoughts as described by psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen.

Jim Newman recently contributed an article highlighting keys to designing and maintaining a higher performing HVAC system for maximum profitability.