Ventilation – Does Your Home Have It? Probably Not.
December 20, 2020 By Luke Powell, WELL AP, LEED AP Ventilation. A term that most people outside of the HVAC world rarely heard until a few months ago. As the COVID-19 pandemic escalated, and the CDC and WHO finally started to recognize airborne transmission, ventilation quickly became a buzz word. So why does ventilation […]
DOE Efficiency Standards on HVAC Equipment
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) establishes energy-efficiency standards for certain appliances and equipment, and currently covers more than 60 different products. The Appliance and Equipment Standards Program issues regulations on test procedures, and for the implementation, certification, and enforcement of the standards. As defined in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), small, large, […]
Aerosols, COVID-19 and HVAC
Luke Powell’s presentation to the Louisville ASHRAE Chapter on October 21, 2020 Webinar Recording: Louisville ASHRAE Oct. 2020 Meeting Notes PDF: Aerosols COVID-19 and HVAC – Notes from Louisville ASHRAE Presentation Side Deck: Aerosols, COVID-19 & HVAC – Slide Deck References: How can airborne transmission of COVID-19 indoors be minimised? https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020317876?via%3Dihub Aerosol and Surface Stability […]
Introducing WELL Building Standard Version 2
Yesterday (September 15, 2020) marked the official release of WELL v2. The WELL Building Standard™ version 2 (WELL v2™) is a vehicle for buildings and organizations to deliver more thoughtful and intentional spaces that enhance human health and well-being. The new version includes a set of strategies—backed by the latest scientific research—that aim to advance […]
The Case for Airborne Transmission of COVID-19
Droplets Fomites Aerosols Airborne What do all of these terms mean when it comes to the spread of COVID-19? Let’s look at definitions of each first. Droplets – Defined by the CDC and the WHO as projectiles that infect by impaction and fall quickly to the ground (often called “ballistic droplets”). Particles larger than ~300 […]
Ventilation in Schools
There has never been more focus on ventilation in school buildings. This leads to the obvious question – what do we actually know about ventilation in schools, and how important it is? Many studies use indoor CO2 to characterize ventilation, because the primary source in a school building is people breathing, and the outdoor concentration […]
A Quick Blueprint for Building Readiness
Are you a building owner or property manager wondering if you are ready to let people back in your building? Are you an employee or occupant wondering if the space you are getting ready to occupy is as safe as it can be? Are you concerned about the air quality in your child’s school? Below […]
Buildings: Our First Line of Defense in Combating Viruses. It’s Time to Fight Back!
Luke Powell LEED AP, WELL AP, IWBI COVID-19 Task Force Member Vice President Air Equipment Company Disclaimer: Please note I am not a medical professional. My degree is in mechanical engineering, not the specific ways diseases spread, nor the human body’s response to those diseases. This information is being provided as a service to Air […]
Covid-19 and Buildings
In December 2019, SARS-CoV-2, a novel Coronavirus, was identified in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, a major transport hub of central China. The earliest COVID-19 cases were linked to a large seafood market in Wuhan, initially suggesting a direct food source transmission pathway. Since that time, we have learned that person-to-person transmission is one […]
The Importance of Airflow Control, Humidity and Ventilation in Healthcare Facilities
With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, reliable and effective hospital ventilation and humidity control is more important today than ever before. Air Equipment Company has been the trusted healthcare airflow design resource for Kentucky and Southern Indiana for over 25 years. With systems that can control ventilation for better containment of airborne pathogens and […]
