What Does “Design Day” Really Mean?
August 12, 2021 By Luke Powell, WELL AP, LEED AP As I type this, the ambient (outdoor) temperatures are 95°F dry bulb and 79°F wet bulb here in Louisville, KY. Those conditions are above a “design day” for Louisville (94.0°/75.1°). The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) puts out […]
Ventilation In Schools – Be Careful What You Are Bringing In!
April 10, 2021 By Luke Powell, WELL AP, LEED AP I recently came across this study that was published March 27, 2021. The study came out of Spain and looked to assess air quality in classrooms after increasing ventilation as directed by public health officials. Ventilation conditions (carbon dioxide, CO2) and suspended particulate matter […]
ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force’s Aerosol Exposure Core Recommendations
On January 6, 2021, the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers) Epidemic Task Force released new guidance to address control of airborne infectious aerosol exposure. An infectious aerosol is a suspension in air of fine particles or droplets containing pathogens such as the SARS-CoV-2 virus that can cause infections when inhaled. […]
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 […]
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 […]
What is the WELL Building Standard?
What is a WELL Building? The WELL Building Standard is the first building standard to focus exclusively on the health and wellness of the people in buildings. The WELL Building Standard is a performance-based system for measuring, certifying, and monitoring features of the built environment that impact human health and wellbeing. It combines best practices […]
