MONTH IN FM TO ADVERTISE IN MONTH IN FM PLEASE CONTACT
DANNY.GRANGE@KPMMEDIA.CO.UK OR CALL 01322 476811
VENTILATION AS A MEANS
TO REDUCE INFECTION RATES
AND IMPROVE WELLBEING
BY MALCOLM YOULL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, WEISS TECHNIK UK LTD
As the UK emerges from the Coronavirus
lockdown, the main question on everybody’s
mind is: what needs to be done to minimise the
risk of infection? Hygiene has of course been one
of the top issues during the pandemic. Hospitals
have always made sure to decontaminate rooms
a er they have been used by COVID-19 patients.
But what about public transport, o ices, shops,
schools, restaurants, or conference venues?
It looks as if social distancing and upping the
disinfection regime won’t be enough. Whilst it is
thought that the Coronavirus spreads via larger
respiratory droplets as well as via direct contact
with contaminated surfaces (so-called fomites)
and infected people, recent studies suggest it may
also spread via small airborne droplets (so-called
aerosols). Because they are so small, aerosols can
linger in the air for long periods of time - particularly
in badly ventilated indoor environments - enabling
airborne transmission. Other infectious viruses,
50 JULY 2020
such as smallpox or measles, are recognised to be
transmissible via the airborne route.
This potential hazard has been recognised by the
Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and
Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA), who have
recommended ventilation control measures. An
e ective ventilation system, perhaps augmented
by air disinfection and particle filtration, can help
to reduce the overall indoor infection risk from
airborne particles by diluting and controlling
airborne pathogenic material. The dilution of internal
air is aimed at reducing the risk of airborne viral
transmission by reducing the time during which
people are exposed to any airborne viral aerosols,
and at reducing the chance for these aerosols to settle
on surfaces. Evidence shows that viruses (including
COVID-19) can survive on some surfaces for at least 72
hours, so any action to limit surface contamination is
beneficial.
As COVID-19 may not be the last time we face a
pandemic, we should perhaps consider
it as an opportunity to make lasting
changes to improve general health
and wellbeing at work. Hygienic room
climate issues, ventilation and airconditioning
systems are an important
aspect of that. If planned poorly or not
serviced properly, air conditioning units
can quickly turn into transmitters of
disease-causing germs. And besides,
due to energy costs, ventilation rates
in many public and o ice buildings
are significantly lower than in medical
settings, meaning that airflow is limited
and the risk of infection higher.
As a technology provider, Weiss
Technik is developing ways to prevent
the growth and spread of bacteria,
mould and viruses in air-conditioning
systems. The new innovative
recirculating air-cooling system Vindur
Top was developed for use in hospitals,
on wards and in examination rooms, but
also for public and industrial buildings,
be it universities, schools, nurseries,
hotels or o ice buildings, as well as
trains and planes. The system is o en
used as a supplementary or retrofit
solution if the existing primary building climate
equipment is no longer su icient and additional
cooling is required.
Vindur Top features HEPA filters (which filter 99.95%
of all microorganism, bacteria and viruses from the
air), UV lamps and antimicrobial interior coating. In
addition, the system can be equipped with optional
thermal disinfection. This newly developed method
e ectively prevents the growth of micro-organisms
such as bacteria and mould in the air-conditioning
unit. A er the unit is switched o , heat exchangers
and condensate drip tray are heated sequentially for
about 10 minutes to approx. 70°C. This dries out the
biofilm resulting from the cooling process, reliably
destroying micro-organisms and viruses.
Viruses, germs and bacteria spread easily,
particularly in high-occupancy rooms, be it hospital
rooms, trains, or o ices. E icient ventilation not only
reduces infection rates but also improves air quality,
sta wellbeing, and ultimately productivity.
www.weiss-technik.com +44 1509 631590
link
/www.weiss-technik.com
