Welcome
to the November edition of Steril-Aire's UVC E-Newsletter. In each issue, we will
address an important question about ultraviolet-C or "UVC" devices for
building HVAC systems. Steril-Aire
will also be happy to provide you with a free on-site evaluation on how to equip
your building(s) for energy, mold, IAQ and infection control using UVC technology.
If you would like to know more, contact
us today. Q.
My facility does not have mold or IAQ problems. What would be the benefit of installing
UVC devices in the air handlers? A.
Even when a building does not have any obvious indoor air quality problems or
a history of complaints, mold is still present in the air conditioning systems.
The dark, cool and moist environment of an air handler is an ideal breeding ground
for mold, which can build up on coil fins over a short period of time. Eventually,
if left unchecked, that mold will create maintenance headaches and probably IAQ
problems as well. College
of the Sequoias (COS), a community college in Visalia, California with 11,000
students, recognized this fact and opted to address it proactively - i.e., before
mold-related allergens circulated from the HVAC systems into the occupied space.
A regular schedule of coil cleaning was not a good option because COS does not
have staff resources to perform this task. Eric Mittlestead, dean of facilities
and facilities planning for the college, decided to install Steril-Aire "UVC
Emitters™" instead. Initial "before" and "after"
testing showed a dramatic reduction in mold levels. 
Petri
dish sampling before (left) and after (right) the installation of UVC measured
a 99.9% reduction in mold colonies on the coils. Based
on these results, COS has retrofitted almost the entire campus with UVC over the
last four years using a grant source. Mittlestead reports that the devices have
reduced maintenance and energy costs while enhancing IAQ. He notes: "With
the help of UVC, we are creating a better learning and working environment, and
helping reduce the chance of infection in our classrooms, child development center
and other buildings." As
concerns mount about the potential spread of infection in schools, hospitals and
other public spaces, UVC offers an added measure of protection because it kills
or inactivates airborne bacteria and viruses that circulate through the air handlers.
Click
here to see the College of the Sequoias article published recently in College
Planning & Management magazine.
Sincerely,
Robert
Scheir, Ph.D. President
and Chairman
Steril-Aire,
Inc.
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