Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund II
The United States Congress recently passed an $82 billion COVID-19 Economic Relief Bill, with $53.4 billion specifically allocated for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) upgrades for K-12 schools to reduce the risk of coronavirus infections and reopen schools. Ward-Boland is available to discuss how you can achieve a safe and healthy school facility with the use of these Economic Relief Funds.
For your benefit, we have collected some resources with specific information on the Economic Relief Bill, allocation of funds, and combatting COVID-19 as shown below.
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 Information
Fact Sheet for Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund II
Calculated State Allocation Table & Methodology
Technical Resources for Reducing Airborne Infection Aerosol Exposure from ASHRAE
In-Room Air Cleaner Guidance for Reducing COVID-19 in Air in Your Room or Space
CDC Guidelines for Reopening Schools
Ventilation
On the recommendation of the ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force, ASHRAE Leadership states that transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through the air is sufficiently likely that airborne exposure to the virus should be controlled. Unconditioned spaces can cause thermal stress to people that may be directly life threatening and that may also lower resistance to infection. In general, disabling of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems is not a recommended measure to reduce the transmission of the virus.
Filtration
Ventilation and filtration provided by heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems can reduce the airborne concentration of SARS-CoV-2 and thus the risk of transmission through the air. Most would agree that upgrades to filter efficiency, whether it’s a mask or an AHU system, would be an effective way to assist in filtering out unwanted airborne particles. However, careful consideration needs to be made when selecting the types of filters used for existing AHU systems.
UVC/Ionization
The ultraviolet (UV-C) spectrum can kill or inactivate microorganisms. UVGI inactivates microorganisms by damaging the structure of nucleic acids and proteins with the effectiveness dependent upon the UV dose and the susceptibility of the microorganism. Bipolar ions devices produce positively and negatively charged ions into the occupied space through the building ventilation system, proactively attacking airborne contaminants. Ionization devices are safe, low maintenance, easy-to-install, energy efficient, and highly effective on pollutants.
CDC & ASHRAE Recommendations for HVAC Systems
ASHRAE Position Document on Infections Aerosols
What Kind of Air Filtration Is Needed
ASHRAE Filtration & Disinfection C19 Guidance
ASHRAE Chapter 62 Ultraviolet Air & Surface Treatment
CDC Infection Prevention & Control Recommendations for Patients
HEPA Room Air Purifiers
Healthcare HVAC Systems and Disease Mitigation
ASHRAE COVID-19 Updated Building Readiness Guidance
School Air Filtration Solutions from Greenheck
Humidifiers for School Applications
Influence of Humidity on Viral Diseases
Filters to Reduce Spread of Viral Disease
Webinar – Influence of Humidity on Viral Diseases from Neptronic
ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force Recommendations
ASHRAE Position Document on Filtration & Air Cleaning
Coronavirus Reference Links
