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Tag: coronavirus
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Could HVAC systems be used to detect COVID-19?
Researchers at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine have been attempting to detect SARS-CoV-2 in a building by testing the air passing through the HVAC systems. The team hopes this could lead to earlier detection of the virus, improved quarantine protocols, reduced transmission, and fewer outbreaks. Researchers collected samples from two large student dormitories […]
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Hotel quarantine ventilation back in the spotlight
The most recent outbreak of COVID-19 in Victoria has brought renewed attention to ventilation systems in hotel quarantine. The new wave of cases began when a Victorian man returned to Melbourne after spending 14 days in the Playford medi-hotel in Adelaide. Although he initially returned a negative result, he later tested positive, and it has […]
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Time for ‘paradigm shift’ on indoor air quality
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) air-quality expert Distinguished Professor Lidia Morawska is leading an international call for a “paradigm shift” in combating airborne pathogens such as COVID-19 by improving indoor ventilation systems. Professor Morawska led a group of almost 40 researchers from 14 countries in a call published in Science for a shift in standards […]
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New modelling of aerosol movement in HVAC systems
A new Australian study published in the latest issue of Ecolibrium has sought to determine the potential for droplets expelled from people when sneezing or coughing to propagate through a typical HVAC system. “The current pandemic has forced the HVAC community to look closely at the systems we use in buildings,” says co-author and LCI […]
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Quarantine restart: What have we learnt?
This week, international travellers began arriving in Melbourne again, and are re-entering Victoria’s revised hotel quarantine facilities. Numbers have been capped at 800 per week and will increase to 1,120 per week on April 15 provided that key recommendations are addressed – including many relating to ventilation. Focus on airborne transmission It has been almost […]
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ASHRAE issues ‘unequivocal’ COVID advice
The ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force has released an updated, unequivocal statement on the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) in buildings. “Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is significant and should be controlled,” says the statement. “Changes to building operations, including the operation of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems, can reduce airborne exposures.” […]
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Activ8 COVID disinfectant earns TGA approval
Activ8 Barrier Guard HVAC is a Queensland-made, TGA-registered COVID disinfectant designed for use in the HVAC industry. According to air conditioning system supplier Complete Air Supply (CAS), it is the only HVAC TGA-approved COVID disinfectant on the market. Available in 5L and 15L containers, the product includes non-toxic products that are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal as well […]
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South Australia opens new ‘medi-hotel’ for COVID cases
International travellers in South Australia who test positive for COVID-19 infection are now being transferred to a hotel quarantine facility with upgraded ventilation systems and processes. The 72-bed Tom’s Court hotel in Adelaide’s CBD will mainly house new international arrivals, but rooms will also be available should there be any further cases of community transmission […]
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Hotel quarantine outbreaks prompt ventilation review
The Victorian government is conducting a review of hotel ventilation and air conditioning systems amid an increase in COVID-19 cases linked to quarantine. The situation has raised further concerns about the suitability of hotels as quarantine facilities, and the role of airborne transmission in spreading the virus. The Australian hotel quarantine system has registered outbreaks […]
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ASHRAE presents to congressional hearing on COVID-19 safety
US engineering body ASHRAE has provided witness testimony in a congressional hearing on COVID-19 risks and response in transportation systems. Titled “Protecting Transportation Workers and Passengers from COVID: Gaps in Safety, Lessons Learned, and Next Steps,” the hearing examined COVID-19 safety gaps in the protection of US transportation workers and passengers. “Protecting the transportation workforce […]
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REHVA launches online COVID-19 course
The Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA) has launched an online course for the safe operation of buildings and HVAC systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. The online course takes around 8 hours to complete and covers key topics on how to resume activities, safely operate buildings, and use densely occupied indoor […]
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ASHRAE releases core advice on reducing airborne spread
The ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force has released new guidance to address control of airborne infectious aerosol exposure. It has also issued recommendations for communities of faith buildings. During the course of 2020, experts placed increasing emphasis on the role of aerosols in transmitting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Although at first the virus was […]
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REHVA publishes update to COVID-19 guidance
The Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA) has published a new version of its popular COVID-19 guidance document. The document provides advice on how to operate HVAC and other building service systems to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) disease in workplaces. The updated fourth version focuses on how to […]
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Are hotels suitable COVID-19 quarantine facilities?
As pressure mounts to allow more international arrivals into the country, the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has flagged serious concerns about the suitability of hotels as quarantine facilities. So far, the outbreaks connected to hotel quarantine facilities in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales have largely been blamed on […]
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Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine faces cold-chain challenges
The new Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine that is claimed to be 95 per cent effective will face a major hurdle in global distribution and storage. The drug, currently pending emergency federal approval in the US, will need to be refrigerated at -70 to -80°C. These cold storage requirements pose an enormous logistical challenge given that most […]
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Germany pledges €500m for COVID-safe HVAC systems
The German government has announced a funding program worth up to €500 million (Au$836 million) to support the “Corona-compatible conversion” and upgrading of HVAC systems in public buildings. Lately, much attention has focused on how HVAC systems can mitigate the risk of COVID-19 spreading in indoor spaces. This includes measures such as increasing fresh air […]
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World waits on airborne COVID-19 research
A team of scientists in the UK are using a new method to determine how long Sars-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – can remain viable in the air. The research will help policy-makers better understand the risk of airborne transmission, and inform strategies to prevent the virus from spreading. According to The Guardian, […]
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Aussie HVAC&R company makes COVID-19 advance
Australian IAQ, deep clean and corrosion protection expert Aeris Environmental has secured extended residual claims from the Therapeutic Goods Administration for its Aeris Active disinfectant cleaner. The on-label claims now include “Residual COVID-19 kill for up to seven days” and “Residual antibacterial for up to 30 days (or 200 touches) against gram-negative E. coli and […]
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Webinar on airborne transmission of coronavirus
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) is presenting a webinar on Thursday, September 3, on airborne transmission of coronavirus. Since the pandemic began, more attention has been focused on the possibility of aerosol transmission of the virus. This session, presented as part of AIRAH’s Streamline series of webinars, will look at […]
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COVID-19 forcing a rethink on ventilation
Over the past few weeks, as the world registers more outbreaks of COVID-19, the attention on aerosol transmission of the virus has intensified. Researchers at the University of Florida have now made an important breakthrough. The team isolated viable virus from aerosols collected in a hospital room dedicated to two patients with COVID-19. The air […]