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Tag: Ventilation
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NSW to invest in ventilation systems for schools
Automatic fresh air ventilation systems will be rolled out to more than 10,000 public school classrooms in New South Wales to bolster protection against COVID-19. With winter approaching, case loads are expected to increase. Considering that in Australia, 2022 has already seen more than double the number of COVID-related deaths in 2020 and 2021 combined […]
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Using supercomputers to study COVID in classrooms
Scientists at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) are using supercomputers to study how aerosol viral particles are distributed in a ventilated classroom. The research is being used to determine optimal placement of HVAC outlets to minimise “dead zones” and maximise ventilation and therefore improve indoor air quality (IAQ). Using the Summit, the […]
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Government offers ventilation vouchers
As the Victorian government announces a relaxing of rules for mask wearing, it has also unveiled a stimulus package to support businesses and entice people back into venues and workplaces. Although the incentives for dining, entertainment and travel have been offered before, this time there is new funding aimed specifically at ventilation. A $60 million […]
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Talking people and workplaces at ventilation summit
The AMCA Building Ventilation Summit, to be held as a virtual event on February 24 and 25, will be looking at the role the building industry will play in preventing the airborne spread of COVID-19, and supporting Australians to return to workplaces and other indoor settings confidently, safely and sustainably. One of the key sessions […]
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AMCA to hold virtual Building Ventilation Summit
AMCA Australia is hosting the Building Ventilation Summit as a virtual event on February 24 and 25. “With airborne transmission now widely acknowledged as the primary source of COVID-19 transmission, the building industry has a vital role to play in supporting Australians to return to workplaces and other indoor settings confidently, safely, and sustainably,” says […]
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Victoria sets new mark with COVID-19 ventilation guide
The Victorian Department of Health has published guidelines on ventilation principles and strategies to reduce aerosol transmission of COVID-19. With the release of the document, the Victorian government has gone further than other jurisdictions in providing detailed information and advice on the subject of COVID-19 and ventilation. The state is still recording a high number […]
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COVID-19 ventilation optimisation guide for schools
AIRAH has released a guide to COVID-19 ventilation optimisation aimed at primary and secondary schools. Authored by Brad Prezant, Affil.AIRAH, the guide offers readers a better understanding of airborne transmission and building ventilation systems found in schools in Australia. It also provides advice about building a strategy for different facilities. It is intended as a […]
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Peak bodies call for government-endorsed guidance
A coalition of nine industry peak bodies has called for the development of credible, government-endorsed, public information regarding the airborne transmission of COVID-19 and the importance of indoor air quality. A letter addressed to the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, has been signed by the Association of Consulting Architects, the Australian Institute […]
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Victoria invests big in school ventilation
The Victorian government has announced it will invest more than $190 million in initiatives to support a COVID-safe reopening of schools, with a focus on ventilation. Billed by the government as “the biggest investment in education ventilation in Australian history”, the initiative will see 51,000 air purification devices rolled out to all government and low-fee […]
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Opinion: What’s the environment got to do with health?
Clive Broadbent, AM, L.AIRAH, is a world-renowned expert on microbial control and was involved in responding to the SARS outbreak in 2003. At that time he formed part of a WHO team that travelled to China to analyse the spread of the virus and produce guidelines on laboratory standards, hospital practices and appropriate ventilation for […]
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NSW launches ventilation review of public schools
As students and staff prepare for a return to face-to-face learning, the NSW government has begun a comprehensive review of ventilation in public schools. Described as a “mammoth undertaking”, it will look at 2,200 schools in the public system, which has more than 50,000 learning spaces. Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning Sarah Mitchell […]
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Network of Australian experts releases ventilation advice
OzSAGE, a multi-disciplinary network of Australian experts from a broad range of sectors, has issued advice on safe indoor air and ventilation to reduce the spread of COVID-19. With the airborne spread of SARS-CoV-2 now widely accepted, OzSAGE has highlighted that the most fundamental measure to eliminate the virus from indoor air is ventilation. Every […]
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Special offer on Survival of the fittest seminar series
CIBSE ANZ is hosting an online seminar series called “Survival of the Fittest” that will explore the latest research, best ventilation practices and indoor air quality from Australia, the US, UK and New Zealand. Those interested in attending can register with a $70 discount using the code “AIRAHSurvival2021”. The sessions will be held on the […]
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Ventilation as important as vaccination say experts
As Australia ponders the challenge of reopening with COVID-19 still present in our communities, the discourse from government has focused on vaccination targets. But increasingly, the public is demanding a more thorough response to the pandemic, incorporating other critical measures. Over the past weeks, one measure in particular has become front-page news: ventilation. “Vaccination is […]
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Concerns grow over IAQ in Australian schools
A recent RMIT research project has highlighted the poor indoor air quality (IAQ) in some Victorian classrooms, and added to concerns around ventilation in Australian schools in general. Given their developmental stage and the amount of time they spend in the classroom, school children are particularly vulnerable to poor air quality. According to the report, […]
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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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NCC the key to making buildings COVID-safe?
Last week, an international group of scientists and indoor air quality (IAQ) experts called for a “paradigm shift” in combating airborne pathogens such as COVID-19 by improving indoor ventilation systems. They say that the potential benefit to public health is comparable to that achieved in the 1800s when cities started organising clean water supplies and […]
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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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Armcor offers energy recovery fresh air systems
Numerous studies have shown that increased outdoor ventilation rates improve our health and productivity while reducing the transmission of germs such as airborne virus and bacteria. However, due to compliance issues, HVAC system designers face limitations increasing the rates, says Armcor Air Solutions. “One study concluded that doubling the ventilation rates in buildings has the […]
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Safe Work releases guidance on workplace ventilation
A new COVID-19 fact sheet on improving ventilation in indoor workplaces has been developed by Safe Work Australia. The fact sheet highlights practical steps to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and improve ventilation in indoor workplaces. The advice covers three main points. Ensuring HVAC systems are operating properly. This includes checking that systems […]