SARS-CoV-2 and influenza are serious threats to public health and safety. This is due to their transmissibility and ability, for hours, to stay in the air and move beyond 25 feet into indoor environments. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health inadequate ventilation is the biggest source of indoor air quality risk. This includes airborne pathogens. Building operators and owners have not been able to communicate, verify and manage real-world ventilation and filtration performance in occupied space because of limitations in-field assessment tools.
SafeTraces developed the first diagnostic platform to verify ventilation and filter performance in shared occupancy spaces. This was with the support of the National Institutes of Health. This program utilizes patented DNA-tagged aerosol trackers that safely simulate respiration and exposure to airborne pathogens.
“The public wants transparency about ventilation, filtration, and other engineering controls essential to ensure a safe and healthy environment,” stated SafeTraces CEO. Erik Malmstrom. “Also, building owners want to verify the performance HVAC systems to increase public trust, confidence, and peace of mind and to differentiate properties based upon health and wellbeing. The program is a powerful combination of market-leading science technology and technology that meets both the needs of both sides.
The UL Verified Filtration and Ventilation program is being introduced because there are still serious health concerns about reoccupying public spaces.
“The importanceof the indoor environment for human health continues to be a top concern as communities move to shared spaces,” stated Sean McCradyUL’s director of Asset and Sustainability, Real Estate and Properties, UL. “The UL Verified Vailation and Filtration Mark empowers owners and building operators to harness the power and science to clearly communicate a building’s aerosol removal rates while building trust with occupants.”
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