Housing Design: Guidelines for Infection Control

HOUSING: DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR INFECTION CONTROL. HE N D E R S ON IN SIG HTS | COVID-19 SERI ES

When it comes to multi-family housing design, resident health and safety is always our top priority. Due to COVID-19, citizens across the country have spent more time inside their homes than ever before. To help maintain a safe residential environment amid the pandemic, our experts in housing design have developed the following guidelines for infection control that address each transmission vector: airborne, droplet, and surface. From touchless fixtures and automatic door operators to air purification systems and increased ventilation, we can help keep your buildings safe.

A IR BOR N E BIOAEROSOL TRANSMISSION ▪ Increase filtration of HVAC system

- New systems: central system HEPA filtration

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Existing systems: fan filter units or portable filtration or central system minimum MERV-13 filters (reduce particle count by >90% per ASHRAE) or HEPA filtration if possible

▪ Increase ventilation and maintain 50% relative humidity in return air duct ▪ Airflow patterns that assist in removing contaminants from the breathing zone

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Architecturally, suggest each unit be designed with an integral kitchen to prevent cross-contamination and avoid common kitchens shared by multiple leasable units.

Mechanically, units can also be designed utilizing displacement style systems that supply from the floor and return overhead to limit the air mixing in the space.

▪ Increase outdoor air ventilation

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Recommend to maintain neutral pressure within a tenant space as to prevent excess air being pushed to adjacent tenant.

This is especially critical in older buildings.

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For fully contained single family spaces (i.e. no common kitchen to multiple leasable tenants) recommend providing independent HVAC Systems (fan coils) to each tenant rather than larger systems that serve multiple tenants to prevent recirculation of air between spaces.

▪ UV light sterilization in HVAC equipment - Upstream of cooling coil

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CON TI N U ED

> H OU SI N G : D ES IGN GUIDELINES FOR IN FE CTION CON TR OL

SUR FAC E S

SOCI AL DI STANCI NG

SURFACE CONTACT TRANSMISSION

DROPLET TRANSMISSION

▪ Touchless doors/plumbing fixtures (in lobbies/other common spaces)

▪ Capacity maximums for shared spaces (lobby, common spaces, elevators, gym, pool, etc.)

▪ Increased surface cleaning (common spaces, lobbies, conference rooms, elevators, stairs, gym, etc.)

▪ Mask requirements (lobby, common spaces, elevators, etc.)

▪ UVc lighting with occupancy sensor for sanitation in shared spaces (lobbies, common spaces, elevators, stairs, etc.)

▪ Altering selection of shared furniture (lobby, common spaces, etc.):

- Cleanable surfaces instead of soft/cloth seating

- Antimicrobial materials

STEVEN NEVILLE HOUSING PRACTICE DIRECTOR steven.neville@hendersonengineers.com

There are many considerations when making changes to your existing building. When it’s time to talk logistics, our Henderson Building Solutions group can help get these updates done fast and efficiently through product sourcing and installation. Speed to market and making changes in a seamless manner both matter as people come back to your spaces. Let us know how our team at Henderson can help.