Crisis Averted

By Randy Reid with Parker Allen

Last fall, a student at a Kinnelon public school in New Jersey contracted COVID. But, parents of students at the school never received notification of the school closing. Why? Because the school didn't have to close. An IntelliSafe IAQ UVC-based disinfection system was commissioned the day prior. When the students and staff left that day, the school enabled the disinfection system throughout the building, and everyone was able to return the following day. No additional cases were reported.

The pandemic woke many of us up to the importance of disinfection and the need to keep our common spaces clean. Although the pandemic is no longer raging the way it was two years ago, the lessons learned have not been forgotten. When the White House issued the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge, a “call to action for organizational leaders and building owners and operators of all types to assess their indoor air quality and make ventilation, air filtration, and air cleaning improvements to help keep building occupants safe", the decision makers at Kinnelon Public Schools reached out to IntelliSafe IAQ to find a way to keep their over 1650 students and staff safe.

According to Mike Tucker, CEO of IntelliSafe, school leaders sought a solution that would do the following:

• Provide immediate protection against SARSCoV-2, as well as future-ready improvements to indoor air quality.

• Utilize existing electrical distribution with simple and affordable installation.

• Ensure safe and effective disinfection in occupied spaces.

IntelliSafe IAQ’s solution satisfied all of these requirements. They focus on overall indoor air quality, which has several components. Pathogens (such as SARS-CoV-2), excess particulate matter (PM), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contribute to poor air quality and a greater likelihood of illnesses and other negative health effects. IntelliSafe’s technology reduces the amount of active viruses in a space while simultaneously reducing PM and VOC levels.

IntelliSafe’s devices use a two-pronged approach with 4 layers of disinfection technology. During the day, when occupants are present, the UV-assisted air purification system is operating, performing the ASHRAE-recommended 2+ air changes per hour. An internal fan system draws air into the unit through a HEPA filter to remove particulate matter. Air is then subjected to high-intensity UVC light to kill any pathogens present. On outtake, air passes through an active carbon filter to remove VOCs and, as an added bonus, odors. Incorporated into the devices are occupancy sensors from McWong, powered by Casambi. The sensors make certain that the devices are only operating when and where they need to be.

Photo Credit: IntelliSafe IAQ

In the early hours each morning, each room undergoes whole-room direct UVC treatment to disinfect both surface-level and airborne pathogens. The units bathe the room in 254-nm UV light, and the occupancy sensors shut off the units if anyone unexpectedly enters the room.

Photo Credit: IntelliSafe IAQ

Alan Bresett, Educational Facilities Manager at Kinnelon Public Schools, voiced his satisfaction with the disinfection solution, explaining that the devices provide “a visual piece of mind for students, staff and parents knowing the air is being filtered while the space is occupied, disinfected while not occupied.”

IntelliSafe installed over 300 fixtures throughout the district – 2 in each classroom, and more in larger spaces like the cafeteria, weightroom, and computer labs. The devices, manufactured in Minnesota, were easily installed alongside the existing lighting without additional wiring. The maintenance is miniminal, requiring the annual replacement of the HEPA and carbon filters. Because the lamps are turned on and off only when they need to be, they last much longer – 3 to 5 years for the internal lamps that operate during the day, and 10-12 years for the external lamps that operate at night. The solution will serve the school for years to come.

This is just the beginning for IntelliSafe IAQ, an offshoot of PureTek Group (formerly Pure Lighting). CMO Dan Litvin explained, “We are receiving more inquiries about this technology now than during the height of the pandemic. There is a huge push for indoor air quality improvements.” They are working to give users the ability to monitor and control their devices remotely from a central platform, providing even more precise control over when and where the units are operating. And, they are looking into 222-nm far UVC devices, which can be employed even when occupants are present. This means fewer school closures. This means fewer colds caught from a coworker who showed up to work with a cough. This is great news for everyone who works or learns in a shared space.