Create an Asthma Friendly School on a Tight Budget

According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), the “HVAC system accounts for 40 to 60 percent of the energy used in U.S. commercial and residential buildings. This represents an opportunity for energy savings using proven technologies and design concepts”.

New York, NY --In the recent CNN Report Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks about the poor indoor air quality conditions in Americas schools and how it is sickening our students. According to CNN an estimated 14 million American children attend public schools that are in urgent need of extensive repair or replacement and have unhealthy environmental conditions, including poor air quality, unsafe drinking water and inadequate safety systems.

A national survey of school nurses found that 40 percent knew children and staff adversely affected by indoor pollutants

One of the most overlooked steps in the final stages of construction, a renovation project or HVAC system change out is a thorough, professional cleaning of air conditioning, heating, and ventilation (HVAC) systems.

The ASHRAE/ACCA 180-2008 Standard Practice for Inspection and Maintenance of Commercial Buildings HVAC Systems states that coils, AHUS and ductwork should be inspected semi-annually and cleaned as needed.  The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) states an HVAC air duct system should normally be inspected every year and cleaned when it is visibly dirty, which is about every three to five years, depending on maintenance.

According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), the “HVAC system accounts for 40 to 60 percent of the energy used in U.S. commercial and residential buildings. This represents an opportunity for energy savings using proven technologies and design concepts”.

A recent article in the ASHRAE Journal authored by Ross Montgomery, PE entitled Study Verifies Coil Cleaning Saves Energy revealed a $40,000 a year savings from just one air handling system as a result of the restoration of the air handler/coil system at the 1500 Broadway a 34 story skyscraper building in Times Square, New York City home to ABC Studios and Good Morning America.  In addition, the study indicated that they were able to decrease coil pressure drop 14% resulting in a corresponding increase in air flow and increasing the thermal efficiency of the cooling coil 25% while improving IAQ conditions.

Construction projects often create a lot of dust and debris, which can be pulled into the HVAC system, where it will contaminate the inside surfaces of the duct.

As a result of this, many environmental consultants, engineers and architects have requested that the newly installed ductwork be cleaned to ensure good indoor air quality (IAQ) in the building once the HVAC system is turned on in order to achieve US Green Building Council LEED Gold certification program.

Doug Randall, Director for Building Remediation Sciences (division of Pure Air Control Services) states that “many of our valued clients are requesting that we assist them in professionally cleaning the HVAC system and provide a QA/QC program to achieve their LEED Gold rating.  They are getting points toward their LEED Gold label by this effort and it’s a great way to achieve a high energy status, an energy savings as much as 15% and improve IAQ helping create a significant economic stimulus.”

Additionally, it is a good idea to inspect the air ducts before you start remodeling, reconstruction or installing a new air handling system.  Chances are that the air duct systems have not been cleaned since they were built or if they were they most likely were not done professionally.  Many times original construction debris, such as sheetrock, molding or ceiling and wall texture overspray, is still in the duct 20 years later. Environmental constituents such as mold, bacteria, mycotoxins and endotoxins exist in the air ducts a result of neglect often spewing spores into the occupied spaces.  The amount of debris removed from HVAC system can be astonishing, oftentimes 10’s of pounds of debris removed most of which is allergy causing to building occupants.

HVAC systems have a significant effect on the health, comfort, and productivity of occupants.  Issues like user discomfort, improper ventilation, and poor indoor air quality are linked to HVAC system design and operation and can be improved by professional environmental cleaning.

Industry performance standards developed by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association require that all interior surfaces of an air duct system be thoroughly cleaned, from the point air enters the system downstream to where it exits at the supply registers, including the air handler, evaporator coil to the return air registers.

During the cleaning process the HVAC system must be placed under HEPA fitted negative air pressure, to control dust.  Power brushes and compressed air are utilized to loosen debris being pulled downstream to the high powered 5000 cfm vacuum where it is removed from the system.  In Florida, a contractor must have an air conditioning and refrigeration contractor licensed to clean air duct systems to association standards or to obtain certification as an association air system cleaning specialist.

Cooling coils are heat exchangers that use tubing arranged in a series of loops and fins and their purpose is to transfer heat from one fluid to another (e.g. water to air, refrigerants to air , air to air etc.). Aluminum and copper fins are attached to the coils to increase the exposure surface and the rate of heat transfer. In the 1970s and early 1980s the cooling coils had typically 8 to 12 fins per inch, but due to increasing energy costs and mandated energy efficiency ratings, it is not uncommon seeing coils today manufactured with 14 and 16 fins per inch arranged in complex zigzag patterns. Unfortunately, these high efficiency coils are extremely susceptible to blockage from dust accumulation because once lodged deeply within the fins bacteria and mold may initiate growth, which not only compounds the blockage problems but also gives rise to excessive operating energy costs, comfort control problems and unhealthy sanitary conditions that are not conducive to good air quality.

The Facilities Management Department at Florida State University (FSU) is intimately familiar with this scenario, but to them, dirty coils were nothing but a pot of gold buried in dust. They found a steam coil cleaning process so efficient and safe for the environment that in the first year of its implementation alone saved the university over $800,000 of their power bills and were able to provide the students and teachers a healthier learning environment. The estimated payback in less than eight (8) months was 157% return on investment (ROI).

Charlotte County School District has implemented a "Green Cleaning" program to not only save energy but also to improve indoor air quality and mitigate long-term health risks and allergies associated with indoor air pollutants.  This program introduces a chemical free coil cleaning process called PURE-Steam Coil Cleaning a safe and effective cleaning process used to save energy and create a healthy learning environment for students, school staff and visitors.

As a part of this initiative, the Charlotte County School District has contracted with Pure Air Control Services a national leading indoor environmental contractor with over 25 years of building IAQ experience.  Because the PURE-Steam Coil Cleaning program is totally GREEN (NO CHEMICALS) students, school staff and visitors don’t have to worry about potential dangerous chemicals or Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) entering into the air or water system.

Don Terry, Manager of HVAC Maintenance noted that “not only are we saving energy, but we are creating a healthy learning environment for our students and faculty.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has long been a proponent of improving indoor air quality in the nation’s schools stating on their web site that “Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can cause illness requiring absence from school, and can cause acute health symptoms that decrease performance while at school. In addition, recent data suggest that poor IAQ can reduce a person’s ability to perform specific mental tasks requiring concentration, calculation, or memory.”  Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a critically important aspect of creating and maintaining quality school facilities.

Additionally, Mr. Terry stated that “your staff, crew and support team are great to work with.  I would highly recommend your Pure-Steam Coil cleaning process to any facility/HVAC manager interested in saving energy, improving indoor air quality and creating a healthy school.”

Contact Cy Garner or Alan Wozniak at 1-800-422-7873 ext 802 to discuss your next IAQ HVAC cleaning project and find our how much energy you can save while improving your IAQ.

About Pure Air Control Services:

Alan Wozniak founded Pure Air Control Services, Inc. in 1984 as a small mechanical contracting firm. Today, the firm sets the industry standard for indoor environmental quality diagnosis and remediation.

Pure Air Control Services  is a national provider of the following IAQ services: Building Sciences Evaluation; Building Health Check (USP 797 monitoring compliance); Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory (EDLab) an AIHA accredited micro laboratory (USP 797 Lab analysis); DIY IAQ Green Check test kits, Environmental Project Management; HVAC System Cleaning and Mold Remediation Services among other indoor environmental services.

The company’s expanding valued client roster includes the General Services Administration (GSA); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Allstate Insurance; Carrier Air Conditioning; Naval Air Warfare Center, Orlando; and Naval Air Station - King's Bay, Georgia, and many other Fortune 500 companies, school boards, and city, state, and county governments, making Pure Air Control Services the reliable industry leader in IAQ.

For more information on Pure Air Control Services, Inc. please contact Alan Wozniak at (800) 422-7873 x 804, or visit www.pureaircontrols.com.

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