1. BIOFILMS AND BUILDING MECHANICAL SYSTEMS

2. Biofilms in HVAC What are biofilms? Biofilms and energy loss
Biofilms, IAQ & health risks
How Germicidal UVC Emitters™ can help

3. What’s going on in our air handlers?*
07/16/96
What’s going on in our air handlers?
BIOFILMS: A complex microbial matrix growing on coils and drain pans *

4. *
07/16/96
Biofilms
Biofilms are composed of different microorganisms adhering to surfaces and producing polysaccharides, proteins and nucleic acids. This material allows the biofilm to stick together and develop attached communities. They are attached to our coils and drain pans.
Life in a biofilm provides protection from penetration of outside agents such as antimicrobial agents. *

5. Biofilm Effects on Occupants*
07/16/96
Biofilm Effects on Occupants
Frank Infections (Aspergillosis, etc.)
Mild to debilitating allergies
Immunosupression
Carcinogenicity such as Aflatoxin
Severe Inflammation (B1, 3 glucan)
Irritations (VOCs, musty odors, etc.) *

6. Airborne Allergies & HVAC*
07/16/96
Airborne Allergies & HVAC
Pontiac Fever / Humidifier
Flu-like Symptoms
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
Bronchitis, Allergy, Asthma
Childhood Asthma
Sinusitis, Headaches, Burning Eyes
Tight Chest, Dizziness & Lethargy
Chronic Fatigue *

7. Biofilm Effects on A/C Coils*
07/16/96
Biofilm Effects on A/C Coils
It is an insulator reducing heat exchange efficiency
It plugs interstitial spaces increasing pressure drop across the coil
It reduces wetability resulting in moisture carry-over
Mold effects on coils
It’s an insulator reducing heat exchange efficiency
It plugs interstitial spaces increasing pressure drop across the coil
Reduces wetability resulting in moisture carryover *

8. Biofilm Thickness & Energy Costs
Film Thickness on Fins
0.006in/150 microns
0.012in/300 microns
0.024in/600 microns
0.036in/900 microns
Increase in Energy Consumption
5.3%
10.8%
21.5%
32.2%

9. Water & Air We drink 2 quarts of water per day*
07/16/96
Water & Air
We drink 2 quarts of water per day
We worry!
We carry & drink bottled water
We breathe 20,000 Quarts of air per day
Are we concerned?
Do we care?
What do we do? *

10. Would you eat a sandwich made with this bread?*
07/16/96
Would you eat a sandwich made with this bread? *

11. Then why would you breathe the air from an air handler like this?*
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Then why would you breathe the air from an air handler like this? *

12. *
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DUCTWORK *

13. *
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COIL AND DRAIN PAN *

14. *
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COIL CLEANING *

15. Coil Chemically Cleaned 3 Months Ago*
07/16/96
Coil Chemically Cleaned 3 Months Ago *

16. After UVC - 6 Months Later*
07/16/96
After UVC - 6 Months Later *

17. Energy Facts HVAC uses 60% of building energy
Dirty coils use up to 30% more energy
Energy costs up

18. UVC Energy Solutions Reducing energy consumption
Clean coils improve
Heat transfer
Airflow
Compressor run time
Operational efficiency
Thermal comfort
Decreased fan use
Reducing energy consumption
Reducing utility bills

19. Case Study: Rio Grande Regional Hospital, McAllen, TX*
07/16/96
Case Study: Rio Grande Regional Hospital, McAllen, TX
$500,000 annual energy savings
2 chillers taken off-line *

20. Microorganism Basics How Big Are They?*
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Microorganism Basics
How Big Are They?
Mold
1 to 5+ microns
Bacteria
0.5 to 4 microns
Viruses
10 to 750 millimicrons (1000th of a micron)
A Micron is 1 / 390,000 of an inch! *

21. Microorganism Basics How Fast Do Bacteria Multiply?*
07/16/96
Microorganism Basics
How Fast Do Bacteria Multiply?
Under ideal conditions, bacteria and viruses may double every 20 minutes. The formula becomes 2n, therefore in 24 hours, there are 272 or approximately 7 x 1013 which is….
Under ideal conditions, bacteria and viruses may double every 20 minutes.
Therefore, the formula becomes 2n.
Doug: 70 T not visible
70 TRILLION ORGANISMS! *

22. Cooling Coil Area 30 TRILLION MOLD PARTICLES!*
07/16/96
Cooling Coil Area
We can have 4 x 107 or 40,000,000 mold particles per inch2
A typical 4 ft x 6 ft coil with 10 fin rows per inch & 8 inches deep = 7.5 x 105 or 750,000 square inches
That becomes 4 x 107 x 7.5 x 105 = 30 x 1012 or …
Doug: 30T in Square Inch
30 TRILLION MOLD PARTICLES! *

23. *
07/16/96
With a Coil of 5,000 sq. ft.
Equivalent of nearly 50% of the building area
Or 10 of the 60 rooms looking like this … *

24. *
07/16/96 *

25. UVC IAQ Solutions Reduced spread of airborne infection*
07/16/96
UVC IAQ Solutions
Reduced spread of airborne infection
Reduces allergy & asthma triggers
Reduced chemical use
Reduced maintenance & labor costs
No ozone or secondary contaminants
Reduced liability
Kills or inactivates microorganisms that grow, disseminate and circulate in air handling systems
Reduced health risks caused by surface and airborne mold, bacteria and viruses
Removed pollutants and contaminants that trigger allergic reactions and asthma
Reduced absenteeism
Improved employee and occupant productivity *

26. Resulting in… Reduced absenteeism Reduced antimicrobial use
Reduced antimicrobial resistance
Reduced health care costs
Improved productivity

27. Case study: Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo*
07/16/96
Case study: Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo
Neonatal Care Unit
Reduced Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP)
Reduced antimicrobial use
Reduced antimicrobial resistance
$800,000/year reduction in direct costs
UVC installation costs of $25,000
2 ½ year study *

28. Case Study: IKEA, Milan, Italy*
07/16/96
Case Study: IKEA, Milan, Italy
IKEA, Milan, Italy, where the staff had a 38% reduction in Absenteeism in direct comparison with their previous records and the other stores in the area.
38% REDUCTION
IN STAFF ABSENTEEISM *

29. Water Conservation Solutions
Condensate reclamation
Cooling tower make-up water
Landscape irrigation
Gray water for flushing
Reduced water use
Reduced operating costs
Reduced chemical use
Improved chiller efficiency

30. Case Study: University of Delaware, Newark, DE*
07/16/96
Case Study: University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Reclaim of clean condensate for make-up water
$ water cost savings
Reduced biocide & chemical use
Improved indoor air quality
15-20% energy savings
6 Month Payback *

31. H1N1 Transmission….

32. The Role of HVAC Systems and Airborne Infection Transmission

33. Bioaerosols Larger droplets fall to the ground
Smaller droplets (1-5 micron diameter) evaporate and become droplet nuclei
Remain suspended in air for hours or days, traveling long distances or recirculating within a building envelope

34. Droplet Nuclei Transfer
One cough can generate 3000 droplet nuclei
Talking for 5 minutes can generate 3000 droplet nuclei
Singing can generate 3000 droplet nuclei in one minute
Sneezing generates tens of thousands droplet nuclei, which can spread to individuals up to 10 feet away. Initial velocities can be up to 100 m/s

36. "We don't have solid data on the effect that hand washing has on the transmission of H1N1"
Source: CDC spokesman Tom Skinner (in an )

37. ASHRAE Position
Many infectious diseases are transmitted through inhalation of airborne infectious particles termed droplet nuclei
Airborne infectious particles can be disseminated through buildings including ventilation systems
Airborne infectious disease transmission can be reduced using dilution ventilation, specific in-room flow regimes, room pressure differentials, personalized and source capture ventilation, filtration and UVGI

38. Questions to Ask What is the output of the device?
Has the device been independently tested under HVAC conditions?
Where will the device be installed
What is the dose per watt? =

39. Summary Improves indoor air quality*
07/16/96
Summary
Improves indoor air quality
Reduces spread of airborne infection
Reduces allergy & asthma triggers
Reduces utility bills
Saves maintenance, labor & material costs
Returns coil capacity to “as-built”
Increases the life of the coil *

41. *
07/16/96
Thank You *