Engineers, contractors, and facility owners have all received a tremendous amount of information within this past year regarding how to improve the air quality within their indoor environments. Some of this information comes from organizations such as ASHRAE, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Education, and other well-respected and knowledgeable organizations. Much of the information is disseminated by vendors emphasizing the benefits of their products, often summarizing their interpretation of various studies or selecting specific sections of a study that seemingly support their product. There is so much information being provided, it is difficult to sort through it all to see what makes sense for various applications and what might be an exaggeration to the point it could be construed as misleading. As an engineer, when asking a supplier for specific information about a product, in lieu of getting direct responses to our questions, we are frequently given 10-20 pages of reports and product specifications that we are told include responses to our inquires.
In the past, much of the discussion about the quality of an indoor environment predominantly centered around temperature control, humidity control, and the volume of outside air delivered to the space. If these parameters were adequately addressed, most occupants and owners were satisfied that the design of the indoor environment was acceptable. In recent years, we have come to understand that acceptable IAQ is much more than simply the control of the indoor temperature and humidity levels. Many may feel the COVID-19 pandemic started this whole discussion on how to address viruses and other indoor contaminants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pathogens, and fine particulates, within spaces. However, the coronavirus may have brought these concerns to the forefront, but engineers and organizations, such as ASHRAE, have been reviewing various technologies to improve IAQ for many years prior to the current pandemic.