As we return to our “new normal” post-新型冠状病毒肺炎, building owners & operators need to be thinking about building system adjustments that can be employed in the wake of the pandemic’s aftermath.
Here are three M / E / P systems changes to consider making before end-users re-occupy your building.
的见解 from 百家乐软件’s Director of M / E / P服务 Michael Culcasi & 可持续发展经理Steven Burke, LEED & 好学院，CHPC
增加建筑物通风
Introducing fresh air into a building that has been minimally occupied or entirely empty for an extended period of time is a best practice with or without a viral pandemic. 在你的住户回来之前, consider conducting a building flush-out: open your outdoor air dampers to 100%, 消除空气再循环, and temporarily turn off any heat exchange/energy recovery systems during 新型冠状病毒肺炎 episodes.
开放式室外空气阻尼器: 从季节的角度来看, 冲楼的最佳时机, 特别是在东北部. 气温在50度左右徘徊, 温度和湿度适中, meaning building systems will not require as much energy (and therefore, cost) to treat the air to bring it to an adequate level for the space.
Each building will have unique requirements and timing for an optimal flush-out, 但总的来说, the following LEED flush-out calculation can be used as a guideline:
以达到最佳的冲洗, 暖通空调操作设置不应停止, and adjustments shouldn’t be made until the full cycle has been completed.
如果你的设施不能完全冲洗, ASHRAE recommends running your HVAC system for longer hours than usual—ideally, 24/7. For buildings that cannot commit to the energy costs associated with a full flush-out or peak air flow 24/7, systems can be switched to a higher speed at least two hours before occupancy and adjusted to a lower speed two hours after end-users leave. The system should remain operational at a lower speed overnight and on weekends.
For older buildings without modern HVAC systems, “flushing out” the space isn’t quite as simple. Building owners and operators should open all building windows and run bathroom exhaust fans for at least a few days in advance of occupancy, depending on your building size and how much exhaust can be pulled out via bathroom exhaust fans. 还记得, this manual operation will require staffing commitments and an eye on the weather—open windows and rain/wind isn’t a good combination for any building.
空气再循环系统: Air recirculation systems may reintroduce virus particles into buildings. For that reason, it is recommended that dampers are closed during 新型冠状病毒肺炎 episodes. This adjustment may result in thermal discomfort for occupants, but the importance of preventing contamination should be deemed priority over thermal comfort.
热回收/能量交换: 在某些条件下, 萃取空气中的病毒颗粒可以重新进入大楼, and heat recovery devices may reintroduce particles from the exhaust air side to the supply air side via leaks. 回收的空气对空气热交换器(i.e. 转子)也可能在
risk for substantial leaks in the event of poor design and maintenance. While we continue to learn about the spread and lifespan of the virus, exercising an abundance of caution should be considered a best practice.
更换暖通空调过滤器
HVAC systems work by taking a percentage of recirculated interior air mixed with fresh air which, 在一起, travels through a filter before being released into a building. These filters get dirty over time, collecting dust, debris and other airborne particles.
For most building types, changing your HVAC filters twice per year is considered a best practice. Installing new filters in your building won’t stop the spread of 新型冠状病毒肺炎, but dirty or ineffective filters can exacerbate underlying respiratory issues that make occupants more vulnerable to the virus. If you haven’t changed your filters lately, now is the time to do it (that goes for your home, too).
Additionally, consider increasing the Minimum Efficiency Rating Value (MERV) rating of your filters. The higher the rating, the more airborne particles it will capture. 值得注意的是, 然而, that these filters are more expensive and will require replacement more frequently.
生活冲水系统
Domestic water systems that have sat stagnant for weeks or months during limited building occupancy can create ideal conditions for the growth of different types of bacteria such as legionella.
A flush-out of domestic water systems can help to combat the growth of legionella and other bacteria in your building’s water supply. These flush-outs should be conducted for a minimum of 15 minutes and within a few days of end-users returning to the building.
要考虑的装置包括(但不限于):
- 厕所
- 手沉
- 热水加热器
- 水过滤系统(也建议更换过滤器)
- 冰机
- 饮用喷泉
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to keeping your building healthy in the wake of 新型冠状病毒肺炎. 每个建筑都不一样, and these tips should be used as guidance paired with knowledge of your own specific building systems. While these recommendations will help to minimize risk in your facility, they will not eliminate it. Encourage your end-users and occupants to follow CDC guidelines for hygiene and social distancing, 哪些已被证明可以减少病毒的传播.
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2019冠状病毒病白皮书健康建筑s_04.30.20