HEPA filters have remained the gold standard for air purification since the 1950s. Despite their widespread use, the indoor transmission of airborne viruses, particularly those responsible for COVID, has persisted.

During the various waves of the coronavirus pandemic, there has been COVID transmission occurring in acute care centers when public health guidelines were not followed. This was especially true in the Canadian province of Quebec, during the first COVID wave. Interestingly, there have been miscellaneous outbreaks in hospital clinics and hospital offices too, like the one at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, Canada. These examples illustrate that the current HVAC systems used in most hospitals and commercial settings may not be as effective as previously thought. There are various commercial air purifier upgrades available that can improve this.

Why current HVAC systems may be of limited efficacy

If High Efficiency Particulate in Air (HEPA) filters are so effective at removing harmful particulate from the air, why has there been so much transmission in places that use them? This question is a rather baffling one. HEPA filters boast a 99% efficacy rate at removing airborne particles down to 0.1 micrometers in size. Therefore, they should be able to trap SARS-CVD-2, the virions responsible for COVID, that are about 0.15 micrometers. It would seem logical to expect reduced transmission in environments that use HEPA-based commercial air purifiers, right?

Numerous 2020 studies from Asia show that certain HVAC systems generate airflows that enhance the spread of the virus. While the presence of HEPA filters was not constant across all settings examined, these studies do illustrate the limitations of re-circulated air. Suppose you are working in a space that is 300 cubic meters. It might take the HVAC system 1 hour to purify all the air in that space. Maybe one worker coughs into his or her elbow. Suppose, then, that one stray aerosol escapes the clutch of the elbow and is swept toward an adjacent colleague via the airflows of HVAC fans. The commercial air purifier is now acting as a spreader.

How new HVAC technologies can help

Systems that bring in outdoor air are better than ones that rely solely on re-circulation. Ultraviolet light contains a class of waves, known as the C rays, which denature the protein production complexes of the virions upon exposure, rendering them innocuous. This means that for every one-hour purification cycle that brings in outdoor air, the total air volume gets replaced by air that has been exposed to UV rays from outside. The presence of the outdoor air will reduce the likelihood of transmission because there is greater probability of the virions being dissolved away by the new air as they travel down a transmission pathway. In places where the climate is too cold to bring in outside air, the effects can be imitated with the use of UV reactor chambers in commercial air purifiers or HVAC units. These work by exposing the re-circulated air to UV-C rays, often by attaching them to HVAC ducts. Because the air is continually exposed to UV rays as it circulates, this sets the stage for potential displacement and dissolution of the virions, in much the same way that outdoor air exposure would.

One could bring in outside air, and then have UV reactor chambers installed on all ducts that receive indoor air. This way, every airflow pathway in the system would involve UV exposure. If two workers are staggered within the same pathway, however, there could still be worker-to-worker transmission. One could solve this problem by placing free-standing tower purifiers with UV chambers between the clusters of workers. Regardless of which solution is the most logistically feasible, modern commercial air purifiers stand to benefit a great deal by making use of UV reactor technology. Had the acute care centers in Quebec used this technology, maybe some lives would have been saved.

Commercial air purifiers are excellent tools for businesses, whether they are in healthcare or not. Cleaning the air in workspaces will always have a positive impact on your employees and their wellbeing. Consider the benefits of emerging technology and how incorporating UV technology into your existing air quality system can keep your employees healthier, and even safer.

Choosing a commercial HVAC company is something that sometimes gets shrugged off until you need one in a hurry. That’s when you begin dialing numbers hoping to find a company that meets all your needs. What are your needs, what do you need from an HVAC company, and better yet, how do you choose a company that is the best fit for you commercial needs?

What are your HVAC needs.

Reputable commercial HVAC companies are able to offer a variety of services, and although you may not require them all, you should know what they offer so you can ensure that they can meet your needs. The first thing to ask yourself is, why are you calling a professional out? Is your commercial business too hot or too cold? Do you need a cleaning or is this an emergency? Does your commercial business have kitchen exhausts, dryer vents, or air ducts that need to be cleaned? You should also find out the make and model of your current system so you can ensure that the technician is knowledgeable with your specific system’s requirements. Getting this information before you call can save a lot of time and hassle.

Learn about the technicians

When time is important, often people just hope that the person who comes to do the work is capable and able to do the job to their satisfaction. However, when looking for commercial HVAC companies, take the time to ask about the people that they will be sending out. Learn about their credentials. HVAC technicians should all be licensed when coming to work on your system. Ensuring their credentials can also help ensure that they are well trained and competent. Technicians should also be insured for the work that they complete. A reputable HVAC company will gladly give this information to potential clients. If a company is not willing to provide information about their technician’s license and insurance, you may want to consider looking for a different commercial HVAC company.

Obtain quotes and proposals

Commercial HVAC systems are expensive to purchase and maintain. When maintenance is required, ensure that you receive in writing a quote. In the event that you are replacing a system, ensure that there is a written proposal of the breakdown of cost. Not everything goes according to plan, and there may be changes that are needed to maintain your system; however, a written quote will ensure that you are getting all the work you’ve agreed upon at a cost that was agreed upon. If appropriate, learn about guarantees and funding, such as money back satisfaction guarantees or no payment financing for one year. If commercial HVAC companies are not willing to give written estimates or proposals, consider searching for another company.

Search and review potential HVAC companies.

Gone are the days when you would hear, “I know a person who knows a person that can do what you want.” In today’s digital age, you can take advantage of any information you do hear ad then do some research to find out more for yourself. There are many online review sites for businesses. Google reviews is a quick way to learn what others are saying about the commercial HVAC companies that you are considering. A reputable company will leave the negative ones on the site with a response. There will always be positive and negative reviews, so read through to see if there is a pattern of negatives or positives and how any concerns were addressed. Other review sites may include YELP, indeed, or glass door. These review sites may also include comments from previous workers about their experience. Also, do not hesitate to ask the company for references from their current customers. Follow up with these references to see what their experience was, how the work was, how the worker’s attitude was—and did they stay in budget and on time?

There are many commercial HVAC companies that are willing to do the work. Take your time and ensure that you are getting the best company to meet your needs. Ensure that you research and compare quotes and reviews from multiple commercial HVAC companies.

Whether you are establishing a new office or shifting to a new business address, you need to determine the workspace that you will need. There is no exact science to calculate how much office space is ideal for your business. It completely depends on your preferences and business requirements. However, having an estimate can be extremely helpful.

Your real estate agent can ask you for an estimated space requirement to check the availability in your desired location. Also, you will be signing a lease term, and any miscalculations can negatively impact your business and finances. Hence, determining your office space requirement becomes necessary.

Let us discuss in detail how you can calculate your required office space.

1. Determine the number of employees

The first step in calculating your office space is determining the number of employees. This number does not only consist of your current workforce but also takes into account the future employees of your company.

For most offices, you will need to sign a lease term for three to five years. Depending on your lease term, you need to determine how many employees will be joining the company each year to arrive at the final employee count.

2. The layout of your office

Some workplaces may require a private office for their employees, while others can use an open area workspace where multiple employees sit with each other in close proximity. Depending on the work culture of your office work area can also be separated into cubicles providing some amount of segregation and privacy.

The choice for layout will differ from business to business. For example, law firms may prefer private offices as the occupation requires confidentiality and privacy. However, open area workspace can be used for call centers or sales agents. Cubicles can be preferred by designing firms.

Choosing the layout of your office depends on your preferences, and you can also use a mixed layout to suit your business needs.

3. Categorize the employees based on their space requirement

Not every employee in your office will be allocated the same office space Manhattan. After you have chosen the layout of your office, you need to determine how many employees will be needing private offices, cubicles, and open area workspaces.

Presidents, vice presidents, and managers from different departments may require a private office. Cubicles can be provided for engineers, secretaries, programmers, customer service representatives, accountants, etc., and employees for data entry and clerical work can be allocated open area workspaces.

The space requirement for private offices can be 200 to 400 square feet. Employees in cubicles can be given a working space of 150 to 200 square feet, and employees in the open area can be allocated somewhere between 100 to 150 square feet.

This area is not just the workspace but also consists of common-use areas like conference room, reception area, walk space, canteen, etc.

4. Permanent rooms and spaces

Your office area will also include some permanent rooms and spaces like meeting rooms, reception area, board room, conference room, kitchen, file room, library, etc. If your business has advanced technological needs, you may also require a place for computers and servers.

Space requirements for these rooms will depend on your business needs. However, a rough estimate can be 150 to 200 square feet for permanent spaces like file room, library, mailroom, etc. However, the size of the reception area, canteen, and conference room will depend on the total number of employees in your organization.

After you have successfully determined the space required for each part of your office including, the additional area for growth, you can easily calculate your required office space. However, other factors like the cost of the property also need to be considered. The shape of the estate is also crucial as it can lead to wastage of space, and you may end up paying for the area you may not be able to use.

If you are responsible for building security access or a commercial property owner, you have to look for various ways to enhance the convenience of protecting the employees and the business assets. Installation of a high-quality access control system can decrease the security threat. Most private and commercial business centers include a building where the desired access needs this type of system.

With the implementation of the access control system, there are multiple system alternatives. You can select any one of them to fit your specific needs. Now let us take a quick look into some of the reasons to install the access control systems.

• Offer complete protection to the valuables

Does your building have any valuables that need protection? The security is especially applicable if you have any products or items sold, fenced, or transported. With the controlled keycards for access, you can recognize who will enter the area at any time of the entire day. These security measures will prevent any item from missing and assists in catching the guilt if any wrong happens.

• Controlling the specific access to a particular area

For most of the structures, every person who enters the building does not necessarily need complete access to each inventory, office or record room, storage or equipment area, lab, or floor. For instance, the accounting department of the business includes some confidential or sensitive information, which should not be accessible to staff from other departments.

The installation of the access control system is priceless in these scenarios. It will allow the owners or the managers to restrict access to only those who have to enter those areas. You can also manage the entry and exit of the janitorial or the maintenance staff who will work at a particular time of the day.

• Remote controlling

Through an access control system, you can manage the locks of the buildings on your smartphone or tablet. With the help of this kind of system, you can easily trust an individual to a specific segment with no necessity to meet them on the location or lockdown the entire premises if there is an emergency. This process will also allow the user to remove or add the credentials as required.

• Track and control access to the Employee

What will happen to the employee who quits or is fired? With the installation of the access control system, the code or the card they are using to enter the building or certain areas can be deleted or changed with ease. In this way, they can no longer enter the premises and collect the keys from the ex-employee. With this system in place, both the personnel and the property gets secured from any unwanted infringement.

• Complete monitoring system

With the installation of the access controlling system, you will get a complete report of which door is opening for all the segments of the entire building. You can also check who is entering in which part of the building at what time. If there is any dispute or problem of some kind, you can look into this information to check out what exactly has happened and who has done it. The owner can also implement the system to track the employee’s work time.

Importance of Access Control System in our Life

Accessing control systems implements real value and lower costs to the users. They are the best ways to replace the security guards with virtual ones, which are also reasonably priced. These systems can also easily maintain both employees and public access simultaneously in a building. The technology can seamlessly record the exits and entries. When implemented in the confidential areas, access control systems let the user set various security level accesses.

These technologies offer enhanced security and make sure that the employees are honest in their workplace. These relatively simple to maintain and monitor systems are difficult to override and tamper with. Access systems are housed on the local or cloud servers and are categorized according to discretionary, mandatory, and role-based controls.