Lately, ventilation in the workplace has become increasingly important. Even the CDC has recognized its health benefits. If improving indoor air quality (IAQ) has suddenly jumped to the top of your building’s priority list, follow these practical guidelines from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) to be prepared for workers returning to the office.
ASHRAE’s Guide to Cleaner Indoor Air in 2021
Across New York City, air cleaning and air filtration have become key components of many commercial buildings’ IAQ strategies for 2021. Today’s state-of-the-art technology enables facility managers to provide cleaner indoor air at a time when more employees are returning to the workplace.
Ventilation, Filtration, and Air Cleaning
Your IAQ is heavily dependent on the ventilation, filtration, and air cleaning in your building.
To ensure the best possible ventilation in the workplace, ASHRAE recommends using combinations of filters that have been rated MERV 13 or higher and air cleaners for air recirculated by your HVAC systems.
3 Actions to Take:
- Maintain equivalent clean air supply required for design occupancy whenever anyone is present in areas of a building served by an HVAC system.
- When necessary to flush indoor areas between occupied periods, operate your HVAC systems for the span of time required to achieve three air changes of equivalent clean air supply.
- Limit re-entry of contaminated air through energy recovery devices, outside air intakes, and other sources to acceptable levels.
Maintaining and Upgrading Your HVAC Systems
HVAC systems are a key player in your game plan to provide cleaner, healthier indoor air. It is critical to ensure that this vital machinery is well-maintained and up to date. Old or poorly maintained HVAC systems can do more harm than good.
One of the first steps to take is to verify that everything functions exactly as it should. A professional HVAC technician can help you determine if your systems require any repairs or upgrades.
Let Us Help You Improve Ventilation in the Workplace
With offices in New Hyde Park, Bellerose, and Midtown Manhattan, M&S Mechanical provides expert HVAC services to tri-state area commercial buildings, including corporate, retail, institutional, and industrial. We perform new installations, system upgrades, retrofits, and more.
Contact us today to learn more about what we can do to improve your building’s IAQ.
