Controlled building ventilation with fresh air lowers the amount of pollutant and virus contamination in airport terminals

6th August 2020

Controlled building ventilation with fresh air lowers the pollutant and virus contamination of indoor air.
More information is available at www.wolf.eu/rlt-wartung-corona.

Recommendations for the operation of ventilation systems during the Corona pandemic 

Worldwide travel has largely resumed. The international airports have prepared for this with hygiene concepts to prevent further spread of the corona virus. Ventilation systems are highly important in this context, as they are an essential requirement for the operation of airport terminals.
 
If the ventilation inside a building is insufficient, pollutants, viruses and allergens cannot be transported outside. Correctly planned and properly operated systems are useful instruments in this case. Among other things, they ensure a sufficient exchange of used air with fresh air as well as efficient filtering. In turn, they provide high air quality and thus a healthy indoor climate in the building.
 
Especially during the current corona pandemic, operators of indoor ventilation systems are increasingly confronted with questions regarding the handling of their systems. To ensure that healthy and hygienically perfect operations are guaranteed, specialists such as expert for healthy indoor environment WOLF recommend, in addition to proper operation of the system, adherence to the maintenance and inspection intervals in accordance with the generally recognised rules of technology. 
 
 
Fresh air protects health and contributes to the continuation of operations 
 
Many diseases spread especially quickly within closed rooms. For example, in addition to the droplet infection, people infected with the coronavirus release countless viruses into the environment when coughing or sneezing, where they are spread far into the air via aerosols. Experts agree that good ventilation in rooms helps to reduce the infection risk. It is therefore important to keep the amount of droplets as low as possible, especially in busy airport terminals, and to continuously replace as much used indoor air as possible with outdoor air. Only a properly operated and regularly maintained HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system can do this effectively. 
 
Advice for the operation of HVAC systems
It is generally recommended that rooms continue to be well ventilated even in the current situation. The relative room air humidity should be in a range between approx. 30 percent and 65 percent. Too little humidity attacks the sensitive mucous membranes of the upper airways, which are more susceptible to viruses. For the operation of air conditioning and ventilation systems during the Corona pandemic, the Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA) has issued the following recommendations for the operation of air conditioning systems in a joint statement:
  • Do not switch off HVAC systems with fresh air, do not reduce the fresh air volume flows.
  • Reduce the recirculation air components – if present in the systems – in favour of the fresh air components. If possible, operate the systems with 100 percent fresh outside air.
  • The humidity in occupied rooms should be in a range between 30 percent and 65 percent relative humidity.
  • If necessary, extend the operating times of the systems before and after the regular time of use.
  • Secondary ventilation units (fan coil units, induction units) are only effective in an individual room and do not transfer the air to other rooms.
  • Any maintenance due should be addressed now and the maintenance intervals should be shortened, especially in regard to filter changes and hygienic inspections

In order to ensure hygienically perfect operation of air handling systems, especially during the current Covid-19 pandemic, WOLF recommends timely servicing of the air handling systems.

 
Company profile:
The WOLF Group is one of the leading suppliers of heating and ventilation systems and, together with its parent company, the listed company CENTROTEC SE, is one of the leading comprehensive suppliers of energy-saving solutions in the field of building technology. With approx. 2,100 employees at all locations and 60 sales partners in over 50 countries, WOLF has an international presence and annual revenue of around EUR 404 million in 2019. WOLF has positioned itself as “the expert for a healthy indoor environment” and backs up this claim with a clear promise: “Wolf – Perfectly in tune with you.” More information at www.wolf.eu.