MUKILTEO, WASH.—As the nation stumbled its way through the pandemic in the past year, with public fears and government mandates abounding, most companies (95.6 percent) tried to do something to combat COVID-19 transmission in poorly ventilated, indoor spaces. Unfortunately, according to a new survey, they often made subpar investments, spending millions of dollars with limited success. The survey was commissioned by Omni CleanAir, a maker of commercial-grade air purification systems that have been eliminating airborne illnesses for more than 30 years. “We polled more than 430 HR managers around the country on the importance of various COVID-19 precautions and defense measures,...

RIGBY, IDAHO—An enhanced technology used on the International Space Station to purify and clean the air—Titanium Dioxide Photocatalysis—is being used by Rigby, Idaho-based Pure-Light Technologies, Inc. on its indoor and outdoor LED light bulbs to produce super oxygen molecules that dissolve viruses, bacteria, mold and break down toxic VOCs. The bulbs are coated with an ultra-thin layer of Titanium Dioxide. According to Pure-Light, Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) is one of the more common elements in the world and is rated as inert and non-toxic (MSDS rating). Because it is non-toxic, it is used in a large variety of items including vitamins,...

NORTHBROOK, ILL.—UL, the global safety science leader, announced that The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach, Calif., has become the first hotel globally to earn the UL Verified Healthy Buildings Mark for Indoor Air and Hygiene. Set on 504 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the 332-room resort, operated by Irvine Company Resort Properties, recently underwent an extensive process to earn UL’s Verification, demonstrating that both front and back of house have excellent indoor air quality (IAQ) and hygiene. To achieve the UL Verification Mark, the hotel participated in numerous desktop audits and on-site IAQ performance testing and assessment inspections. These included assessment...

NATIONAL REPORT—Forced hot air heating has been the traditional way of heating spaces but the pandemic along with an increasing concern for efficiency is leading more hotel owners to choose radiant heating systems for space heating—the Atlantis Casino and Spa in Reno, Nev., and the Rush Creek Lodge in Yosemite, Calif., being two examples. Both were spa installations. “Our radiant heating solutions are perfect for hotels and spas in new construction or remodeling,” says President of STEP Warmfloor, Monica Irgens. “With forced air, you are just blowing air around which aggravates allergies. We are actually warming the air with gentle heat...

As a hotel property, you are already focused on the cleanliness and safety of the facility. You cannot be in business without doing so daily. Couple a global pandemic with weary customers, and your attention to detail is seriously tested. Further, there are so many regulations coming from different organizations that it is hard to both commit to being sustainable and follow the rules. Fortunately, there is one solution that addresses all your pain points. Without using harmful sprays or toxic chemicals, UVC light is the most efficient way to render illness-causing viruses, bacteria, and other airborne pathogens harmless. By...

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.—While the practice for using germicidal UV fixtures to disinfect air has been well established in hospitals for over 70 years, ULTRA Germicidal Smart Fan by Modern Forms now helps you create a safer sanctuary for hospitality settings. “We didn’t intend to enter the established ceiling fan market. Our friends in the industry told us it was futile for us to even try, but here we are. We realized that we could use technology to stir things up,” says Dirk Wald, Co-CEO of Modern Forms and WAC. “And this is just the tip of the iceberg.” ULTRA uses...

DALLAS—Lennox International, a global leader in the heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration markets, is revolutionizing the commercial HVAC industry by introducing the rooftop unit Ultimate Indoor Air Quality system as part of its Building Better Air initiative. With the ability to remove 99 percent of the virus that causes COVID-19 from the air, Lennox has developed a rooftop unit that can help commercial businesses improve the health of their building. Using a factory-installed combination of MERV 16 filters and UVC Germicidal lamp, the Ultimate IAQ system has been third-party tested to show a 95 percent single pass efficiency rate with a 70 percent...

CLEARWATER, FLA.—Pure Air Control Services, one of the nation’s top indoor air quality (IAQ) firms, announced its Building Health Check division has signed an agreement worth $30 million with National Cooperative Purchasing Alliance (NCPA) to sell air purification devices, consulting services and remediation services to members of its cooperative. The contract was awarded to Building Health Check, LLC, a division of Pure Air Control Services, Inc., and valued at $10 million a year during a three-year term. The contract allows NCPA members to purchase UV-C autonomous robots and stationary building disinfection devices from Building Health Check, LLC under a competitively...

AUSTIN, TEXAS—Alen Air Purifiers, a leader in High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) solutions, announced that it is helping restaurants and bars around the country reopen safely due to its top-of-the-line air purification technology. These air purifying units are helping schools, government offices and specifically restaurants, which have been the hardest hit since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic over a year ago. Rosebud Steakhouse, a high-end, well-known steakhouse in downtown Chicago, equipped the restaurant with Alen’s air purifiers to further signal their priority of safety to customers and staff. “We researched for weeks to find the right partner and the Alen system...

Finding the right HVAC system to cool commercial spaces does not have to mean making a choice between high-quality performance and efficiency, but it does take homework. In order to make the most informed decisions, facilities managers and building owners need to be mindful of not only the purchase and installation price but its protected service life and operational costs. Once the numbers are crunched, it is often found that the most energy efficient equipment offsets a larger up-front price and more than makes up for it in long-term operational savings. Look at the Full Picture Something to keep in mind when...