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 using the cleansing power of UVC in conjunction with regular cleaning, hotels can destroy a whole host of infectious threats and take preventative measures to keep contagious illnesses at bay.
Published in the journal Scientific Reports, one study explored the use of UVC light to kill two airborne coronaviruses that can cause the common cold. When applied at current governing standards, the results showed that UVC light could kill 99.9 percent of airborne coronaviruses in about 25 minutes. Another study done by the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) showed the virus was rendered inert after only nine minutes in liquid culture. Both studies suggest that these findings would also extend to SARS-CoV-2.
Understanding the Science Behind It
To understand how various UVC disinfection products work—and why they are worth the investment—it is essential first to understand the science behind them.
Ultraviolet light is part of the electromagnetic scale. Measured in wavelengths, UVC is located between X-Rays and visible light. Ultraviolet C (UVC), one of three subsets of ultraviolet light, is the only wavelength of light capable of disabling pathogens. Even so, to achieve a recommended Log 3 (99.9 percent) reduction of pathogens, a precise UVC dosage (intensity over time) is required. When you buy a UVC product from a trusted manufacturer, it is not only certified to UL standards, but it is capable of delivering the required dosage to be effective.
In hotels, there are various ways to implement UVC that pair well with existing maintenance and upkeep. Since the average hotel room bathroom counter can harbor around 1,288,817 individual colonies of germs per square inch, using UVC is a step housekeeping can take after regularly cleaning the room to ensure nothing is left behind. These devices cannot reach shadowed areas or penetrate surfaces. They are best used in conjunction with typical disinfection procedures to ensure maximum cleanliness.
We often see hotels regularly utilize UVC by rolling a UVC tower into a hotel or guestroom after housekeeping has visited—either daily, or as needed. Doing this pairs the power of UVC with traditional cleaning regimens. UVC towers can only be used when rooms are unoccupied, and the duration of the disinfection can vary based on the size and configuration of each room. Some UVC tower manufacturers offer cloud-based control and monitoring to make using them extremely efficient.
Other Types of UVC Products
In addition to UVC towers, hotels are using other types of UVC products to clean their spaces. UVC mobile air purifiers are great for spaces where people congregate, such as lobbies, restaurants, retail shops, fitness centers and spas. And they offer the added benefit of HEPA and carbon filters to further clean the air. They are simply rolled into a room, plugged in, and turned on. They are quick to implement and easy to operate, especially if cloud-based controls are used to remotely turn them on and off.
Another product worth looking into is UVC Upper Room Fixtures. Like mobile air purifiers, they are safe to use in occupied spaces. These inexpensive fixtures are permanently installed at or near the ceiling and are ideal for drop-ceiling applications. Often boasting a sleek, minimalist design, they are barely noticeable, making them an ideal solution for guestrooms.
In response to the pandemic, manufacturers have taken this technology to another level, especially for hospitality, by offering design-forward technology that addresses the unique design of every hotel’s most occupied spaces and performs well in countless applications.
Products like Safeology’s UVC Mobile Air Purifier 1800, Upper Room UVC Linear Wall Fixture, Upper Room UVC Linear Recessed Wall Fixture, and UVC Tower Elite are designed for safe operation. Based on the individual product, safety features may include PIR auto-off sensors to protect against accidental UVC exposure, auto-off switches for safe lamp replacement, and louvered design to prevent UVC from entering occupied space.
Since many of these products need to operate at different times and intervals, Safeology provides custom software and IoT solutions that enable easy remote provisioning, control, and completion notifications. In addition to being helpful for maintenance staff, automated control of several machines can also support your hotel’s sustainability goals by ensuring the machinery is only run when needed and most efficient.
Combining UVC disinfection with regular housekeeping practices takes the guesswork out of just how clean any space is, and coupled with other green controls, UVC may add little to your overall footprint.
As the world emerges from the pandemic, it is more important than ever for hotels to remind guests that they are safe and secure. And it is important to you that your facility maintains high sustainability standards—by using UVC, you can meet both needs at the same time.
About Safeology
Safeology is a division of Electric Mirror, the global leader in mirror technology. Safeology focuses Electric Mirror’s decades of experience and expertise in lighting technology on the science of UVC-light disinfection. Designing and manufacturing UVC products and related IoT technology, Safeology employs research, engineering, and R&D teams to provide solutions that reduce the airborne and surface spread of viruses and other pathogens. Guided by a Scientific Advisory Board with world-class experts in infectious disease, microbiology, bioengineering, and electrical engineering, Safeology is a forerunner in the battle against pathogenic illness. Learn more about the future of disinfection at www.safeology.com.
Jim Mischel is CEO of both Safeology, and its parent company Electric Mirror. He received his Juris Doctorate from Regent University and a B.A. in Physics from Seattle Pacific University. A hallmark of his career, as evidenced by being awarded more than 60 product patents, Mischel is dedicated to developing groundbreaking technology and finding ways to apply it. Building upon two-plus decades of developing original and inventive lighted mirror technology products, Mischel is now leading his company to develop innovative UVC technology products.
