Your Guide to Determining the Right Partnership for UV Light and Custom HVAC Solutions
As your medical facility decides which company to select for commercial HVAC installation, one topic is likely on your mind: how to ensure this company’s system provides superior indoor air quality to mitigate infection.
Although stainless steel commercial HVAC systems offer research-proven technology to protect patients and staff, facilities are now going the extra mile to add a new layer of protection: ultraviolet (UV) light.
UV disinfection technology has been proven to inactivate viruses and bacteria that are most threatening to healthcare facilities. These pathogens include those that, if left unchecked, cause significant harm to patients and require extensive treatment regimens, particularly among those whose health is already compromised.
Learn more about how UV light can support your robust infection prevention efforts in medical spaces, alongside your custom HVAC solutions.
How UV Light Supports Your Commercial HVAC System’s Infection Mitigation Plan
Ultraviolet (UV) light is light beyond the visible spectrum that contains enough energy to inactivate viruses, fungi, and bacteria. More specifically, UVC light, one part of the UV spectrum, contains the germicidal properties that keep healthcare facilities safe.
UVC light inactivates pathogens including:
- Influenza
- MRSA
- SARS-CoV-2 (and variants)
- Salmonella
- Norovirus
- E. coli
- C. diff
- C. auris
If you’ve ever visited a commercial HVAC or healthcare conference in the U.S., you likely noticed that there are many UV-light technologies on the market today, hoping to capitalize on your concerns about healthcare-acquired infections. Each technology has its own take on utilizing UV light, evidence-based or not.
Your facility should investigate the claims of any company you encounter and thoroughly vet the UV disinfection partner you’ve chosen to ensure their particular product is effective for your environment and works in tandem with your stainless steel commercial HVAC system.
Vetting a UV Technology Partner
Like any other technology that promises benefits for the medical field, UV technologies aren’t all the same. It is important that healthcare facility leaders understand which technologies are safe, reliable, and effective, and which are fly-by-night trends.
When vetting a partner that provides UV technology integration for your facility, consider the research. For over a decade, scientists at Columbia University have studied the potential effects of UVC light known as “far-UVC.” Far-UVCs wavelengths are shorter than UVC light, which makes them far safer for humans, as far-UVC light does not penetrate past the body’s layer of dead skin cells or corneas.
The researchers at Irving Medical Center at Columbia University published an article on their findings, and others have published independent research, including a scientific report from Nature, summarizing the efficacy of far-UVC light:
- Far-UVC is effective for full-size rooms.
- Far-UVC is safe for humans at 222 nanometers.
- This technology is effective for common pathogens, treatment-resistant bacteria, and even future variants of COVID-19.
- The technology inactivates the pathogen in a matter of minutes.
- Facility operators should consider an overhead or ceiling-installed far-UVC device.
Use this summary to determine whether the products sold by the UV technology partner you’re vetting align with the latest findings in UV disinfection. For example, you will want to ask if they employ far-UVC and understand its value. You might also ask about the success of their medical installations to date. A company worth your investment should have that information available.
Finding a Premier Commercial HVAC System Engineers for Indoor Air Quality and UV Infection Prevention
Opportunities exist to leverage far-UVC light as part of your commercial HVAC installation. Superior stainless steel commercial HVAC system engineers who are committed to the latest and most effective infection control measures may also offer customizable far-UVC options. This allows them to ensure your facility has covered all its bases.
Again, however, it is important to learn more about the manufacturer you’re vetting for custom HVAC infection control products. Consider these benchmarks to help you make a decision about the critical environment manufacturer you’re researching:
- They have a measurable commitment to infection prevention, evidenced by the products they sell.
- Medical facilities and other healthcare spaces rely on this manufacturer for infection prevention.
- They design and build systems for critical environments, cleanrooms, and other mission-critical spaces.
- Research and best practices in pathogen mitigation guide their manufacturing. Science and testing form the basis of their work.
- This company has decades of experience customizing air distribution products and systems.
Learn more about one manufacturer that designs and builds exceptional customized air distribution products and fosters a key partnership with industry leaders in far-UVC technology.