Maintenance and Operations has reviewed building maintenance guidance from experts
in the field to ensure we are taking every advantage to make our buildings as safe
as possible.
As standard practice, all campus units are checked regularly by our Central Heating
Plant operators to ensure they are functioning properly. Along with these checks,
our watch engineer monitors our Building Management System 24/7. This system provides
us with the ability to see and make changes to room set points, modulate damper positions,
increase or decrease air flows, manipulate space temperatures, activate/deactivate
air handlers and equipment, etc. The system also alerts us of issues through alarms.
Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, commonly known as MERV, is a measurement scale
designed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
(ASHRAE) to report the effectiveness of air filters. The only filters that can make
claim that they can capture >99.9% of particles in the 0.3 to 1 Micron range are HEPA
filters. These are classified as MERV 17 or higher. Most code-compliant commercial
buildings (gym, malls, etc.) use MERV-8 filters. Roughly half of our academic and
residence halls buildings have air filters that are MERV 13 rated. We have upgraded
all air filters to MERV 13. Summary of enhanced measures for building services operation
to ensure the safety of our faculty, staff and students;
- Replace central outdoor air and extract air filters monthly. Air pre-filters are routinely
replaced quarterly but proactively, we have moved up the frequency to a monthly change.
- Increase building ventilation using outdoor air by adjusting our mechanical system.
- Switch air handling units with recirculation to 100% outdoor air when possible and
reducing indoor air circulation as much as possible.
- Increase ventilation speed at least 2 hours before the building usage time and switch
to lower speed 2 hours after the building usage time. At nights and weekends, maintain
constant ventilation.
- Employees can open windows when available when they are in their offices.
- Keep restroom exhaust in operation 24/7.
- Operate fans continuously.