Design of HVAC Germicidal UV-C Systems

We design germicidal UV-C irradiation systems to disinfect air safely and without chemicals. The use of full fresh air or HEPA systems is not economical or sustainable. Germicidal UV-C is now the preferred design, maintenance, and safe operation route for new buildings and refurbishment or retrofits into existing HVAC systems to comply with the Building Regulations Part F – Ventilation (as amended- January 2022).

This essential amendment was instigated by SAGE and Policy Makers in the UK in response to Covid-19, which is a primarily airborne pathogen but also, their concern over Influenza pandemic risk and other airborne infection epidemics or pandemics in the future. The aim is to create pandemic resilience against airborne respiratory diseases within the built environment by improving ventilation, filtration, and adding air disinfection systems for new and existing buildings, whilst mindful of low carbon targets. It is economical and safe to recirculate air back into rooms when UV-C systems are designed by competent professionals. (We at PP-L Biosafety also contributed comments as part of the proposed Amendments to Part-F consultation process).

” Recirculation of air within ventilation systems in offices
1.37 Ventilation systems that, under normal operation, recirculate air between more than one space,
room or zone should also be able to operate in a mode that reduces the risk of the transmission of
airborne infection. This can be achieved by one or more of the following.
a. Systems capable of providing 100% outdoor air to the levels specified in paragraphs 1.32 to 1.34
to all occupiable rooms and common spaces, without recirculating air.
b. Systems incorporating a UV-C germicidal irradiation system that is able to disinfect the air that is
being recirculated. This type of system is commonly located within the heating, ventilation and
air conditioning (HVAC) system or ductwork.
c. Systems designed so that they can incorporate HEPA filters if required, which are able to provide
filtration of the recirculated air”

We use CFD modeling to accurately design the lethal dose requirements to destroy hazardous microbes between the range SARS-CoV-2 (which cause COVID-19) and Influenza A for conventional buildings but will always assess the risks and necessary target design risks for your ventilation system to ensure compliance with the Building Regulations but also the various statutory instruments that fall within the Health & Safet at Work etc Act 1974 and associated Regulations.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling can be used to simulate the aerosols produced by people in a facility, as well as providing a visual representation of how they move and spread a part of the air flow and overall ventilation system design.

The use of these modelling methods allows us to suggest optimised solutions to help drastically reduce SBS and airborne pathogenic transmission risk between people within a building or transport mode.

PLEASE NOTE: THESE REGULATIONS, THE HEALTH & SAFETY REGULATOR (HSE) IN THE UK, AS IS COMMON AROUND THE WORLD, DO NOT ENDORSE OR SPECIFY THAT TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS PLASMA, BIO-POLAR IONISATION OR OZONE ARE DEEMED ACCEPTABLE WITHIN OCCUPIED BUILDINGS.