Blauberg Ventilation has introduced Civic, a new range of German-designed wall-mounted ERV units. “COVID-19 and the 2019–20 bushfires raised major issues with insufficient quality ventilation in school classrooms and offices,” says the company. “Bad air quality, high humidity levels, high CO2 concentration, and low oxygen levels create a long-term unsafe study and work environment for […]
The Victorian government is supporting public-facing small businesses to improve ventilation in areas accessible to customers, and thus reduce the spread of COVID-19. Applications are now open for the Small Business Ventilation Program, which provides $500 rebates and matched grants of up to $5,000 to support eligible small businesses’ investment in equipment, works and services […]
Automatic fresh air ventilation systems will be rolled out to more than 10,000 public school classrooms in New South Wales to bolster protection against COVID-19. With winter approaching, case loads are expected to increase. Considering that in Australia, 2022 has already seen more than double the number of COVID-related deaths in 2020 and 2021 combined […]
The Victorian Department of Jobs, Precincts, and Regions (DJPR) is running a survey to analyse the capabilities of the HVAC sector in Victoria. The survey has been created in response to the combined challenges of supply-chain disruptions and greater demand for improved HVAC systems to prevent the airborne spread of COVID-19. The survey takes less […]
The US government has released its National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, laying out a roadmap for dealing with the pandemic and getting back to more normal routines. It includes measures such as vaccination, accurate advice on the use of masks and PPE, and ongoing monitoring of the virus, as well as a focus on ventilation. Strong […]
Hotel quarantine will finish in Victoria at the end of the month, with the purpose-built Victorian Quarantine Hub in Mickleham, north of Melbourne, becoming the sole quarantine site for unvaccinated travellers. The hub, which opened in February, has gradually been ramping up operations. From April, it will have capacity to accommodate up to 1,000 residents […]
Scientists at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) are using supercomputers to study how aerosol viral particles are distributed in a ventilated classroom. The research is being used to determine optimal placement of HVAC outlets to minimise “dead zones” and maximise ventilation and therefore improve indoor air quality (IAQ). Using the Summit, the […]
As the Victorian government announces a relaxing of rules for mask wearing, it has also unveiled a stimulus package to support businesses and entice people back into venues and workplaces. Although the incentives for dining, entertainment and travel have been offered before, this time there is new funding aimed specifically at ventilation. A $60 million […]
The AMCA Building Ventilation Summit, to be held as a virtual event on February 24 and 25, will be looking at the role the building industry will play in preventing the airborne spread of COVID-19, and supporting Australians to return to workplaces and other indoor settings confidently, safely and sustainably. One of the key sessions […]
AIRAH has launched the IAQ Assembly, a free suite of videos, guides and articles that reflect the latest thinking on indoor air quality and preventing the airborne spread of COVID-19. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, and particularly since the recognition of the critical role of airborne transmission, AIRAH has been curating resources about how […]