UTSA Wins 2021 Clean Air Award
The National Air Filtration Association (NAFA) recently honored UTSA with a 2021 Clean Air Award. As only one of two university recipients in Texas, UTSA Facilities is proud of their latest HVAC system upgrades that have improved indoor air quality for the UTSA community. NAFA recognizes leadership and excellence in air filtration.
“Proper filtration is essential under any conditions, but especially in today’s environment,” said Associate Vice President for Facilities Paul Goodman. “We are committed to achieving and maintaining high indoor air quality in our buildings through filtration and other means. We are proud to be honored by the National Air Filtration Association.”
In prioritizing a safe return to campus, Facilities followed recommendations from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) for the safe reopening of buildings. Guidance included implementing a thorough systems evaluation to measure air ventilation levels and check for existing equipment or system issues. General recommendations include the continuous inspection and maintenance of HVAC systems and superior ventilation and filtration to minimize air contaminants.
After a thorough inspection of the university’s HVAC system, the Facilities Preventative Maintenance team partnered with Joe Fly Co., a company specializing in air filtration needs, to improve indoor air quality. Major HVAC system improvements included superior ventilation and filtration upgrades to a total of 56 large air handler units. The installation of MERV 13 filters will help trap and filter airborne particles and other contaminants, promoting a superior indoor environment. Additionally, another 65 other units received an evaporator coil cleaning and disinfection process. This process included electrostatic spraying and an advanced probiotics treatment to aid in disinfecting units for healthier indoor ventilation.
“Our Facilities Preventative Maintenance team is proud to be in the forefront, safely reopening buildings using ASHRAE’s recommendations,” said Campus Facilities Engineer George Morales. “This NAFA award is a testament of Facilities’ efforts to providing clean air for building occupants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The coil treatment and replacement of filters will have a positive impact for a very long time!”
“After working with UTSA for many years now, it is apparent that the Facilities Maintenance Department takes great pride in their facility by keeping a clean, healthy environment for all the students, staff and employees,” said a Joe fly Co., representative. “To say UTSA cares about their indoor air quality needs is an understatement, as they truly go above and beyond and are a worthy recipient of this award.”
NAFA’s Clean Air Award was created to promote and recognize the use of high efficiency filtration products and outstanding maintenance practices, while reducing overall operating costs. Any facility or company that demonstrates a focused effort to provide a clean indoor environment using proper air filtration is eligible for nomination. Recognition is awarded to facilities or companies that demonstrate innovative sustainability efforts to improve the air quality for building occupants.
To stay up to date with how Facilities is improving the physical environment, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or visit our project page.
