Air purification and sterilization - Towards design of immune and sustainable buildings

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On the one hand, concerns about occupants' health, comfort, energy consumption and environment are becoming a main design consideration for ventilation systems, and on the other hand, threats to public safety and security cannot be overlooked and need to be taken into consideration. The sudden release of chemical and biological agents can pose a safety and security threat to public buildings and can cause injuries and loss of life. Recently air cleaner technology has been introduced for air sterilization and purification in industrial buildings and hospitals due to its long life, functionality and sustainability. However this technology has not been applied to the non-industrial built environment in general, and the possibility of a sudden release of chemical and biological agents in particular has not been addressed. In this scenario the effectiveness of the cleaning system strongly depends on the location of release, the type of air cleaner device, type of contaminant, as well as several other parameters. The long-term objective of the proposed study is to establish a multidisciplinary research team that will focus on the research and development of air cleaning and air purification devices, new sensors, control strategies, and guidelines for design of immune buildings. The short-term objectives that are to be achieved over the next three years, for which financial support is requested, are: 1) Develop a set of methodologies to evaluate the performance of promising air purification and sterilization devices; chemical anc biological, 2)Develop design simulation tools to predict the performance of these devices in case of an intentional or unintentional release scenario, and 3)Develop new devices and/or improve the performance of existing ones. This research will develop the knowledge and advance the technology of air purification and sterilization devices that can neutralize the spread of chemical and biological agents through air distribution systems and will assist in developing the appropriate standards. When completed, this work will help in developing an effective response to save lives by providing critical information to building managers and emergency response teams.