Waldorf School of Lexington Employs enVerid Systems' Ceiling-Mounted HEPA Air Purifiers to Mitigate COVID-19 Risk

LEXINGTON, Mass., March 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Waldorf School of Lexington (WSL) has selected enVerid Systems' ceiling-mounted, True HEPA Air Purifier to deploy throughout its school facility. WSL opted to replace its portable HEPA filtration units with the quieter enVerid Air Purifiers to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and to provide a permanent indoor air quality (IAQ) solution to mitigate the impacts of flu season, allergens, and future pandemics.

WSL has earned praise from its parent community for maintaining in-school learning by adhering to an array of program adjustments and safety protocols including masking, social distancing, outdoor learning, staff and student testing, and the deployment of portable HEPA filters in each classroom.

However, an ongoing issue with the portable HEPA units is their noise level, which can be disruptive to classroom learning. As a result, WSL is now replacing its portable units with much quieter enVerid Air Purifiers in each classroom.

A sound analysis found the enVerid Air Purifier to be significantly quieter.  Sound measurements equated to a refrigerator hum while the portable unit had dBA measurements 10 times more intense.  Both units were compared at their highest fan speed for maximum airflow (500 CFM), and measurements were taken from the center of the classroom at desk height. 

The enVerid Air Purifier is quieter due to its ceiling-mounted installation and ducting that helps to mute sound. Additionally, the ceiling mounting allows units to be located where they can maximize air flow.  Often the air flow for floor-based units is hampered by desks, dividers, and the students themselves. Other benefits include a permanent, tamper-free solution that frees up floor space and doesn't require cords, which can present a trip hazard.

WSL plans to install 15 Air Purifiers in the school's classrooms, offices, and music rooms.

"enVerid offers a more attractive solution than the portable HEPA units we initially deployed," said Ellen Varney, Director of Finance & Operations at WSL. "Its Air Purifiers are much quieter and take up less space than the portables, and they offer a long-term air quality solution. The ceiling-mounted units will be a permanent part of our building infrastructure and will continue to improve our indoor air quality after the pandemic passes, helping to protect our students and staff from particulate matter, allergens and other viruses."

To mitigate COVID-19 risks, experts recommend 4-6 air changes per hour (ACH) in classrooms to improve indoor air quality and help ensure the safety of students, teachers and staff. However, many schools struggle to meet this benchmark, especially if buildings have poor ventilation or outdated HVAC systems. The enVerid Air Purifier provides a cost-effective way to increase air change rates by 4-5 times per hour without requiring other upgrades to existing building systems.  According to the CDC, fixed recirculation systems are preferred to portable air filter units because they more reliably achieve adequate room air mixing and airflow patterns.

"The pandemic has prompted every school to evaluate its indoor air quality and HVAC systems' ability to keep students, staff and teachers safe," said Douglas Engel, enVerid Systems' Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "Using the enVerid Air Purifier, schools can quickly and cost-effectively reduce the risk of airborne virus transmission, and benefit from a long-term solution for healthy air. Our Air Purifier works quietly in the background, enabling teachers and students to focus on the important work of learning without noise, visual or airflow distractions."

A Better Solution for Cleaning School Air
The enVerid Air Purifier is easy to install and cost-effective, removing virus particles from indoor air without the significant expense of upgrading HVAC systems and the "energy penalty" typically associated with conditioning higher the volumes of outside air. Unlike filtration-only solutions, the enVerid Air Purifier combines a True HEPA filter with optional UVC lamps to both capture and kill viruses. Each unit comes with a wall-mounted LCD display panel for easy monitoring and control. A single enVerid Air Purifier has the capacity to cover rooms up to 1,000 sq ft, the size of a typical classroom. Multiple units can be added to clean the air in larger spaces such as hallways and school entryways.

The enVerid Air Purifier is one of the only local filtration products to undergo independent lab testing for a surrogate virus for SARS-CoV-2. LMS Technologies, a U.S.-based independent air media and filter testing company, found the enVerid Air Purifier captures 99.99% of viruses from air passing through the filter.

Waldorf School of Lexington
Waldorf School of Lexington serves students from preschool through grade 8. Their curriculum is carefully mapped to children's physical, emotional, and cognitive development and is delivered through meaningful human connections that build a foundation for successful life-long learning. They are successfully meeting the challenges of educating and nurturing their students despite the Pandemic. For more information about WSL, please visit thewaldorfschool.org.

About enVerid Systems, Inc. 
enVerid Systems helps buildings achieve ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), healthy building, and cost saving goals by improving indoor air quality while saving money and reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. For new HVAC systems, enVerid's award-winning HVAC Load Reduction^® (HLR) modules enable immediate capital cost savings. HLR modules also deliver up to 40% HVAC energy savings and superior indoor air quality in new and existing buildings. enVerid's air filtration products remove particulate and microorganism contamination from indoor air without the significant cost of upgrading mechanical systems and increasing mechanical ventilation rates. enVerid's products are deployed in commercial, academic, and government buildings globally. enVerid's HLR Modules are ASHRAE Standard 62.1, LEED^®, and WELL compliant and eligible for utility rebates. For more information, please visit https://enverid.com. 

SOURCE enVerid Systems

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