Indoor air quality guidance and compliance in healthcare premises needed

Posted on 10/04/2013 by Camfil Farr

Simon Birkett, Founder and Director of Clean Air in London (CAL) has written to the Secretary of State for Health calling for an investigation into indoor air quality guidance and compliance in healthcare premises.

Indoor Air Quality Healthcare Estates

An investigation by CAL has found that Department of Health (DoH) guidance for air filtration for healthcare premises, including hospitals, has not been updated to ensure full compliance with British and European standard EN 13779:2007 for indoor air quality.

Read the full letter here: http://cleanairinlondon.org/indoor-air-quality/air-quality-in-hospitals-may-be-no-better-than-warehouses/

What do you think? Please use the comments facility below to share your thoughts and opinions.

Outdoor air pollution infiltrates into buildings. Without appropriate ventilation, it accumulates and can even react with other indoor air pollutants. Hospitals and healthcare estates, are often located in some of the busiest, most polluted urban areas therefore requiring the effective air filtration of intake as well as indoor air. The Camfil Group is a world leader in the development and production of air filters and clean air solutions. With 50 years of experience in air filtration products and solutions, Camfil delivers value to customers all over the world while contributing to something essential to everyone – clean air for health, well-being and performance.

Find out how to maximise clean indoor air quality in your healthcare estates by calling (0)1706 238000 or email filtersales@camfil.co.uk

Understanding EN13779 and how to improve your indoor air quality – Presentation

Posted on 22/10/2012 by Camfil Farr

A recent report by Campaign for Clean Air in London (CAL) highlighted the lack of understanding among senior managers and others that few buildings comply with indoor air quality standard EN: 13779. Buildings may have mechanical ventilation, air conditioning and/or air filtration or none of these and few buildings comply with indoor air quality standard EN:13779.

EN:13779 Improving your indoor air quality from Camfil Farr

In London for example many Local Authorities do not know if their buildings comply and many Local Authorities do not know about compliance in their schools and that significant opportunity exists to improve indoor air quality and reduce energy costs.

So what can I do?

Ask Camfil Farr for an ‘Opportunity Assessment’ this will help you:

Understand the system condition of your Air Handling Unit (AHU)
Request a report at no cost that proposes an itemised solution
Choose the best solution using low energy air filters
Give your existing AHU plant a new and efficient lease of life
Reduce running costs and get peace of mind

Follow this simple checklist:

Use easy access mountings and ensure seals are effective
Use low energy glass fibre bag filters, with high surface area, rather than synthetic or ultraviolet type filters to extend life and reduce energy cost
Use carbon filters to reduce gaseous pollutants
Consider upgrading fans as current ones may be energy inefficient
Clean cooling coils and heat exchangers
Clean air handling units and duct systems
Use pressure gauges to monitor on-going filter efficiency
Regularly maintain the system and establish operating practices

Finally you should ask Camfil Farr to certify your building as complying with EN 13779.

Continue reading →

New report reveals ignorance over indoor air quality in public buildings

Posted on 18/10/2012 by Camfil Farr

Air filtration in public buildings in London – Many local authorities are in the dark when it comes to knowing if their buildings use regularly maintained air filters that comply with indoor air quality standard EN 13779, particularly schools, according to a new report from Clean Air in London (CAL).

In the report, the cross-party campaigning group claims that indoor air quality (IAQ) can often be worse than outdoor (or ambient) air quality, due to the many sources of pollution that exist within buildings and homes. CAL is therefore campaigning to build public understanding of indoor air quality, initially in London, with support from us here at Camfil Farr.

The report examines the issue of air filtration in public buildings in London. It includes the results of an Environment Information Regulations request to local, regional and central Government bodies asking ‘which buildings owned, occupied or managed by the Local Authority use regularly maintained air filters that comply fully with European guideline EN 13779 e.g. offices and schools’. The responses received are analysed and ranked.

The Greater London Authority Group (GLA Group) demonstrated detailed knowledge of its buildings. However, CAL was surprised to discover that only eight of 15 buildings in Transport for London’s ‘Head Office Portfolio’ were due to comply fully with EN 13779 by April 2012 with seven others in 2012/2013 and many more having no expected compliance date. CAL has also been surprised to discover a big difference among the 33 local authorities in London in terms of how much they know about indoor air quality standards in their buildings. Some have been able to provide quite detailed information on compliant buildings whilst others seem to have little idea of which buildings comply with EN 13779. Many local authorities have told CAL they do not know about compliance with EN 13779 in some or all of their schools because they are independently managed.

Continue reading →