Managing the dynamic control measures for COVID-19

As we navigate through the pandemic and learn more about COVID-19 and how it spreads, the facility services industry continues to evolve its offerings to help keep clients and their tenants safe and healthy.

Recently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidelines to include airborne transmission. According to its website, “Airborne transmission is infection spread through exposure to those virus-containing respiratory droplets comprised of smaller droplets and particles that can remain suspended in the air over long distances (usually greater than six feet) and time (typically hours).” It also cites the special circumstances in which airborne transmission as possible including “inadequate ventilation or air handling” and added ventilation as a method of prevention.

In responses to these new developments and market condition, Ainsworth Inc. (a GDI company), a multi-technical trades services company, launched its smartIAQ program, created to aim at preventing airborne disease transmission with four key focuses, dilution, filtration, purification and occupancy management. It starts with dilution ventilation, which involves increasing the intake of fresh outdoor air in indoor spaces. The second aspect of the smartIAQ focuses on enhanced filtration with the use of MERV-13 rated filter to improve the rate of capturing pathogen in the HVAC air distribution. In addition to dilution and filtration, Ainsworth recently partnered with Sanuvox, a Quebec-based manufacturer, to provide ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) units for air and surface purification in HVAC systems. The smartIAQ program is rounded up by occupancy management that uses technologies to detect if occupants are wearing masks, have elevated surface body temperature and/or following proper social distancing practices.

Ainsworth also recently acquired ESC Automation in early 2020, a Canadian leader in building automation and multi-system integration, helping the company provide the technology needed for this initiative.

The smartIAQ program is a part of the Clean for Health platform, created by Ainsworth’s sister company, GDI Integrated Facility Services. Clean for Health focuses on preventing contact transmission through enhanced disinfection services.

“We have sanitization experts for surfaces and touchpoints at GDI, we have air purifying experts for HVAC filtration at Ainsworth, and we provide cleaning products including hand sanitizers, and disinfectants and critical PPE such as a masks and gloves through our product distribution and manufacturing team at Superior Sany Solutions,” said Claude Bigras, CEO of the GDI Group of Companies.

“GDI is on the front lines to protect the public during the pandemic, and beyond,” said Bigras. “Our collaborative team of experts can help keep the people in your indoor ecosystem be safer, healthier, and more comfortable, by not just cleaning, but cleaning for health.”

In addition to the program, GDI also launched an informative website with resources put together by its health and safety experts, which is accessible at cleanforhealth.com.

Included in the Clean for Health website’s resources is a Risk Stratification Matrix, which GDI Integrated Facility Services uses to determine scope and cleaning frequency for touchpoints. 

 If you have any questions on any of these services, please email info@gdi.com.