Colorado District Adopts Tech to Reduce Viruses in the Air

A school district near Denver, CO where students have returned to in-person instruction has deployed a technology in its classrooms and common areas with the aim of killing viruses in the air and on surfaces. The deployment was funded by a Safe Schools Reopening Grant, a one-time, $15 million program offered through the Colorado Department of Education in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

The district, Adams 14, installed 427 Synexis Spheres throughout its campuses. These convert elements in the air into “Dry Hydrogen Peroxide,” which circulates throughout rooms and corridors to kill microbes in the air and on surfaces.

According to Synexis LLC, which manufactures the Spheres: “Synexis is the sole developer of the process by which naturally occurring oxygen and humidity in the air is converted to Dry Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) or DHP. This unique, patented technology reduces viruses, bacteria, mold, odors, and insects both in the air and on surfaces, without relying on the exchange of air, while still continuously flowing through any indoor space without students or staff leaving the room. The oxygen and humidity flow across a fiber mesh called a sail. The sail creates a photo-catalytic reaction (a chemical reaction involving the absorption of light) that helps break the two molecules apart before putting them back together as DHP. Once DHP is actively introduced, it continually circulates through the occupied space. DHP is added to standard cleaning and helps reduce microbial contamination in air, on surfaces and in hard to reach areas of a room. Synexis technology is environmentally friendly and non-ozone producing.”

The installation was handled by Trane as part of a project “to improve indoor air quality across the district without negatively affecting energy efficiency and operating costs.”

“We commend the Adams 14 school district for going the extra mile to improve the quality of air in its schools — and for the smart, quick actions from school officials to leverage available funding solutions,” said Jim Knutson, director, integrated solutions, Trane Technologies, in a prepared statement. “Trane is proud to support the district’s comprehensive measures to mitigate risk of airborne exposures for a safer in person learning environment. Long-term investments in indoor air quality will benefit students, staff and building occupants for years, well beyond the immediate threat of this pandemic.”

Adams 14 has 900 employees and serves 6,000 students in 13 schools in Commerce City, CO, located just outside Denver.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • Epson Receives Seven AV Industry Awards

    Projectors manufacturer Epson recently announced that it received multiple awards across the Higher Ed AV Awards, SCN Stellar Service Awards, and InfoComm 2025, according to a news release. The company was recognized for three projectors from its PowerLite L-Series line, accessories, installation process, and its customer support team.

  • Photo courtesy of Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc.

    West Melbourne School for Science Completes Expansion Project

    The West Melbourne School for Science, which serves students grades PreK–6 in West Melbourne, Fla., recently completed a 12,450-square-foot elementary school expansion, according to a news release.

  • Ancient Resilience: How Indigenous Intelligence Shapes the 4Roots Education Building

    As climate change intensifies, educational spaces must evolve beyond basic sustainability toward true resilience – we must design environments that can adapt, respond, and thrive amid shifting, and intensifying, climate hazards. Drawing on indigenous wisdom and nature-based strategies, integrating resilient design offers a path to create learning environments that are not only functional but deeply in tune with their natural surroundings.

  • Case Study Highlights Texas District’s Campus Security Upgrades

    The Taft Independent School District near Corpus Christi, Texas, recently partnered with Intech Southwest Services to revamp its campus security technology system, according to a news release. Intech has released a case study on its website detailing the process that advanced the district’s technology by more than 20 years in less than three weeks.

Digital Edition