Add as a preferred source on Google

Georgia Schools Add Ionization Devices to HVAC Systems

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/02/21

The Bibb County School District in Macon, Ga., announced in a press release that it will be adding needlepoint bi-polar ionization devices to the HVAC systems in each of its schools.

Designed to clean the air of normal impurities like dirt, mold, and dust, these devices have also been proven to remove 99.9% of infections pathogens—including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. They had already been added to several schools in the district as part of normal renovations and upgrades, including Appling Middle School, John R. Lewis Elementary, and Hartley Elementary. The district expressed a goal to have all of its schools outfitted with the ionization devices by the end of February.

School district communications specialist Jeremy Timmerman calls them an extra layer of protection. “We have masks in place, we have social distancing in place, we have policies for quarantining both faculty, staff, and students for the case of someone contracting the virus or being in contact with the virus,” he said. “This is just another way that we can keep students safe when they come back to the classroom.”

According to a video released by the school district on Twitter, the device ties straight into a school’s HVAC unit and is mounted on the side. It positively charges the air passing through it to create a plasma field. The positive ions that it emits cause the virus to “try to clump together to survive,” robbing the virus of the hydrogen atoms that it needs to stay alive. “Obviously, the more ions you put in the air, the better the system is,” said Sam Kitchens, executive director of Capital Programs, in the video.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • UCNJ Launches $30M Modernization of Physical Education Center

    The Union College of Union County (UCNJ) in Cranford, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $30-million modernization project for its Physical Education Center (PECK), according to a news release. The college partnered with DIGroup Architecture for the project’s design, transitioning the existing 42,000-square-foot structure into a campus hub for student athletics and campus life.

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.

  • DLR Group Appoints New K–12 Education Practice Leader

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has named its new global K–12 Education leader, Senior Principal Carmen Wyckoff, AIA, LEED AP, according to a news release. Her teams have members in all 36 of the firm’s offices in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Europe, and Asia.

  • LAN, Inc. Opens Office in College Station, Texas

    Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) recently announced the opening of a new office in College Station, Texas, to support its regional client base, according to a news release. The organization provides engineering, design, and program management services for water, wastewater, transportation, stormwater, and education clients in the Brazos Valley.

Digital Edition