Georgia Schools Add Ionization Devices to HVAC Systems

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

  • cutaway view of a modern school building, showing various rooms and zones

    Layering AI into HVAC Systems Shows Reduction in Carbon Emissions

    Heating and cooling systems are just one of the many new ways that AI can be integrated into schools. According to a new study from Schneider Electric's Sustainability Research Institute, AI-powered HVAC systems in schools can lead to significant carbon emissions savings.

  • AP Construction Breaks Ground on Two Projects for Austin ISD

    Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) recently announced that it has broken ground on two renovation projects for the Austin Independent School District, according to a news release. The work at McCallum and Anderson High Schools totals 97,350 square feet and is scheduled for completion in January 2027.

  • S4L Launches 2025 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey

    Spaces4Learning recently launched its 2025 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey, which gathers information on K–12 and higher education construction projects nationwide from the previous year. The data we get from you, our readers, forms an industry report offering an overview of current trends in school facilities.

  • Aims Community College to Build Workforce Innovation Center

    Aims Community College in Greeley, Colo., recently announced that it has broken ground on its new Aims Workforce Innovation Center (AWIC), according to a news release. The facility for workforce development, entrepreneurship, and education has a scheduled opening date of fall 2026.

Digital Edition