Thread by @OhCasavant

.@ashraenews TC 9.7 - Educational Facilities Working Group released its new

DESIGN GUIDANCE FOR EDUCATION FACILITIES:
PRIORITIZATION FOR ADVANCED INDOOR AIR QUALITY

Apr 20, 2022

#COVIDisAirborne

nemionline.org/wp-content/upl…

🧵

Here is the Table of Contents for the Apr 2022 ASHRAE Advanced IAQ guidance for schools

#COVIDIsAirborne

Apr 2022 Advanced IAQ Guidance for schools:

✅risk mitigation strategies

✅facilitate discussion between designers & stakeholders

✅id min recommendations & further considerations

🚨to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious pathogens and other contaminants of concern

The application of new @ashraenews guidance clearly requires the involvement of a licensed Professional Engineer qualified to practice building or mechanical engineering:

@EngGeoBC @APEGA_AB @O_S_P_E

🚨🚨🚨Current building codes were NOT developed to mitigate risk of exposure to widely circulating, airborne Risk Group 3 Biopathogen.

Teachers & kids likely NOT safe in schools that 'meet code'.

@SafeSchoolsBC @Protect_BC @PopAlberta @PoP_NovaScotia @PoPNB_kindness @POP__PEI

Will add more from document later. In meantime, tagging some likely interested folks:

@joeyfox85 @ZiadFazel @CPita3 @LadyScorcher @KevinHedges15 @dewigmore @healthyheating @BarryHunt008 @CAAerosolCltn @OSPE_CEO @RougeMatisse @GosiaGasperoPhD @vera_tenacious @jheighton3

Ok. More on the swish newish @ashraenews Design Guidance for Education Facilities
nemionline.org/wp-content/upl…

There is a check list on p3 of the document. You can email it to your district / uni facilities department. Esp. those that claim "we meet ASHRAE".

Ok. let's look @ashraenews education facility pre-requisites aka bare minimum.

➡️establish objectives & existing conditions

"Without these initial steps it is not possible to develop a comprehensive strategy to mitigate risk and maintain a high level of indoor air quality."

As far as I know, #bced has not communicated any objectives. How did they prioritize schools for ventilation? Who knows! What are the IAQ goals? Who knows! Is there a trigger point of dead kids (8 in BC so far)? Who knows!

#COVIDisAirborne @SafeSchoolsBC #bcpoli

This is 🎯

"...while the current focus may be on SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19, improving IAQ in education facilities will have similar benefits for other airborne pathogens and studies have shown reduced absenteeism and better performance from students."

Why is #bced fighting us, then?!

"The first step is to determine appropriate level of risk tolerance/mitigation & associated general system operating characteristics."

From Sep 4/21-Jul 2/22 SIX HUNDRED & SEVENTY-NINE BC kids hospitalized for COVID.

Me: This is NOT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF RISK for #bced!

Moving on, for readers in jurisdictions that actually cleared the lowest bar set in the guidance.

You can ask for a copy of your district risk analysis, where you expect to see "Wells Riley Equations, Equivalent Outdoor Air Rate Calculator and/or other
assessment tools."

Ask your district for:

➡️baseline of current probability of infection
➡️target goal for probability of transmission of infectious airborne assessments

⭐️& social media fandom if anyone can produce this

(Hint: #bced it should be less than 679 kids hospitalized per school year)

Here is the money point:

"It is recommended that the stakeholders determine the acceptable level of risk as defined by their governing bodies."

If this year's goal is 'only' hospitalizing 1,000 kids and killing 10. please let us know @BCSTA_President @BCSTA_News @JM_Whiteside

Yes! This. We are grown-ups. It's a pandemic. Will some infection slip through? For sure.

But you have a DUTY to Do No Harm!

This is exactly what I'm NOT seeing in #bced guidance:

A comprehensive, integrated approach grounded by a desire to Do No Harm. To kids. Tiny human treasures.

⬆️filtration
⬇️exposure time
⬇️occupancy
⬆️fresh air
⬆️disinfection via UV-C

@SafeSchoolsBC #bcpoli @JM_Whiteside

Will leave you with this, and continue later:

"While there are cost implications ... the risk of negatively impacting IAQ is almost negligible."

Louder for the back:

"WHILE THERE ARE COST IMPLICATIONS ... THE RISK OF NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THE IAQ IS ALMOST NEGLIGIBLE.