Q & A – RETURNING TO CAMPUS

Following are answers to questions that were submitted in advance of the informational meeting about plans for returning to campus.

Q. What has (and is) being done regarding increased and/or better ventilation and air filtration in our classrooms and buildings on both campuses.

A. The district has taken some preliminary steps and is investigating others to improve indoor ventilation. To date, dampers on all mechanical units with dampers have been opened as wide as possible so that nearly 100% outside air is being used for ventilation, which minimizes recirculation of indoor air. Most buildings in the district have mechanical units with dampers.

In addition, the following actions are under way:

At both campuses, filters are now being replaced from the lower grade Merv 8 to Merv 13 or 14, which are among those rated as most effective in trapping airborne particles.
At the Foothill campus, UV-C lights have been installed within mechanical units wherever possible. This has been shown to assist in the reduction of viruses. Unfortunately, this process is not compatible with De Anza campus mechanical units.
Facilities is investigating other technologies that may provide further air cleaning, such as a process called needlepoint bipolar ionization technology (NBPI). In this process, equipment installed in the mechanical unit releases ions. The theory is that the ions will attract particulates, which become larger and more easily filtered out.
Facilities is reviewing the use of individual free-standing air purifiers to provide additional ventilation for buildings and spaces that do not have windows that open. The size of the air purifier would depend on the square footage of the room space. These units would be equipped with HEPA filters, or the equivalent, which would need to be changed periodically.

Posted March 4, 2021