International. An ongoing study from the University of Colorado at Boulder showed that Carrier's air purifiers can maintain significantly reduced levels of airborne particulate matter (between 42 and 67% less on average) in K-12 classrooms occupied with older, outdated HVAC equipment.
According to the EPA, exposure to airborne particles, also known as particulate matter (PM), can have a negative effect on health, particularly on the lungs and heart. These findings are especially notable for school districts with outdated infrastructure that aim to improve classroom air quality without replacing or modifying existing systems. The results are based on independent testing at a public school located in Denver, Colorado.
The study was conducted in two buildings with significantly different ages and HVAC equipment at Cheltenham Elementary School, in cooperation with the Denver Public School District. Comparisons of particulate matter exposure were taken from a 1960s classroom building and a newer adjacent building equipped with modern air handlers installed in 2004 and upgraded in 2019. Engineering teams at the University of Colorado at Boulder measured how often air was exchanged in the rooms on both wings and then placed the XL models of Carrier air purifier in several classrooms on the "old wing."
Prior to the deployment of Carrier air purifiers, classrooms in the "old wing" had noticeably higher PM loads than their counterparts in the "new wing," regardless of the rate of air exchange, especially in particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, which can pose the greatest health risk. Carrier air purifiers, configured respectively to provide airflows of 500, 750 or 1,000 cubic feet per minute (CFM), were placed in three "old wing" classrooms. The units were found to effectively increase the rate of air exchange, or the rate at which air purifiers returned purified air into space, and brought aerosol levels in older classrooms to levels equal to or lower than those seen in newer classrooms. In addition, sound emissions from air purifiers during operation were maintained at or below World Health Organization guidelines for classroom instruction.
"As part of the layered strategy to improve classroom air quality, the technology implemented in Carrier air purifiers is highly effective and remarkably quiet," said Justin Keppy, president, NA Residential & Light Commercial, Carrier. "This independent study demonstrates that the addition of Carrier air purifiers can significantly improve air quality in classrooms and provide a healthier environment for students, teachers and staff."
The Carrier Air Purifier, a product offered through Carrier's Healthy Buildings Program, combines three different filtration technologies to create healthier indoor air.
First, a pre-filter removes large particles in the air such as dust and dirt. Then, an advanced, high-efficiency filter captures more than 99% of the particles in a wide range of sizes.
Finally, an activated carbon filter removes odors from the air. And with a simple plug-in installation process, consumers can start filtering and controlling their air right away.
For classrooms or larger spaces, such as cafeterias and auditoriums, Carrier offers the OptiCleanTM air scrubber, which uses a long-lasting HEPA filter to remove 99.97% of airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns to provide cleaner indoor air. An easy way to supplement an HVAC system without replacing or modifying existing equipment, the OptiClean air scrubber plugs into a standard outlet and comes in two sizes with a maximum of 600 CFM or a maximum of 1500 CFM.
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