2021.03.23 WS Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

temperature during occupied hours. In homes and buildings where the HVAC fan operation can be controlled at the thermostat, set the fan to the "on" position instead of"auto," which will operate the fan continuously, even when heating or air-conditioning is not required. • Open outdoor air dampers beyond minimum settings to reduce or eliminate HVAC air recirculation. In mild weather, this will not affect thermal comfort or humidity. However, this may be difficult to do in cold, hot, or humid weather. • Improve central air filtration: • Increase air filtration to as high as possible without significantly reducing design airflow. • Inspect filter housing and racks to ensure appropriate filter fit and check for ways to minimize filter bypass. • Check filters to ensure they are within their service life and appropriately installed. • Consider portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) fan/filtration systems to help enhance air cleaning (especially in higher risk areas such as a nurse's office or areas frequently inhabited by persons with higher likelihood of COVID-19 and/or increased risk of getting COVID-19). • Generate clean-to-less-clean air movement by re-evaluating the positioning of supply and exhaust air diffusers and/or dampers (especially in higher risk areas). • Consider using ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) as a supplement to help inactivate SARS- CoV-2, especially if options for increasing room ventilation are limited. • In non-residential settings, consider running the HVAC system at maximum outside airflow for 2 hours before and after the building is occupied. Fink reported Trane has provided a proposal to implement changes to the New Brighton Community Center HVAC that fall in line with CDC recommendations. That proposal along with the air quality assessment was reviewed by staff. The cost of this proposal is $209,433. Staff proposed that this project be funded using dollars from the Community Reinvestment Fund. Councilmember Dunsworth asked if the UV bulb needed to be replaced regularly and questioned what the ongoing cost for this project would be. Michael Witzel, Trane representative, explained the bulbs would last 18 months and the MERV filters would have to be replaced every quarter. He noted he did not have the cost for the bulbs in front of him. Fink reported the City was already using a MERV 13 filter and these were being exchanged on a quarterly basis. Councilmember Dunsworth stated she would like to better understand the ongoing costs for these upgrades to the HVAC system. She noted this was a significant investment and inquired why the City was considering these improvements now. Fink commented the previous Council had approved the installation of UV over the Eagle's Nest and the fitness center/gym areas. She reported these were high touch areas and the air was being disinfected. She indicated each year 540,000 people come into the facility. She stated knowing that COVID was not going away and seeing how the NBCC has become a hub for the City staff was recommending the improvements to the HVAC units. She discussed the vulnerable populations that are served at the community center. She stated these improvements would create an elevated level of safety and health for both staff members and visitors to the NBCC. She noted the City may be able to fund this project through new federal funding. Councilmember Dunsworth thanked staff for the thorough explanation. She stated she supported the proposed improvements to the HVAC units at the NBCC. Councilmember Axberg questioned why the City had not completed these improvements earlier. Fink reported the UV was something staff thought was a good idea, but the City could not afford to install UV in the entire NBCC, and therefore had to prioritize certain areas that had the most high touch surfaces. While she did not