Updated on 10/20/22

Table of Contents

1. White House Holds Summit to Improve IAQ
2. The White House Indoor Air Quality Plan
4. Which Air Cleaning Option Do I Choose?
5. Getting Your Badge
6. Your Next Steps

White House Holds Summit to Improve IAQ

As humans attempt to retrieve normalcy again around the United States after the COVID-19 pandemic, many are concerned about the air quality surrounding them, their families, and their employees. Indoor Air Quality, or IAQ, is referred to by HealthWay® as the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of the building occupants.

Recently, White House officials gathered public health and ventilation experts, private sector and educational leaders, and other stakeholders in a summit with a focus to improve IAQ. They targeted businesses and educational facilities to invest in ventilation upgrades for the improvement of occupant health and reduce the spread of infectious diseases. Watch the full summit here (published October 2022).

Controlling contaminated ultrafine particles helps reduce the risk of health concerns caused by the indoor built environment. IAQ impacts the health of all humans, and the side effects of exposure to indoor pollutants can be experienced soon after, or possibly years after the detection.

As the confusion on COVID-19 particles were elucidated, the CDC found that the particles are airborne and can spread rapidly in all indoor environments. A human can catch COVID-19 by inhaling air that contains the contaminated particle when in close range to an infected person, or in an inadequately ventilated environment where an infected person was.

After more than two years of wearing masks, working remotely, and social distancing, many companies have reopened their doors to their employees. The White House indoor air quality plan is an outcome of collaboration among government departments and officials. The effort is in hope of reducing the ongoing impact of COVID-19 and attempting to improve IAQ in buildings across the USA.

The White House Indoor Air Quality Plan

The Biden-Harris Administration has made improving indoor air quality a priority to fight the spread of airborne diseases. Alike the demand for clean water, there has now been a call to action and a set of guideline principles from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assist anyone who owns or operates a building. The Clean Air in Buildings Challenge can be utilized by anyone from a building manager to a homeowner, to establish a plan for cleaner air for their buildings.

The guidance to help these people improve IAQ and protect public health can be found on the EPA website as a list of recommendations, resources, and key topics. These actions include outdoor ventilation, air filtration, and air disinfection.

Outdoor ventilation can be as simple as opening the window to let fresh air in. But, in many cases, this option may not be available due to wildfire smoke, outdoor air pollution, microplastics, and other sources that could have a negative effect on a human’s health. If this is an issue, the EPA states that air filtration products, whether attached to the building’s HVAC system or portable units have a dramatic effect on COVID-19 and other airborne germs causing illness.

Which Air Cleaning Option Do I Choose?

Due to the pandemic, indoor air filtration has seen a major increase in attention as many schools, hospitals, hotels, workplaces, and residential homes have installed products in their buildings over the last several years. Upgrades in technology, such as a Disinfecting Filtration System, found in HealthWay® products, can eliminate ultrafine particles as small as 0.007µ at a 99% efficiency rate.

What makes HealthWay® the leader in air purification solutions, is our product portfolio. We have applications for almost every sized space – from a bedroom to a skyscraper building. Whether it’s a small Compact unit built for classrooms or a 2000 Inline Modular Solution in a major enterprise, HealthWay® products remain first in class for air purification using DFS technology.

Air disinfection includes ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) systems, used where there is less airflow. Although the EPA has seen improvement with UVGI, air purification has been seen to be the most effective solution to COVID-19 and other indoor quality challenges. Contaminated air quality can contain ultrafine particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing serious health issues. There are now Federal funds and resources available to assist schools, small businesses, state and local governments, and other public and commercial establishments to upgrade IAQ solutions.

Getting Your Badge

Show your employees, customers, and community that your business is taking the Challenge and pledging commitment to improving IAQ with an official badge. The badge will be sent to pledgers in digital form, so it can be shared on their websites, social media, or storefronts. Pledge for your badge here.

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