COVID-19 and Why MEP Design Will Never Be the Same

After nearly a year of living with coronavirus, it’s safe to say that the COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting impact on countless people, systems and expectations. With the changes building owners have had to put in place this year to ensure the safety of their buildings, we expect that the deadly disease’s legacy will also drive permanent changes to building designs and operation well into the future.

Perhaps one of the biggest changes to impact buildings has come as result of building owners’ and facility managers’ increased reliance on new MEP technologies as well as their MEP and HVAC system partners. With the SARS-CoV-2 virus being largely transmitted through airborne respiratory droplets, building owners have recognized the need to take measures to improve air quality to reduce the spread of infection in their facilities. Those building owners have turned to MEP designers and HVAC contractors to determine the best solutions for doing just that.

Here at Schnackel Engineers, we’ve had countless commercial building owners reach out with questions about new technologies they were evaluating and for recommendations for their HVAC systems. For many building owners, it was the first time they had delved so deeply into the science and engineering behind airflow—and it has proven to be an eye-opening experience for some. That’s because many of the changes building owners and managers have made to their MEP systems do not just help reduce the spread of COVID-19. These changes can also help reduce the spread of the flu and other diseases and improve overall building comfort and safety. That’s why we can confidently predict that the COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting impact on MEP technologies.

Changes to expect in future MEP technologies

While architects may feel overwhelmed at times from emails and flyers promoting surefire new air cleaning technologies and the like, MEP designers know that there are a number of proven solutions already available to improve system performance. As more building owners come to recognize the benefit of these solutions, we expect that some of these changes will have staying power. Below are five changes we expect to show up in more building designs going forward.

1. Higher levels of filtration

While HVAC equipment has long been equipped with in-duct filters, you can expect to specify systems capable of operating with higher levels of filtration in the future. Filters serve as a first line of defense in removing infectious particles from the airstream. However, the MERV-8 rated filters that have served as the standard for years have proven not up to the task of filtering out minute SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious particles. Expect MERV-13 or higher rated filters—which are more effective at filtering out particles as small as 0.3 microns—to serve as the baseline standard going forward.

It’s a fairly sure bet that higher-rated filters will become the norm in the future, particularly as replacing filters is a maintenance task already on the schedule for most facilities departments. However, it’s also possible that supplemental air cleaning devices may also become more frequently specified. For example, many building maintenance teams have added in-duct UV lights or ionization air purification systems. These supplemental purifiers are a bit more expensive and require additional maintenance. Still, as many building managers have become used to this additional step, they may be more likely to see this as an additional selling point for tenants demanding a clean, safe building.

2. Higher rates of outdoor air exchange

If there’s one message building owners have internalized as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s the healthful impact of outdoor air. So, you can expect your future designs to incorporate MEP technologies that account for higher outdoor airflow rates.

There are ample benefits to push this trend along. Increased ventilation leads to healthier buildings, increased comfort and more productive employees. Moreover, facility managers can set the ventilation point on their HVAC system and, for the most part, make no further adjustments. As long as the equipment is appropriately maintained and regularly balanced, it will keep bringing in fresh outdoor air in the correct proportion to the changing building occupancy levels.

To reduce the additional energy consumption and costs associated with an increase in ventilation, designers should be recommending whole-system energy recovery ventilators (ERV). An ERV can reduce energy usage in the process of circulating higher levels of outdoor air, leading to lower operational costs.

3. Improved humidity control

With the recent research on the impact of low and high humidity on viruses, improvements in humidity control become a must. However, this may be an area where designers must take the lead on educating the owner as to the importance of this measure.

Humidity control is one of the best ways to control the human’s response to a virus or to any respiratory disease, however it’s not always well recognized as a solution. Fortunately, it’s easy to understand the impact of humidity control on the body. After all, many people experience dry skin, nosebleeds and other discomfort in the winter months, when cold air holds less moisture. The COVID-19 pandemic has offered one more reason to focus on humidity control, as researchers have identified a clear connection between lower humidity and the function of our bodies’ immune system defenses.

Experts are recognizing that humidity within the range of 40% to 60% RH is more comfortable and healthier for building occupants. Expect to specify clean steam and other non-evaporative solutions routinely for humidity control in future MEP technologies. As you make these changes, it’s important to remember the impact this addition may have on other systems. For example, humidifying in cold winter temperatures could lead to condensation on single-pane glass, so this change may also require specification of more energy-efficient windows, among other changes.

4. Greater system flexibility

As noted above, the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged a wide range of building owners to reach out to MEP system designers and HVAC contractors as partners. The work these teams have completed in balancing and otherwise adjusting systems to improve airflow has demonstrated to building owners the importance of flexibility in HVAC systems. Depending on the unique outdoor conditions, current infection control recommendations, energy usage and other factors, systems have needed to scale up or down rapidly. As a result, it’s likely that more building owners in the future may ask for more built-in MEP system flexibility to accommodate unknown future risks.

There are a few potential solutions to address this need. One is demand control ventilation, which automatically tailors ventilation rates based upon building occupancy and other air quality criteria. Another option is an automated building management system. While these intelligent solutions for more efficiently controlling the environment have already taken hold, expect them to become more in demand for all types of commercial buildings, including smaller facilities that previously did not include these types of advanced controls.

5. Air quality monitoring

With all the changes taking place in MEP technologies—and promises of improved safety and comfort on the line—building owners will need a system that tells them their HVAC system is performing as specified. We predict that air quality monitoring will become the check building owners need to ensure their systems are operating properly and appropriately balanced. Air quality monitoring can ensure that the outdoor air coming in is appropriately filtered and that building managers are not simply replacing clean indoor air with allergen-laden outdoor air. These solutions are already widely available, and your MEP designer should be able to make recommendations for the right solution for your facility.

Proactive maintenance becomes a must

Incorporating the solutions described above into future designs will establish the best operating conditions for buildings going forward. However, as with all building systems, the effectiveness of these changes depends upon regular, diligent and long-term maintenance. It’s important that designers and system engineers educate building owners on the role proactive maintenance plays in ensuring building health and comfort.

In many cases, operational energy savings may help offset the cost of more proactive systems and maintenance. Having these financial and operational discussions in the design stage will help building owners make educated decisions—and give designers an edge as a valuable resource for their clients.

To learn more about how you can better serve as a resource in designing healthier buildings, please reach out to Schnackel Engineers today.