Facility Infection Risk Estimator(TM) Module, Version 2.1
- Perspectives
BranchPattern is pleased to announce the evolution of our Facility Infection Risk EstimatorTM (previously known as the Flu Infection Risk EstimatorTM).
VIEW VERSION 2.1 (v2.1) OF FACILITY INFECTION RISK ESTIMATORTM MODULE HERE
Shortly after the pandemic began having significant social and economic impacts in early/mid-March 2020, BranchPattern recognized a need among our clients, communities, and society-at-large for assessing the risk of infection, via aerosols, in our buildings. We rolled up our sleeves and got to work determining if such a module for the happēTM tool would be possible, and then subsequently developing it. At the time we also committed to making it freely accessible to everyone – clients, non-clients, and even competitors – and are still committed to that.
“We’re excited to launch v2,” said Pete Jefferson, co-creator of the tool. “It expands on the number of virus removal and inactivation strategies, as assessed by version 1 (v1). This tool, still free to the public and closely aligns with our 2030 Vision of positively impacting 500,000 occupants per day by 2030, provides a more comprehensive picture on how to best reduce the probability of infection from virus-containing aerosols while indoors. Most importantly, it will now directly estimate the probability of infection for SARS-CoV-2, or COVID-19.”
“Calculating the Risk: An Online Tool Translates Space Stats into COVID Risk”
Facility Infection Risk EstimatorTM case study, published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
As a recent winner of the Green Building Alliance’s “Green Building Health Intervention” award, the module has been effective in assessing the relative safety of occupants within existing individual rooms and spaces, while estimating improvements by making changes to ventilation levels, building system filtration, relative humidity, occupant density, and exposure times, given the room/space size. Since launching v1, our team has utilized the module to help building owners successfully estimate the best system improvement plans based on the module’s capability of establishing maximum occupant levels and maximum exposure times.
What’s new? V2 builds upon v1 by including the following:
- Addition of the removal/inactivation strategies of upper room UVGI, portable air cleaners, and mask wearing
- Expanded potential solutions available for evaluation relative to reducing the probability of infection
- Addition of varying occupant activity levels, from resting to heavy exercise
- Addition of more expiratory means, such as breathing, speaking, and singing
- Addition of three levels of virus shedding to select from (low, medium, and high)
- Reconfigured figures and tables to improve clarity
“School districts and building owners are struggling to figure out how their buildings could be safer and healthier during the pandemic. The Facility Infection Risk Estimator(TM) provides much needed systems guidance and recommendations that fall within budget and time constraints. It also provides peace of mind.”
Marcel Harmon, co-creator of the Facility Infection Risk EstimatorTM
With building owners, facility managers, and designers constantly being bombarded with the latest technology or method to reduce viral threats, BranchPattern’s module now provides a means to systematically assess the best combination of strategies for a given set of circumstances, while still minimizing energy consumption.
“School districts and building owners are struggling to figure out how their buildings could be safer and healthier during the pandemic,” said Marcel Harmon, co-creator of the estimator. “The Facility Infection Risk Estimator(TM) provides much needed systems guidance and recommendations that fall within budget and time constraints. It also provides peace of mind”
Check it out for yourself! For more information about our Facility Infection Risk EstimatorTM, connect with Marcel Harmon.
(NOTE: BranchPattern will provide continuous updates to the module within Version 2 which are reflected in incremental version names.)
