Ventilation Design Improvements – Improving Air Quality
In our current situation, indoor air quality has gone from a very important issue to a critical one. Healthcare experts say the most dangerous situation for possibly contracting a transmitted airborne virus is indoors, in a contained environment.
Typical HVAC distribution in offices, manufacturing, institutional or retail spaces, distributes the airflow horizontally from grilles high in walls or in the ceiling, using entrainment and mixing to evenly condition the space. This works well in maintaining comfort but is a direct distributor of air in a space; moving potentially contaminated air through the space, to be shared by many in that space.
ATS Engineers, Inspectors & Surveyors (ATS), MEP team has vast experience with options to address this distribution of potentially contaminated air and is ready with over 60 years of combined experience to help you improve existing systems or do a better job for new projects.
One of the best options is a different distribution system, noted as Displacement Ventilation. This is a link to a description of the benefits of displacement ventilation to dramatically lower the distribution of airborne contaminants in an internal occupied area: https://blog.priceindustries.com/improve-air-quality-in-schools-with-displacement-ventilation
The staff at ATS designed the displacement ventilation for Zach Topfer Theater. This has mixed temperature air rising under the seats, up past the audience member then up to a high return, such that no air is shared with others. Adding HEPA filters and UV-C disinfection in the unit can result in the lowest possibility of sharing contaminated air.
Displacement ventilation can be retrofitted to most existing buildings. It is an ideal system for large open areas, such as auditoriums, retail spaces, open offices, etc. Perforated low speed airflow air devices can replace the typical distribution grilles. These allow the airflow to spill across the floor, seeking any heat source, then rising to a high-mounted return, again limiting the sharing of contaminated air.
ATS also has experience designing filtration, UV-C treatment and clean room environments.
Let us help you build or retrofit a space to be safe for all your occupants!
David Mitchell P.E.
ATS’s MEP department manager, David Mitchell, recently delivered a monetary donation to the Central Texas Food Bank on behalf of ATS Engineers, Inspectors & Surveyors. Proceeds from the employee vending machine are donated each month. This month’s donation will provide approximately 1,600 meals.
Our IT Department Manager, Will Guidry, had the pleasure of being a guest speaker at a recent meeting of Howdy Bots FRC Team 6377. Howdy Bots is a high school robotics team from Austin that participates in the First Robotics Competition. The team consists mainly of home-schooled and private-schooled students who don’t have access to an independent school district’s robotics program. The team members have a passion for STEAM education. The mentors are experienced professional engineers and business leaders. The parent organization, ATX Robotics, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and depends upon donors and sponsors for funding.
ATS Engineers, Inspectors & Surveyors welcomes Nycholas White to the Energy Department. Nyc is a certified Home Energy Rating System (HERS) rater and will be assisting our other raters in the field. When not working he enjoys hiking with his dog or pursuing his love of science fiction movies.
ATS Engineers, Inspectors & Surveyors is pleased to welcome John Maldonado to our Inspection department. John is an Army veteran, having served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a native Texan and grew up surrounded by the construction industry. He has numerous International Code Council certifications and comes to us with years of experience inspecting construction projects. When he’s not working John spends time with family. In his spare time, he loves being on the lake fishing, kayaking or just taking in the sun. Welcome to the ATS family, John.
ATS Engineers, Inspectors & Surveyors was recently honored with a very special gift from Registered Professional Land Surveyor and ATS employee, Marty Coston. Marty presented ATS with a United States flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol and a Texas flag that flew over the State Capitol. Both flags were flown on Veteran’s day, November 11, 2018. The flags were accompanied by certificates from U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and State Senator Kirk Watson stating that they were flown in honor of the veterans at ATS.
ATS is pleased to welcome Dennis Rodriguez to our Energy Department. Dennis is a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) rater and will be assisting our other energy inspectors in the field. Dennis is a native Texan and was born and raised in Austin. He loves to spend time with family and stays busy with his 8-month-old little girl. We are happy to welcome Dennis to the ATS family.
ATS is pleased to welcome Wes Torio to the Energy Department. Wes is a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) field rater inspector. He will be working with our other professionals in the field providing residential energy efficiency testing. An avid outdoorsman, Wes spends his free time skiing, hunting and traveling. We are happy to have Wes join our team.