Resource Center: Building Operations During COVID-19

• Guidance for Re-Opening Buildings
• COVID-19 Guidance for Multifamily Building Owners/Managers
• Position Document on Infectious Aerosols
• Epidemic Task Forces: Building Readiness, Healthcare, Residential, Residential Healthcare, Commercial, Schools and Universities

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and Air Filtration Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
National Air Filtration Association
Guidance Document
FAQs on building filtration, including filter ratings, UV lamps, air purification, and portable filtration systems.

COVID-19: FAQ for Residential Buildings
New York City Health
Guidance Document
New York City's guidance document for operators of residential buildings.

COVID-19 Guidance Directory
REHVA Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations
Resource Hub
Visit this resource center for courses, webinars, guidance documents, and a calculator to estimate the effect of ventilation on COVID-19 airborne transmission.

COVID-19 White Paper
Taylor Engineering
Guidance Document
Discusses the effectiveness and energy impacts of HVAC transmission mitigation strategies.

Healthy Buildings Guide for Small Businesses: A Quick Reference to Improve Indoor Air Quality
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Guidance Document
Guidance for small businesses to improve indoor air quality and reduce occupant risk.

Improving Indoor Air Quality in California Schools
UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Guidance Document
Guidance for ventilation and filtration in educational facilities.

School IAQ Fact Sheets Series
U.S. Green Building Council
Guidance Documents
This fact sheet series is designed to help people without a technical background understand how indoor air quality (IAQ) impacts their schools and help with decision-making.

Potential application of air-cleaning devices and personal decontamination to manage transmission of COVID-19
United Kingdom Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies
Guidance Document
Discusses potential application of air-cleaning devices to reduce coronavirus transmission.

Better Buildings Factsheets by Sector
U.S. Department of Energy
Guidance Documents
Better Buildings' fact sheets for hospitality, commercial buildings, retail, and grocery for building operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Hospitality Operations to Reduce Risks of Airborne Infectious Disease Transmission
• Operating HVAC Systems in Commercial Office Spaces to Reduce Risks of Airborne Infectious Disease Transmission
• Retail Operations to Reduce Risks of Airborne Infectious Disease Transmission
• Grocery Operations to Reduce Risks of Airborne Infectious Disease Transmission

Planning for the Future: New and Improved Pandemic Protocols
Learn from experts in the buildings field as they discuss changes to their own pandemic preparedness and response plans and best practices for navigating future events.
 

Health, Efficiency, and Building Operations: Insights from the Pandemic and a Look Ahead
This virtual Summit session explored Better Buildings partner insights on building operations and looked back through the pandemic and ahead for more healthy, resilient buildings. From green leasing practices to curtailment, explore tools and practices at the health-energy nexus.

Office Buildings and Ventilation: How COVID-19 and Other Pathogens Spread Between Zones
This webinar discussed the effect of ventilation rates on the concentration and spread of COVID-19 and other pathogens within office buildings, as well as the energy implications of the ventilation strategies addressed.
 

Monitoring Healthy Buildings: Using EMIS to Identify Issues with Ventilation, Air Quality, and Thermal Health
In this presentation, The Better Buildings EMIS Tech Team clarified opportunities for monitoring and analytics to identify areas that need attention, from fresh air delivery and airborne contaminants to comfort metrics.
 

Navigating Air Purification Technologies During COVID
The pandemic increased interest in novel technologies such as ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and bi-polar ionization. What factors should you consider when exploring these technologies as part of a building operations reopening plan? Speakers highlighted proven strategies for safe reopening without compromising energy efficiency.

Minimizing Infectious Disease Spread in Buildings: How HVAC Guidance has Evolved
Guidance on how to best manage HVAC systems to minimize the spread of infectious diseases has evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. William Bahnfleth revisited his previous presentation on Managing HVAC Systems to Reduce Infectious Disease Transmission and discussed what has changed since May.

Fault Detection and Diagnostics in the Age of COVID-19
Fault detection and diagnostics is the process of using building operational data to identify system and equipment faults and optimization opportunities by using algorithms specific to the building systems. What strategies can be applied to support a healthy efficient building operation under “pandemic-mode” and what are the consequences?

Learning From Building Operations During COVID-19
As the pandemic continues to evolve, building managers are considering modifying building operations to minimize the risk of disease transmission. This discussion provided updates on relevant outcomes in research, highlighted sanitation best practices, and identified investments that can enhance energy efficiency to produce healthier buildings.

Better Plants Online Learning Series: Energy Management During a Pandemic
The pandemic has had wide-ranging impacts on how we manage energy, find opportunities, and implement projects. This webinar highlighted how various companies are strategically modifying their industrial energy management programs and systems to be successful going forward.

Building-to-Grid Integration in the Context of COVID
The Better Buildings Renewables Integration Technology Research Team discussed building-to-grid integration in the context of COVID and how the pandemic is accelerating the transition to grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs).
 

Getting Ready for Re-opening: Commissioning Experts Discuss Essential System Checks
Commissioning experts Geremy Wolff and Jesse Sycuro of McKinstry discussed recent activity and lessons learned from the buildings they are helping to re-open.
 

Lighting & Electrical Technology Research Team Webinar – Germicidal UV Lighting
UV lighting has become a hot topic with the pandemic as a means to disinfect buildings and surfaces from viruses and bacteria. Mark Lien, Industry Relations Manager of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), presented on germicidal ultraviolet (UV) lighting.

Managing Buildings During a Shutdown and Bringing Them Back Online
In this webinar, the speakers discussed their experiences reoccupying buildings with attention to climate considerations and building use.
 

Managing HVAC Systems to Reduce Infectious Disease Transmission
Dr. William Bahnfleth provided a critical review of guidance published by ASHRAE and other built environment organizations and discussed their relationship to recommendations of science and health-focused organizations like the WHO. Dr. Bahnfleth also shared expert insight based on the best research for operations to help mitigate risks.