The best energy efficient office building ventilation system to stop the spread of the virus
A landmark study by the City of Melbourne focused on three options for preventing the spread of Covid-19, while reducing energy use: opening windows; ceiling HEPA air filter and displacement ventilation system. The BREATH project was carried out in partnership with Cbus Property, University of Melbourne, AG Coombs, SEED Engineering and Westaflex, with peer review by AURECON. Over a three-month period the study, which is available on the City of Melbourne website, compared the energy use and performance of a number of full-scale ventilation retrofit options. Measurements were made in a full-scale building in Melbourne’s CBD, namely 423 Bourke Street, Melbourne, which will soon be rebuilt by Cbus Property, not in a laboratory. Melbourne City Mayor Sally Capp said the study was important because fears of infection remained a barrier for some city workers from returning to work. “We encourage landlords, tenants and partners to embrace BREATH’s findings, and help us ...