Reagan National and Dulles International airports now have ultraviolet disinfection technology to combat the spread of viruses including Covid.
Lumalier, a Memphis, Tennessee-based ultraviolet technology brand owned by EvergreenUV LLC, created the UV germicidal irradiation technology now installed at both airports, the company said in an announcement this week. The disinfection method that kills airborne pathogens is recommended as a ventilation strategy to prevent the spread of Covid by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and it’s one method used by D.C.-area building owners since the start of the pandemic.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority sought out the technology to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria, it said in its statement of work from June, and continues to be relevant now as travel continues to rebound since the pandemic’s slowdown and summer nears. The airports authority contracted with Patner Construction, based in Merrifield, on the project, a spokeswoman said.
“These germicidal UVC systems will also help airports mitigate the risk of spread for more common viruses, such as influenza,” David Skelton, president of Lumalier and EvergreenUV, said in a statement, adding that the fixtures also improve the efficiency of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems to cut down on energy costs.
MWAA, which operates both airports, estimated the installation would cost between $3 million and $4 million in June. The airports authority’s statement of work specifically called for the technology to disinfect the air in 39 spaces at National and 73 spaces at Dulles, including ticketing and baggage claim areas, security checkpoints, transit platforms and gate hold rooms.
The airports authority’s staff mounted the products to the walls in passenger waiting areas and attached them to HVAC system air handlers for an “upper-air” strategy. That targets the air near the upper part of a room directly at the air flow, rather than directly exposing people. The process finished at the end of November, said MWAA spokeswoman Crystal Nosal. The fixtures also specifically disperse the UV-C energy, or ultraviolet light energy, which has shorter wavelengths, and therefore is less intense than other kinds of ultraviolet rays that are more risky to health.
“In addition to the benefit of inactivating airborne pathogens such as viruses and bacteria, we believe the use of the upper-air light fixtures, which are visible in the spaces throughout the airport, will provide peace of mind to travelers in the busiest areas where people congregate,” Derrick Sears, business development manager for Evergreen UV and Lumalier, said in a statement.
