IAQ: Supply Chain Challenges, Buying vs. Renting & Choosing the Right Products

Kirk
It absolutely is very important to measure. I’ll liken it to something as simple as the HVAC system in your home, in your office, or wherever you happen to be. Every single one of them is the same. There is a monitor on there and it is going to tell you what the temperature is, and then i’ts going to show you what the temperature is set at, right? And that is simply the way for you to know, hey my system is working and it’s keeping me at a nice comfortable 72 degrees and everything is working great! Well the industry, luckily, is moving in that direction, and Sunbelt is ahead of that. Being able to measure indoor air quality, the performance of not only your existing HVAC system but the performance of the portable systems that you might put in, the negative air setups that you might be designing for you solutions, all of that has value.

Now IAQ usually has to take a couple of different measurements to really get a big picture. There’s no silver bullet, like there’s no one thing that really tells me, yep everything is working exactly as I want it to work. So you start off with something as simple as a particulate counter. Particulate counters have been around forever. They’re nice little easy devices, you pay a small amount or a whole lot depending on which brand and all the bells and whistles you want to get on there, but they all relatively do the same thing, right, measure the particulates in the air of a given size. We like the idea of having that technology built into machines, into the air quality gear in your space. Now that can be done on something like an air scrubber. You would call me and say, “Kirk, I need an air scrubber and I want to make sure you give me one with a particulate counter built into it.” It can be done through a more wholistic way with monitors in your building or as part of your HVAC system. There’s several manufactures out there that are incorporating that technology into existing systems, and standalone systems. and there are other ways you can measure and get a perspective of how good your air quality is.

So, there’s no silver bullet, but there are things like measuring the CO2. It’s been shown in several different studies, especially some recently, that air quality kind of follows the CO2 levels within any given space. And that kind of makes sense when you think about it. Now it’s not a surefire way to measure things, you can’t simply take a number and say, “Yup, we’re spot on because we’re at that certain level.” But it’s a good gauge along with things like particulate counters, humidistats, understanding the temperature and relative humidity in a space — these are all part of a wholistic indoor air quality system. Having something that can give you several pieces of information to allow you to determine if the existing system is working correctly and if its not, what action do I need to take? Do I need to bring in more makeup air to reduce that CO2 level? Do I need to incorporate more machines with HEPA filters to reduce the particle count? You know there’s several different actions you can take, but it all starts with having a baseline of information. That’s step one.

David
It seems so common sense and yet we have to be told to do it, right? You know it’s funny, it’s kind of like your health as well. It’s important to exercise, but sometimes we just need reminders of the very important things.

One of the big hurdles in this space, well there’s a few of them, but one is the amount of product that’s out there. There’s all different kinds and now many people are getting into this space because it’s important and there’s money to be made here with all the CARES Act flowing into this space. We’ve seen that they can use those funds – not a lawyer – but we’ve seen many schools that have used these funds to pay for upgrading their systems. So, there’s a cost to purchase. There’s a cost to rent. And there’s probably a sweet spot between the two.

Your world is rental, obviously. But tell us the pros and cons of both and what people should consider when upgrading their systems.

Kirk
Upgrading existing HVAC systems with IAQ capabilities can be notoriously difficult. Over the last year, I’ve had lots of conversations with mechanical contractors about the different methods that they try to incorporate, things like UVC light built into duct systems, upgrading MERV filters, directing UVC lights onto coils, and all sorts of other technologies that you can incorporate into existing buildings. They all come with positives and negatives.

I can say something as simple as adding upgraded MERV filters into existing systems – that works OK until you realize that once you get above MERV 13 or so, sometimes even lower, you really run into a problem of back pressure on your machines. That motor is working way harder than it needs to simply because there is more resistance because you upgraded your filter. And that’s just with MERV 13, much less something like a HEPA or HEPA equivalent, something a little bit higher down the road. I’ve heard things like, “Well, we’ll just add a bunch of makeup air into the building.” Well anyone who’s lived in Miami in the summertime realizes that you can’t add 40% makeup air into the building – you run into all sorts of other problems with humidity and trying to maintain temperature control.

So, that’s why the portable offerings, specifically in rental but also in the area of purchase, kind of make a lot of sense. And we’ve had a lot of customers take advantage of the HEPA or physical barriers using portable air scrubbers in their buildings to design an IAQ system. It’s not the only thing they’re doing but it’s simply part of an overall solution. And I like to talk to the customers I deal with. When people ask me, “Is this the best thing since sliced bread? Is getting this machine going to make sure I am safe and I’m never going to get sick and my kids are never going to get sick?” And I say, “Look, it’s just like washing your hands. When you wash your hands, does it mean you don’t have to wipe the countertop? Well, no you do both. Or does that mean I don’t need to wear a mask if I know I have COVID or someone else has COVID? Well, no, of course I’m going to have a mask on.” It’s just layers. It’s building a sandwich and adding in a bunch of things that are going to keep you safe. Upgrading existing systems can be part of that. Portable equipment can be part of that. It really comes down to what is the best system for your application. For you to customize.

David
Kirk, what you say is absolutely true . There is a direct correlation between what you do and what you get out of it. And I get questions every day from members that ask, “What is that silver bullet? What is that thing to do, what is everyone doing?” And it really is custom. It’s based on facility size. What the use of it is. How long they’re there each day. Is it 24 hours or just 2 hours a day? And all that plays into the rental vs. purchase model as well because if you only have students in buildings for a short period of time and not 24/7/365, does it make sense to rent and return it or does it make sense to purchase something? And really that is a determination you have to figure out. But I think it’s a blend of both.

We see often people wanting to do the right things and say, “Let’s throw HEPA MERV 13 filters on everything.” And they choke their systems out and they don’t get the cycles of air that they previously had. And they had unintended consequences. Or they got a bunch of portable systems and now there’s ozone issues. And issues now with the quality of air in those facilities. So, measuring it like you said earlier, bringing in systems, and doing a test of what you have will tell you what you need to do. It’s obvious with the gas meter on your vehicle. When it gets to E you have to put more in. When you measure your air quality and you find out there’s mold or you need more cycle counts with your air, you know what actions to take and what choices you have available to you.

There was one product you mentioned in a previous conversation, and not that I’m pushing a product because I’m not since we just said it depends on your system, but tell me more about the UV400 because I think you said it has a good mix, or at least what to look for in these units when you’re trying to put one of these in your space.

Kirk
Absolutely, and if you bear with me for just a moment, I would like to address one of the points you had in your earlier question: the idea of the rental vs. purchase. I like what you said that there are available options for both and you really have to look at your scenario to figure out what’s best. One of the things that we’ve run into is simply that this is new technology. Now it’s not new technology in the sense that HEPA filters have been around forever. Traditional scrubbers have been around forever. But the advances in the technology are new. That lends itself to rental obviously because with such a large company and such a large fleet size, we’re able to turn over our equipment much more often than a typical individual who is making a purchase. We’re always able to get the latest and greatest. And of course you can run down the laundry list of things that make the rental world really make sense. Simple things like, I’ll liken it to a school superintendent I had spoken to who was thinking of purchasing 1,000 portable air scrubbers, and I just said, “Well if that’s what you want to do that’s great, I’m happy to help you with any technical knowledge. But let me ask you a question, where are you going to put them after you’re done?” And you know he just didn’t have an answer for that! And I’ve heard the same thing from hospital facility directors, infection control people, we all know that hospital space is at a premium, and there’s just no space to keep large volumes of portable gear in most applications. So I always like to mention that when talking about the world of rental.

To answer your current question about the UV400 – Sunbelt has, I like to say, a great advantage in the marketplace because we own a manufacturing company and we are able to very much in real-time design, build, vet, and test new units, in this case in the world of indoor air quality. 

So, right at the beginning of the event last year, one of the things that got dumped on my plate was the idea that, hey, can we produce our own scrubber and can we do it better than what’s out there in the marketplace? And that’s where we came up with the idea of the UV400. It incorporates a lot of the technology that’s already out there. It has the HEPA filtration to offer that physical barrier, we have UVC lights built into it, we stayed away from some of the ionization technologies for some of the reasons you indicated with the possibility of ozone being produced. We really want to stick with those tried and true methods that we know work and are recommended by the experts in the fields such as ASHRE and people like that. That machine incorporates not only those traditional methods of filtration, but also incorporates some of the things we talked about. It has the CO2 meter built into it. It has the particulate meter built into it. The humidistat built into it. And it all comes in one nice easy-to-use machine that we can produce and get out there to the marketplace to our customers. And say, “Hey, we designed this thing because we’re responding to your questions. We’re responding to the ask from you.”

Believe it or not we run across a lot of government contracts, for some reason, that are very specific about their asks. They want to know, “Hey, is there an indicator on the machine that tells me when the HEPA is full?” They want to know if there are auto starts and auto shut offs on these machines. These are things that I hear every single day, and maybe a year or two ago I had to say, “Well, you know, our gear doesn’t have that.” Now I can say, “Sure, I have a machine that does that simply because I listened to you last year and we built our own.”

David
That completely makes sense. And there are a few main things I’ve taken so far from our time today. One: if it’s important, you have to measure it and find ways to measure it. Two: you gotta start preparing sooner rather than later. We had an issue early on with many school systems when COVID started that couldn’t get masks and gloves. There was a shortage, right, the federal government took a lot, private industry took a lot. Other countries took a lot of product. In the same way with filters and with substrate and materials that go into even the KN95 masks, there are shortages around the globe with those and long lead times. So, prepare now in advance. Start doing your research now in advance.

Another unintended consequence that we’re going to see in the summer is that the people that are doing the work – the contractors – are going to be in short supply. Many of them are having a hard time finding labor and everyone is going to be doing projects. So, there is going to be a shortage of people. Another key is to make sure that you’re finding those contractors now so you’re not trying to find one and it’s too late and you get whatever is left over – because no one wants to get left with what’s left over.

Saul
You know David, I wanted to add from just hearing Kirk describe their philosophy and how they go about pivoting getting product ready. You explained the difference between renting and purchasing, and the philosophy behind that. And, Kirk, you shared about your manufacturing facility and why that’s a differentiator and what goes into that and what comes out of that. And some of the experts you listen to – you talk about ASHRE, you talk about the CDC and how that guides some of what you guys put together.

But for our listeners, I think we are quick to jump on and build relationships with suppliers to say, “Hey, they have it, let’s just go buy it.” And I get that because you need it. However, I would challenge and hopefully get our listeners to ask themselves, “Hey, what’s the philosophy behind that supplier? How do they go about creating and bringing this product to the market for us and what goes into that?” And once you start understanding that, you start to realize that there are suppliers out there that really do have a robust process, philosophy, and resources that go into what comes out for you and your facilities and your crews. I think that’s important homework for all of us as a takeaway. Because as I sit here listening to Kirk, even I start thinking about it — have I ever thought about the whole philosophy of a supplier and what goes into their products and services and their supply chain? And I think that’s important for all of us to ask ourselves. What does that look like as I’m planning ahead for the future?

Kirk
That’s a good point. The idea that somebody’s been doing this for a relatively long time lends itself to at least tell me they’re in it for the long haul. I would love to see a statistic of how many manufacturers of air quality gear there were February of last year and how many there are February of this year. I imagine that there has been an exponential growth in those individuals. And don’t get me wrong – there’s a lot of good people out there, there’s a lot of people doing good science, good testing, putting the time and effort into building a quality piece of equipment. Unfortunately, there are others that will slap a few metal plates and run an electrical charge across it and say, “Yup, I got a filter! This thing is the greatest thing since sliced bread!” And  I would simply advise any consumer out there, just like anything else, do your research, look at the testing, understand what you’re purchasing, renting, thinking about as a solution, and make a decision. There’s a lot of information – the CDC and ASHRE provide a lot of good information, and of course podcasts like this!

David
There’s three things that people ask for: there’s time, there’s money, and there’s quality. And you cant pick all three usually. You can’t have cheap, fast, and excellent, usually, so you get what you pay for. So do your due diligence for what you need in your facility. One room might be different from another room or one building from another building. Even relative humidity can change within certain parts of the city. I live in Houston, it’s always humid, it’s just one area may be less humid than the other. So, in your facilities, really bring in experts. Bring in the Kirks of the world to tell you what other facilities have done and to help you measure this.

Kirk, I’d like to give you, in closing, an opportunity. From where you sit, what are some things that you wish people knew, what are some things that you find you often have to reexplain or educate? We’re talking to educated people here, we’re talking to facilities directors, the people that know what IAQ is and are working hard to continue to stay on the front lines of delivering great air quality to their people. What keeps you up at night? What do you wish you could tell people if you had a bullhorn?

Kirk
Well the good news is things are getting better. The technology is moving along. I think there is a wider education, a wider understanding of indoor air quality and that’s just going to increase.

I’ll touch back on some of the points that I made here today. Preplan if you can. Think about what may happen, not just what is happening. The world of indoor air quality moves relatively quickly. Having some forethought will pay of in a big way – the ounce of prevention vs. the pound of cure. That definitely applies to indoor air quality. Then the second thing I would just simply say is: do your research. Understand what you need. If you don’t understand, then ask an expert. Or ask somebody who is in the business. Ask multiple people! None of us would simply accept a plague diagnosis or something detrimental without talking to another doctor. Doesn’t mean the first doctor didn’t know what he’s talking about, but it’s just a good idea to get a second opinion, get a broad array of information, and then again think about it as a customized solution for your facility. For your space. And understand that what worked next door may or may not work for you. But usually a very simple conversation, understanding the basics of indoor air quality, understanding the research and the facts at hand, will take you a long way.

David
Yes, that is so true. As you bring in experts, those experts are there for a reason and sometimes it’s just to deliver information, and sometimes it’s to sell a product. So absolutely, get different bits of information from different people.

Saul
Thanks again Kirk for the amazing points and insight that you brought to our listeners today. And for all the teams that are helping maintain, operate, and manage facilities across universities, across the U.S., we thank you as well and hope this podcast was beneficial to you.

David
We’re grateful for you all spending some time with us. We learned a ton from you, Kirk, thanks a ton to you and to Sunbelt for allowing you to spend some time with us. Saul, as always, its been a pleasure. And to our listeners, thank you for listening to Cooperatively Speaking, a podcast from E&I. We’ll see you at the next episode!