• Home
  • Covid-19
  • NewsThe Importance of Ventilation in the Post-Pandemic Workplace

The Importance of Ventilation in the Post-Pandemic Workplace

JD COOLING | Covid-19

A White Paper By: Mike Gould BSc, MinstR, HVAC Manager at JD Cooling Group™

Overview

Covid-19 has intrinsically changed the way we view and manage workplace health and safety. Specifically, the government and scientific community has placed an emphasis on improving the quality of ventilation within indoor environments as a way to minimise the spread of Covid-19. Experts agree that the current rules on ventilation are failing to stop infections, including Covid-19. This development continues to turn health and safety regulation on its head, signalling the beginning of a new model of improved ventilation conditions in workplace environments even as we emerge out of the pandemic.

 

This white paper is a call to action for the change in regulation needed to ensure adequate ventilation within workplace and public indoor environments. Specifically, incorporating learnings from the pandemic following the devastating impact to wellbeing that poor ventilation can cause. This document provides insight into the importance of workplace ventilation systems in terms of employee wellbeing; the scientific case for good ventilation in minimising the spread of Covid-19 and other viruses; how mechanical ventilation systems work; ways to make the workplace a safer environment; a trend moving from comfort in the workplace to wellbeing within the workplace and concludes with a number of recommendations as we look to the future.

Graphic inspired by Wei J, et al. Building and Environment 93 (2015) 86-96.

Indoor Environments Under the Microscope

In May 2021, JD Cooling Group™ commissioned an independent survey with Opinium Research using a sample of 1,000 UK employees working from home during the pandemic. The survey concluded that seven out of ten people are worried about going back to their workplace after restrictions are lifted and two-thirds of employees (68 per cent) cited contracting Covid-19 at their place of work as their biggest concern. The survey found that despite the extensive vaccine roll out, many people remain cautious about the prospect of a return to the office.

About the Author Mike Gould

Mike Gould has 22 years’ experience working in the HVAC industry. An IOR Member, he currently works as an air conditioning and ventilation contractor and pharmaceutical HVAC designer. In 2019 he led the team responsible for winning “Best Clean Room Facility” awarded by Cleanroom Technology. He holds a Bsc in Biomedical science from Anglia Ruskin University.

For More Information

Please contact Mike on T: 01553 767446 E info@jdcooling.com.