They’ve used physical distancing. They’ve followed strict cleaning and contract tracing protocols. They’ve tried masks.
And now, many Stark County-area schools are upgrading their air ventilation systems to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus and other harmful or noxious air pollutants.
A survey of Stark County-area public school districts shows that at least a dozen districts have upgraded their air ventilation systems in at least one of their buildings since 2020 or are planning to do so this spring and summer. Money sent to school districts to help them with COVID-19 mitigation strategies, known as Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, has covered the cost of nearly all of the projects.
A majority of the school districts have turned to a new technology, called bipolar ionization, that seeks to neutralize airborne viruses using equipment that can be attached to a school’s existing air ventilation system.
Other school districts are installing HVAC systems for the first time, upgrading the filters in their existing air distribution systems or have invested in HALO sensors, which can monitor volatile organic compounds that officials believe also can be used to help control vaping and nicotine use by students.
“Our priority has always been to do everything within our power to provide the safest environment in all of our buildings,” said Plain Local Superintendent Brent May, whose district finished installing bipolar ionization units in its nine school buildings, central office and bus garage at the end of January. “The pandemic has presented different challenges, but our priority remains the same, this (bipolar ionization) project is another step in making our buildings as safe as possible.”
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Plain’s upgrade comes as the Ohio Department of Health has eased its contact tracing and quarantine protocols for schools.
School districts are no longer required to notify families if their child had been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 and students can still attend school even if they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 as long as they wear a mask and show no symptoms.
While schools still are cleaning and keeping students spaced at least 3 feet apart, most Stark County schools also have dropped their indoor mask mandates. Only Canton City and Alliance school districts require masks while inside buildings. Masks are still required on school buses due to a federal transportation order.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Ohio Department of Health have recommended that educational facilities consider ventilation system upgrades to increase the delivery of clean air and dilute potential contaminates. But the agencies don’t endorse a specific type of upgrade nor do they recommend or oppose any manufacturer or product, leaving school district leaders to explore what works best for their facilities.
Plain, Fairless, Jackson, Minerva, Northwest, Osnaburg, Sandy Valley and Sebring have chosen to invest in bipolar ionization as part of their air quality improvement projects.
Bipolar ionization devices, which often are installed inside a building’s existing air handlers, univents or ductwork, are different from filters because they actively treat the air.
The devices send out positive and negative ions that seek atoms and molecules in the air. These ions act like magnets, merging with air particles to make clumps that are easier for filters to catch or that fall to the floor. The ions are able to neutralize harmful particles, such as viruses, by breaking down their molecular structure and can help with pollutants and odorous gases that oxidize with oxygen.
The devices have a life expectancy of at least 10 years with little to no ongoing maintenance, which also has made them attractive to school districts.
But the bipolar ionization technology also has faced increasing criticism.
A federal lawsuit filed last year against a manufacturer of bipolar ionization technology accuses Global Plasma Solutions of falsifying its effectiveness and safety claims by using studies that could not be replicated in real-world situations.
Global Plasma Solutions has responded with data from other third-party studies and thousands of installations that it says show that its technology is safe and effective. It also has filed federal legal action against some of the scientists it states have published false and misleading statements about the technology.
Federal health and environmental agencies, including the CDC and Environmental Protection Agency, have called bipolar ionization and other newer air-cleaning methods, an “emerging technology” and have urged consumers to exercise caution and do their homework. The EPA also warns that bipolar ionization has the potential to generate ozone and other potentially harmful byproducts indoors unless specific precautions are taken in the product design and maintenance.
“This is an emerging technology, and little research is available that evaluates it outside of lab conditions,” the EPA states. “As typical of newer technologies, the evidence for safety and effectiveness is less documented than for more established ones, such as filtration.”
Steve Ripepi, sales manager for Gardiner, said the Plasma Air Technology that his company has supplied to multiple local school districts has been shown to be effective and not produce harmful byproducts.
He cited third-party testing of Plasma Air’s technology against the spread of the coronavirus that shows a 99% reduction in the air and an 80% disinfection rate on surfaces after 10 minutes of exposure.
According to Plasma Air’s website, its products are certified by the Underwriters Laboratory to produce zero ozone emissions.
Ripepi said Gardiner, which is a member of the International WELL Building Institute, has completed similar bipolar ionization projects for school districts across northeast Ohio as well as for businesses, courthouses, jails, restaurants and even homes.
He’s installed the technology in his home and his parent’s home to help not only reduce harmful pollutants but to also eliminate odors, such as the lingering smell of fish after dinner.
Reach Kelli at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com.
The Canton Repository sent a request for information to Stark County-area school districts to find out whether they had recently upgraded their air ventilation systems and to get details if they had. Here are the responses that districts sent:
The district replaced eight boilers at Alliance Middle School and Alliance Intermediate School and a cooling tower and two HVAC units at Alliance High School. District staff also installed upgraded filters in each school building’s HVAC equipment that more efficiently filters the air being circulated, including the virus for COVID-19. The work has been completed over the past several months.
Cost: $750,000, paid by coronavirus relief funds.
The district increased the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values of its air filters from MERV 11 to MERV 13, which has been recommended by the CDC. A MERV rating of 13-16 is considered hospital-level air quality. The district also has provided air purifiers for individual classrooms.
Cost: $200,000, paid for by coronavirus relief funds.
More to come: The district plans to hire an architectural firm to assess its current facilities and expects that air quality and HVAC systems will be included in the recommended improvements that will begin this spring.
Dalton High School will be getting its first HVAC unit this summer. The district also plans to retrofit its univents with new Daikin VRV heat pump systems for its office areas and Daikin hot water unit ventilators with DX coding in each classroom. The work is expected to begin this summer and be completed by September.
Cost: The board has approved spending up to $1,355,342 of its ESSER funds on the upgrades.
The district installed a bipolar ionization system at its middle and elementary schools in December. The system also will be installed in the new Fairless High School as it is constructed.
Cost: $46,000, paid by coronavirus relief funds.
Companies used: Bell & Blaire LLC Mechanical Contractor
The district plans to install Plasma Air bipolar ionization units in its existing air handlers, univents and ductwork in all six of its school buildings this spring and summer. Extreme Microbial Technologies ionized hydrogen peroxide plasma units already have been installed in school clinics and some athletic spaces.
Cost: $437,170, paid by coronavirus relief funds.
Companies used: Gardiner for the bipolar ionization units; Extreme Microbial Technologies for the hydrogen peroxide plasma units.
The district plans to upgrade its HVAC system at Washington High School beginning this spring. Coronavirus relief funds will be used to complete the project.
The district installed bipolar ionization units in the air handling equipment at each of its three school buildings last summer and soon will complete its upgrade of its automation controls that had been more than 14 years old. The district also installed HALO sensors that monitor volatile organic compounds, particulate size down to 1 micron, that officials believe will help the district control vaping and nicotine use by students. The district uses the sensor data to monitor and control outside air flow and increase energy and equipment efficiency.
Cost: Not provided. The district paid for the first phase of the automation controls using money from its main operating fund. The second and third phases of the automation project were paid by coronavirus relief funds.
The district added bipolar ionization units to the existing air handlers at Northwest Primary, its central office and the athletic complex in 2020. An RGF photohydroionization system was added to the current air handlers at Northwest High School in June 2021.
The district previously installed a dedicated outdoor air system to Stinson Elementary and Northwest Middle School.
Cost: $68,755, paid by coronavirus relief funds.
Companies used: Control Systems of Ohio (Northwest Primary); Famous Supply (Central Office and Athletic Complex); Standard Plumbing and Heating (Northwest High School)
The district installed bipolar ionization/UV units in its air handling equipment in the main school building last summer and upgraded its automation controls. Osnaburg also installed HALO sensors that monitor volatile organic compounds, particulate size down to 1 micron, that officials believe will help the district control vaping and nicotine use by students. The district uses the sensor data to monitor and control outside airflow and increase energy and equipment efficiency.
Companies used: Air Force One and Enterprise Controls
The district installed bipolar ionization units in its existing air handling units at its nine school buildings, Central Office and bus garage in January. Air conditioning will be added in the next phase of the project.
Cost: $1,036,857, paid by coronavirus relief funds.
Sandy Valley replaced three 20-ton remote terminal units that were original to the Performing Arts Hall with three high-efficiency 20-ton units with humidity control and bipolar ionization units that also are connected to the building’s automation system. Bipolar ionization units also were installed at the wellness center, high school administration area and the middle school administration area. The district also installed eight variable frequency drives on the electric motors running the air handling units, four new heat pump units and upgraded MERV 8 pleated filters throughout the district. The work, which replaced units that were 14 years old, was completed last summer.
Companies used: RT Hampton, Metal Masters and RKS Consulting
The district installed bipolar ionization units at BL Miller, McKinley Jr./Sr. High School and the administration building last summer.
Cost: $168,373, paid by coronavirus relief funds.