It is very likely that COVID19 is transmitted via aerosols as many other infectious diseases are. To address this likelihood and help the world prepare their indoor spaces to be safer or as safe as practical, ASHRAE formed the Epidemic Task Force (ETF) to pull together information from within ASHRAE and outside it and to make that information available as widely as possible. The ETF website now covers topics including Filtration and Disinfection, Schools, Reopening Buildings, and many other topics.

The Filtration and Disinfection group covers air cleaner recommendations and descriptions. Included in these recommendations are filter and filter use suggestions. This presentation will present the ETF recommendations regarding filters and filtration. There will also be a, hopefully lively, discussion period to answer questions related to filtration and COVID19.

Bio
Kathleen Owen, ASHRAE Fellow and member of the ASHRAE ETF, is the current Chair of ASHRAE 52.2 (the MERV test) and past Chair of SSPC 145 for gas-phase air cleaner testing. She was the research chair for TC2.3 gaseous contaminants for 10 yr. With 35 years of particulate, gas-phase, and bioaerosol air cleaner testing, test method development, and related IAQ research, Kathleen is now a consulting engineer for Owen Air Filtration Consulting. Current projects include ASHRAE round robin testing for both 52.2 (1784-RP) and 145.2 (1720-RP), the ASHRAE project looking to bring EAC (PCO, BPI, etc.) into the gas-phase test method (1838-RP), and commercial-customer projects. Her BS ChE is from NCSU and her MS in Air Pollution Control engineering is from UNC-Chapel Hill.