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The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers, typically referred to as ASHRAE, released a technical resource regarding the reopening of schools and universities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. They stated their position as, “Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through the air is sufficiently likely that airborne exposure to the virus should be controlled. Changes to building operations, including the operation of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning [HVAC] systems, can reduce airborne exposures.”

In 2013, The Washington Post covered the story of a federal poultry inspector in New York who died 5 years into his job when his lungs bled out. This tragic story caught the attention of federal investigators and the poultry industry, forcing them to look at the dangers that come with using toxic chemicals in order to remove contaminants from the processing line. Since then, the demand for chicken and turkey in the United States has only increased, leading to processing plants depending more heavily on these dangerous chemicals. While these chemicals do keep the food products safe, they must also be monitored in order to protect the people working to put food on our tables.

The cost-effective nature and versatility of drywall make it one of the most commonly used construction materials in the world. The gypsum used in the material also makes it fire-resistant. Drywall also comes with its challenges. It’s not particularly resistant to impact, so holes, cracks, and blemishes can easily appear. Protective coatings work well to protect the surface, but if the drywall isn’t installed properly, the coating can make it very difficult to repair tapes and joints that fail due to improper installation.

American hospitals are being pushed to the limit as they deal with the ongoing pandemic. In order to handle the influx of patients and keep people as safe as possible from infection, field hospitals are being set up in parks, convention centers, and other places for public assembly. Using these spaces for medical purposes comes with a set of challenges. Amongst those challenges is retrofitting the spaces to ensure that the air quality inside meets the standards required for medical treatment.

Polygon takes immense pride in being part of the architecture and engineering community. We wouldn’t be the company that we are today without it. That’s why we like to give back to that community whenever possible. Through a partnership with Ron Blank, Polygon is offering our second free online AIA course.