Next Charter School
COVID Created Need for Indoor Air Mitigation
INDUSTRY
Educational Institution
LOCATION
Derry, NH
PRODUCT
(8) HALO HEPA Air Purification Systems
PROCESS
Air purifcation through ceiling mounted Erlab HALO HEPA filtration to Remove:
Indoor Air Pollution
Flue/Viruses
Particulate Matter
Mold
Bacteria
“ERLAB EQUIPMENT PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN SAFETY AND INDOOR AIR PURIFICATION
APPLICATION AREA:
Educational Institution’s Need for Quality Indoor Air
The origin story of Next is unique in that it is the result of a partnership between a public charter school and a traditional school district. Together this group aimed to create a smaller, more flexible approach to high school that would meet the needs of a small number of students who were looking for something different. Next opened in 2013 with 30 students and today is home to 80 students and 19 faculty members. In 2015, Next renovated a section of Gilbert H. Hood Middle School and established a long-term lease with the Derry School District for this facility. The mission of Next Charter School is to meet the needs of high school students who value personalized learning in a smaller, collaborative community where each member has a sense of belonging. Next will prepare each student for the future by nurturing social and personal responsibility.
THE CHALLENGE
Next Charter school director, Joe Crawford, learned about HALO Air Filtration System by Erlab from a parent of an attending student. They conducted an indoor air quality assessment with a member of NH ASHRAE in order to learn about the best practices for air filtration. After reviewing several options and performing a deep dive into industry literature, Erlab was selected.
Like many schools dealing with in-person learning issues they were looking for ways to mitigate the spread of viruses, including, but not limited to, the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Next Charter did their homework to discover what method of indoor air cleaning would work best in their environment. Their research led them to purchasing air filtration systems from Erlab as a positive step to improving their indoor air quality for the benefit of students, staff, and visitors to their facility.
THE SCOPE
Basing a purchase on multiple, proven criteria
The first question most people ask is ‘how much can I expect to pay to accomplish my goal of providing quality indoor air for my school community’? Here one must ask, what is the health of your community worth? Purchasing a poorly functioning product at bargain prices will waste budgeted money for a poor, and sometimes unhealthy outcome.
Of course price was a consideration for Next Charter School but so was quality, lower operation costs, product reputation, and keeping their carbon footprint low. They also had spatial limitations and after reviewing air filtration models that were housed in heavy boxes and sat on counter tops and tables, they determined that most models were not a good fit for them as space was limited along with the need to protect students from potential injury.
THE SOLUTION
Erlab’s HALO ceiling mounted air filtration system was exactly what was needed and while the placement of the Halo served as being extremely valuable considering they do not take up precious real-estate, the school also understood that placement served a significant purpose in the performance, optimizing actual concentration reduction of the unseen dangers that smaller particles present to our overall health, including the transmission of airborne illnesses.
Mr. Crawford expressed his opinion about working with Erlab, from the purchase to the installation process, saying: “Erlab was excellent. Tim and Jesse were patient yet engaged. They responded quickly to all questions and were extremely helpful.” Next Charter School received appreciation from students, staff, and parents, for showing their commitment to put the health of their community as a primary concern. The director has shared that their school is considering a small renovation/expansion project, and acquiring additional HALO air filtration systems into their new space will be at the top of their list.
HALO AIR FILTRATION SYSTEMS
Control airborne hazards for a happy, healthy community with HALO above
Airborne risks pose a unique challenge for administrators, staff, and residents. Air quality control enables you to mitigate the dangers of viral transmission and exposure to harmful particles.
- Reduce the risk of viral airborne transmission
- Mitigate exposure to mold, fungi, and bacteria
- Increase residents’ quality of life with healthier air
- Provide a cleaner environment equivalent to an ISO 8 cleanroom
- Create an environment of comfort for staff knowing the air they breathe is being treated
THE RESULT
The Halo will mitigate the risk of airborne spread, while also improving IAQ (Indoor Air Quality. This is a long-term solution; the HALO is a permanent infrastructure improvement without the infrastructure cost or complexities. A true and tested solution for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s well being.
“We hope to see a reduction in the transmission of viruses, as measured by a decrease in the number of individuals contracting COVID-19, Influenza, and the common cold.” Joe Crawford, Director, Next Charter School
ABOUT ERLAB
We provide safety, we protect your health
Erlab invented the ductless fume hood in 1968. With more than 50 years of experience in the field of chemical filtration and protection of laboratory personnel; we know the formula for safety. With Erlab, you will never have to wonder or worry if our products are safe. We build each one of the following 7 ingredients into our products, and without all of them, your health and safety will be compromised.
ERLAB R&D LABORATORY
The engineers and chemists in our state-of-the-art R&D laboratory understand molecular filtration. We are committed to designing products that are safe and of the highest quality, strive to improve our products, and continuously develop new products that provide greater protection in the laboratory.
STRICT SAFETY STANDARDS
We hold ourselves to the highest standard and adhere to the strict AFNOR NF X 15-211: 2009 filtration safety standard as endorsed by ANSI Z9.5-2012.
A PUBLISHED CHEMICAL LISTING
It all begins here. Without this listing, we are not compliant with AFNOR NFX 15-211. Our in-house laboratory tests, as well as independent testing, to verify the retention capacity of over 700 chemicals for our filters.
INDEPENDENT TESTING
Erlab filters have been independently tested multiple times at various concentrations guaranteeing that our safety solutions all adhere to the strict performance criteria of theAFNOR NF X 15-211:2009 standard assuring that the emission concentration at the filter exhaust will always be lower than 1% of the TLV.
APPLICATION QUESTIONNAIRE (VALIQUEST)
Our laboratory specialists will recommend the appropriate filtration fume hood, type of filter, and personalized advice.
CERTIFICATE OF VALIDATION FOR THE CHEMICALS USED IN THE HOOD
A certified PhD chemist issues a Certificate of Validation with a list of the chemicals approved for use in the hood.
Our Safety Program
We back up our products 100%. This program includes your specialized chemical evaluation, validation of your hood upon installation, and a filtration safety specialist at your service to ensure that your hood is operating to its full potential.
