Session 10 / Chicago Live Program: Elevator Airflow Safety Amid COVID-19: Science Over Fiction

Each day delivers new information associated with best protecting oneself against the COVID-19 pandemic. With each new announcement and study released, influence is exerted upon individual and society-wide decision-making, behavior, and technology in the context of health and safety. This is especially true of indoor air quality and exposure risks related to contracting the virus and spreading it throughout communities. Differentiating between fact and fiction is critical for building owners and facility managers as they work to keep tenants safe, healthy, and able to confidently move throughout office, residential, and commercial buildings. Amid heightened health concerns, the enclosed spaces within elevators are of particular interest and focus. A new collaboration between Otis and Dr. Qingyan (Yan) Chen, a world-renowned scientist and indoor air quality expert, is unveiled and explored. Together, Otis and Chen are studying elevator airflow, how it affects the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus among passengers, and risk mitigation strategies.