Gibbons reduces health risks and cuts consumption of energy
Gibbons Ultraviolet Solutions has played a key role in helping a major financial institution improve indoor air quality at its 23 000 m2 commercial office in central London to comply with the WELL Building Standard and save energy. A CoilCare ultra-violet germicidal irradiation air and surface disinfection system was installed in the air-handling units (AHU) to eradicate contaminants and restore the equipment to original operation condition.
The cooling coil of an AHU provides a breeding ground for mould, viruses and bacteria, which form a biofilm on the coil fins. That biofilm restricts thermal conductivity, increasing energy consumption. It also contaminates the airstream.
Before the CoilCare system was installed, the cooling coil had a U-value of 8587 W/m2K. After CoilCare was fitted, the U-value improved to 12 169 W/m2K, an improvement of nearly 42%.
Annual chilled-water volume was reduced by 36% from 28 849 to 18 507 t. Annual cost savings are £2116 for a single coil.
CoilCare using high-output ultraviolet-C photoniser lamps to disinfect the cooling coil by disrupting the biofilm’s DNA and eradicating it. The photoniser lamps have an 18 000 h service life.