Governors State University in University Park, Ill.

What measures can help buildings be as safe as possible during the pandemic? Governors State University (GSU) has taken proactive steps to mitigate the risk of virus transmission in their facilities. While most of their classes are being held remotely, they wanted to make sure that their on-site classes and labs could be conducted safely. They also recognized that improving facility safety would help them prepare for future health crises.

GSU reached out to SEDAC for an in-depth risk assessment of their facilities, and identification of recommendations for reducing virus transmission. “We had worked with SEDAC in the past on energy assessments and wanted a methodical plan to improve our facilities, not a knee-jerk reaction,” GSU Associate Vice President for Facilities Development and Management John Potempa and Chief Engineer Michael Sullivan explained. SEDAC identified low, moderate, and high risk spaces in all buildings by assessing risk factors associated with space usage, ventilation equipment, and conditioned air flows. Based on this risk assessment, SEDAC recommended measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, as well as strategies to mitigate the energy cost impacts of safety measures.

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