Scientists and health professionals are warning building owners to heed the risk of Legionella prior to reopening buildings after COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns.
The risk of this deadly disease is elevated after extended shutdowns because stagnant water in HVAC systems can be a breeding ground for the Legionella bacteria. NSF Health Sciences and the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) are hosting a virtual special session of the annual Legionella Conference on March 9-10, 2021.
“This virtual event will provide opportunity for experts from leading organizations to share insights and global perspective on an interactive platform,” according to a news release. “Specific topics include technical risk management and sampling strategies, safe reopening of buildings, and state-issued COVID-19 guidance related to water management, emergency planning and resiliency strategies to return to normal operations and prevent further public health hazards during a crisis.”
Online resources are available now at the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/building-water-system.html) and NSF Health Sciences (https://www.nsf.org/
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jun 14, 2022
Hospitals’ fossil fuel use trending downward, but electricity use isn’t declining as much
The 2021 Hospital Energy and Water Benchmarking Survey by Grumman|Butkus Associates found that U.S. hospitals’ use of fossil fuels is declining since the inception of the annual survey 25 years ago, but electricity use is dipping more slowly.
Codes and Standards | Jun 8, 2022
Florida Legislature passes bill requiring stricter condominium inspection
The Florida Legislature recently passed a bill to beef up building inspection requirements for many of the state’s condominiums.
Codes and Standards | Jun 7, 2022
FEMA launches National Initiative to Advance Building Codes
The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has launched a new government-wide effort to boost national resiliency and reduce energy costs.
Codes and Standards | Jun 2, 2022
Guide helps schools find funding for buildings from federal, state government
New Buildings Institute (NBI) recently released a guide to help schools identify funding programs for facilities improvements available from federal and state government programs.
Codes and Standards | Jun 2, 2022
New design guide for hybrid steel-mass timber frames released
The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) has released the first-ever set of U.S. recommendations for hybrid steel frames with mass timber floors, according to a news release.
Codes and Standards | Jun 1, 2022
HKS, U. of Texas Dallas partner on brain health study
HKS and The University of Texas at Dallas’ Center for BrainHealth are conducting a six-month study to improve the way the firm’s employees work, collaborate, and innovate, both individually and as an organization, according to a news release.
Mass Timber | May 31, 2022
Tall mass timber buildings number 139 worldwide
An audit of tall mass timber buildings turned up 139 such structures around the world either complete, under construction, or proposed.
Legislation | May 20, 2022
Arlington County, Virginia may legalize multifamily housing countywide
Arlington County, Va., a Washington, D.C.-area community, is considering proposed legislation that would remove zoning restrictions on multifamily housing up to eight units in size.
Codes and Standards | May 20, 2022
Wildfire threat score now available for all U.S. homes
The non-profit First Street Foundation has made publicly available a database that assesses the wildfire risk of all U.S. homes.
Coronavirus | May 20, 2022
Center for Green Schools says U.S. schools need more support to fight COVID-19
The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council released a new report detailing how school districts around the country have managed air quality within their buildings during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
