Before 2020, people rarely gave a second thought about the air filtration systems at their place of work. Unless an employee had severe seasonal allergies or breathing issues, most companies typically did only what was required when it came to maintaining their air handling systems.
One thing that the pandemic did was put a focus on the air we collectively breathe, and Denver-based i2 Construction is doing what it can to make sure employees and clients have peace of mind knowing that the air in their workplace is as clean as possible.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, i2 Construction retrofitted the mechanical system in their office with Global Plasma Solutions (GPS) technology. This technology safely cleans the air inside commercial and residential buildings, using an electronic charge to create a plasma field filled with a high concentration of positive and negative ions. The GPS system plays a key role in keeping the air clear of potentially hazardous dust particles that affect asthma suffers, people with allergies, and prevents the spread of COVID-19.
In order to clean the air, ions break down harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and then travel within the air stream into the occupied spaces, cleaning the air everywhere the ions travel, even in spaces unseen. This technology is common in many private airplanes and is used by the US Air Force. It has even been used and tested to be an effective innovation in air filtration and has been shown to have a 99.4 percent kill rate for SARS-COV-2.
“I am thankful to have found an option that brings peace of mind to our own employees as they return to work and has served many of our clients in the same way,” said i2 President Scott Farrell. “We have been able to successfully protect our work environment and bring a sense of comfort about the air we breathe to the workplace.”
This new GPS system was also installed by i2 at the new Groove Mazda showroom and service center in Centennial. The Groove project was in the midst of construction when the pandemic began, so the new air filtration system was a late addition to the project, but one the client is thankful that it had installed.
“We have several individuals in this particular location who have severe allergies and are immunocompromised,” said Michele Mitchler, director of marketing for Summit Automotive Partners, which owns the Groove Mazda dealership. “The GPS system was a natural remedy to help mitigate the spread of germs, ensuring that our staff was safe and healthy.”
Mitchler notes that the installation process went smoothly and the system has delivered everything that it promised for the dealership employees and clients. She said that Summit Automotive Partners was pleased with i2’s work and that the company may install the GPS system at other dealerships.
“Our priority is to ensure that our customers and employees are coming to a safe and healthy environment,” added Mitchler. “As we move forward, we will discuss with our general managers to see if this is something that they would like to have installed and their particular location.”
As many people continue to make their way back to an office setting throughout 2021, it’s important to remember that employees still have varying comfort levels around social distancing, mask requirements, and whether they will receive the vaccine or not. The actions taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 over the past year have brought about a new standard for the air we breathe and the environments we work in. The GPS system plays a key role in offering employees confidence when returning to the office.
