Find answers to some of the most common questions about University Facilities response to COVID-19 below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What COVID 19 related guidelines are utilized to determine best practices for HVAC?
Montclair State University is utilizing COVID 19 related guidelines developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) to inform HVAC-related measures on campus.
How is air quality being improved in the buildings on campus?
Depending on the ability and capacity of the air handlers servicing a building, improved ventilation can be achieved by increasing the MERV rating of the filters, increasing the amount of outdoor air brought into the building, increasing fan speed to achieve more air changes per hour or a combination of some or all of these.
Tell us about the HVAC systems on campus. Is there filtration? How much outside air is brought in? How often is air exchanged throughout the day?
The University has upgraded the air filters to MERV 13 filters. These are changed according to a regular schedule, or sooner if the differential pressure across the filter gets too high.
Our HVAC systems bring in a minimum of 33% outside air. In addition, the entire air supply in a building is turned over at least 6 times per hour.
The air handling systems in CELS were constructed to bring in 100% outside air. This is also the case for labs and classrooms in Science Hall. The rest of our buildings have systems similar to most commercial buildings. All of our buildings have good ventilation, thanks to the high proportion of outside air we can use and the frequent turnover rates. And our HVAC systems were designed to serve a much larger number of people than are currently using our buildings.
In addition to the standard manufacturer-recommended maintenance University Facilities performs on our air-handling equipment, we are further cleaning the coils in these units on a regular, recurring schedule.
I don’t hear the air moving in my building – what does that mean?
That’s nothing to worry about. Air is flowing, but you may not hear it because the systems in some buildings, like the Library and Memorial Auditorium, were designed to be ultra quiet. These systems use oversized ducting so that patrons are not bothered by noise.
What is being done in areas where there may be more respiratory droplets in the air?
In indoor areas like the Music and Dance studios, where there may be a higher level of respiratory droplets due to the kinds of activities that take place there, we have installed additional filtration systems that use ultraviolet light to kill microorganisms in the air. These systems are in addition to the MERV 13 filters, frequent air turnover and importing of outside air.
What about Overlook? How is its ventilation?
The Overlook Corporate Center follows a similar protocol regarding ventilation. They are also using MERV 13 filters. The Overlook HVAC systems exchange the entire building air about 6 to 8 times an hour, and during the fall they are bringing in 25% to 30% outside air.
How do I report ventilation concerns in my classroom or office?
Contact the Environmental Health and Safety Office with concerns regarding air quality issues at ehs@montclair.edu.
Mechanical issues, such as a broken thermostat can be entered as a work order into Maximo or contact the Facilities Service Desk (FSD). They can be reached by phone at 973-655-5444, or by email at servicedesk@montclair.edu