Business leaders, building scientists, engineers, microbiologists and more are working together to reopen facilities around the world. In the CLEAN 2020 Summit, these experts, including our own team, created a well-rounded picture of the challenges and sticking points in industries hoping to reopen their buildings to workers and customers as COVID-19 persists.
The Summit discusses a variety of issues, including a critical need for understanding how viral particles move through space, how to reduce viral transmission risk indoors, how to improve building ventilation systems, the current lack of bio surveillance capability, etc., and creative solutions for these challenges. It is also an example of how expanding technology can bring people together.
“The Summit was impactful because it brought disparate groups together that do not commonly work together to meet the changing needs of the community and incorporate lessons-learned into best practices that are holistic. The research community has come together in unprecedented ways to respond to the pandemic. Such focused efforts can be used to guide basic research funding priorities and coordinate funding for identified capability gaps as well as serve as the foundation for future policy development. The research community will continue to benefit from coordinating what is known about buildings and viruses including the unique findings from studying SARS-CoV-2, and rapidly sharing the gaps in our collective knowledge using tools like virtual workshops. “
Read the CLEAN 2020 Summit conference paper here.