02/11/2022
By Jean Robinson
This notice is to inform you of air quality testing that will take place in Ball Hall, Shah Hall, Dugan Hall and Mahoney Hall during the next few weeks. The testing will be conducted by external consultants hired by four unions representing graduate student employees, grant funded employees, maintenance and trades employees and adjunct faculty.
UMass Lowell’s mechanical systems have been tested and balanced to meet American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers code requirements by a certified mechanical engineer. The facilities department continuously monitors over 26,000 control points on our mechanical systems across the campus to ensure they are operating efficiently.
Additionally to further enhance ventilation, the university has installed HEPA air purifiers in all instructional spaces served by cabinet unit ventilators or natural ventilation. For more information regarding the university’s ventilation and air filtration measures please visit the Facilities webpage.
The consultants are not acting on behalf of the university and UMass Lowell has not been asked for input on the type of testing or the standards to be utilized and applied by the consultants. Nor will the university have the opportunity to comment in advance of any final report that may be issued. Although not yet confirmed, we are optimistic that union leaders will provide a copy of any final report to the campus and that the findings and recommendations of this testing will be shared with university and Facilities leadership.
The testing is scheduled to occur Feb. 12 and 13 in Ball Hall and Feb. 19 through 21 in Dugan Hall. The consultants will be visiting a variety of classrooms, labs, offices and common spaces during that time. Final dates for similar testing in Shah and Mahoney Halls are not yet selected.
In all cases, the Facilities Department will escort the consultants into each space. The list of selected labs will be reviewed by Environmental Health & Safety Department leadership to ensure safety, and air testing within labs will be limited to circulation air and will not include fume hoods.