Menomonee Falls schools' get air filter system to combat virus
MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. - Stopping the spread of COVID-19 and the flu in schools has been a major focus for districts,
In class with masks and socially distant, a new safety measure will be a breath of fresh air for those in the Menomonee Falls School District.
Rick Fechter, director of facilities for the Menomonee Falls School District, said a new technology -- the bipolar needlepoint ionization system -- will be put into the district's air-handling units.
"What it does, is it sends out positive and negative ions to the air, clings to any of the viruses or mold spores on surfaces and in the air," Fechter said. "Clings to, it drops it to the ground, neutralizes it and brings it to our filtration system and kills it off."
Computer-generated image representing the bipolar needlepoint ionization system
The system is a game-changer for indoor air quality. Fechter said the system increases filtration efficiency to around 97% -- compared to about 12% without.
Joel Weber, a maintenance supervisor and HVAC technician, said air quality has become a major issue nowadays.
"With the amount of air this moves, the amount of schools this touches with this one piece of equipment," said Weber, "this will definitely be cleaning air, making a much safer environment."
Another layer of safety during the pandemic, flu season and beyond, District Superintendent Corey Golla said these mitigation steps are needed to maximize in-person instruction.
Menomonee Falls classroom
"Better air quality is going to give us a much better learning environment," Golla said. "This is going to help with our students and staff long-term."
Within 6-8 weeks, the system will be fully operational in 930,000 square feet of classrooms, gyms, cafeterias, offices and even the community center.
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The system costs the district roughly $579,000 -- which is a portion of carryover funds from last year's surplus.
It has an expected useful life of 12-15 years.
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