Project Goals:
The goal of this project is to determine if ultraviolet light in the "C" band is effective in reducing HVAC-related mold and mildew, thereby improving IEQ and energy savings. A determination of how the presence of UVC technology in HVAC systems influences health (via absenteeism rates) in California's K-12 schools will be made. A measurement of energy savings from UVC technology installed at a sample of schools will also be provided. If a positive correlation between the UVC lights and student attendance or evidence of energy savings is found, the Contractor will then develop materials that can be disseminated to members of the building community. The Contractor will also research possibilities for future studies that will further quantify potential energy savings of the UVC technology through fieldwork and lab testing.

Project Objectives:
The first of the two main objectives of this project is to utilize multivariate regression modeling to quantify the magnitude of a potential effect of UVC technology on IEQ (via absenteeism rates), while controlling for other influences. The second main objective is to use a similar methodology to assess the energy savings due to the UVC technology in a sample of the schools used in the average daily attendance (ADA) analysis. The specific project objectives are as follows:

• Quantify the impact of UVC technology on the ADA rate for a sample of California schools. Determine if the UVC technology has a significant association with ADA. If a relationship is identified, determine the % change in ADA associated with the UVC technology.
• Quantify the energy savings due to the UVC technology in a subset of the schools participating in the attendance study. Use utility-supplied billing data for those schools that are individually metered to assess whether the UVC technology has a significant association with the annual energy consumption of the schools. If a relationship is identified, determine the % change in annual energy consumption associated with the UVC technology.
  
• Ascertain the current practice and existence of available technologies designed to mitigate mold on HVAC systems. Distributors and manufacturers will be contacted to determine what, if any, technology is standard practice. Web searches and literature reviews will be conducted to further research technologies. This research will provide a background on the current state of HVAC mold problems and will quantify the market impact of these technologies. These findings will be summarized in a memo and integrated into the final report.
  
• Interview school district officials to help understand the potential mechanisms for an effect, once it has been identified. Testimonials from school officials will help overcome the resistance to change. The testimonials will be included in the final report to supplement the analysis. The information will show the decision maker that the technology works well in school settings.
  
• Work with the Market Connections Project Lead to develop consistent and appropriate information for the dissemination of the project findings to all market actors.