UV-C Luminaire: The future of Healthy & Safe Buildings? - Pierlite Australia

UV-C Luminaire: The Future
of Healthy & Safe Buildings
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Individuals spend more than 90% of their lifetime indoors, and it’s important to understand that buildings, especially public ones, can become havens for pathogens and germs to flourish. From the surfaces that we touch to the air we breathe, the cleanliness of our workplaces and indoor environments has a direct effect on our overall health and wellbeing.

At Pierlite, we are on a mission to provide safer spaces. For the past 12 months, Pierlite’s team of product development specialists and engineers have been working with our global partners investigating ways in which UV-C radiation, combined with a HEPA filter, can be leveraged to safely inactivate pathogens and micro-organisms indoors – increasing our ability to resist lockdowns and decrease the impact on the economy.

UV-C radiation is an effective method of deactivating pathogens, in the air and on surfaces. For decades, scientists have recognised the effectiveness of UV-C radiation in reducing the spread of pathogens and bacteria. Owing to its efficacy, UV-C radiation can be useful in increasing community safety when implemented in indoor spaces such as schools, universities, health and aged care facilities, hotels, transport hubs such as train stations and airports, government buildings, and commercial workplaces. Pierlite have gone to significant efforts to ensure our solution is safe and effective.

But what is UV-C radiation and how does it work?

What is UV-C radiation?

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a type of energy that is predominantly produced by the sun but can be replicated through manmade resources, such as sunbeds and arc welders. There are three levels of ultraviolet radiation that are scaled by how much energy they have. They include:

  • UV-A – This is the one that individuals are most exposed to daily as it is contained in sunlight and is the least powerful.
  • UV-B – Similar to UV-A, a small amount of UV-B radiation is found in sunlight and is the main contributor to sunburns and skin cancer.
  • UV-C – UV-C radiation is the highest energy portion of the UV radiation spectrum. UV-C wavelengths are the shortest in length and don’t pass the ozone layer, meaning people are never in contact with them. However, they can be replicated using technology.

UV-C radiation is the most effective at rendering bacteria and pathogens inactive. This is why Pierlite’s global team investigated and developed new technology that can harness UV-C radiation in a safe manner, as it can improve the health and wellbeing of adults and children.

How does UV-C radiation work?

UV-C radiation is effective against rendering pathogens and bacteria inactive which is why it’s sometimes known as a germicidal UV. UV-C radiation produces high concentrations of electromagnetic energy that can immobilise the DNA and RNA of a microorganism, destroying its ability to grow, develop, function, and reproduce.

While viruses can’t be destroyed, as they are not technically ‘living organisms’, what UV-C radiation does is render viral particles inactive by destroying their genetic material. Our tests show that UV-C may be an effective method for reducing COVID-19 and other viruses within indoor spaces, as it can sterilise the air and surfaces making it safer for individuals.

Benefits

There are several key benefits of utilising UV-C radiation over other forms of sterilisation. UV-C radiation is an affordable alternative that is eco-friendly and quick acting. Highly researched and chemical-free, UV-C radiation consistently sterilises indoor spaces by deactivating bacteria and pathogens the entire time it is on. Most importantly, UV-C radiation is safe owing to Pierlite’s intelligent fittings where UV-C LEDs are contained in a chamber, ensuring no risk of exposure to anyone at any point.

Areas of application

UV-C radiation is suitable for a range of applications. While it can be implemented in spaces of all kinds, there are a few where it is most suitable. These are places that are busy, house vulnerable communities, and where people spend the most time. These include:

  • hospitals
  • hotels
  • commercial offices
  • schools and universities
  • government facilities
  • public transport hubs such as airports and train stations
  • shopping centres
  • aged care facilities
  • disability support centres.

UV-C radiation may be an effective solution that keeps high-occupancy and vulnerable areas safe, without causing adverse effects that other options may trigger.

In our changing world, finding solutions to keeping people safe indoors has never been more important.
These solutions must be safe and functional to cater for a diverse range of people and indoor spaces. Pierlite’s Wellbeing range of fittings, which may contribute to creating safer spaces, is a great option for many buildings, from government organisations to schools, as they may be highly effective at deactivating harmful pathogens and bacteria* while remaining affordable, environmentally friendly, and safe.

*Independent testing undertaken by our supply-chain partners and component suppliers indicates