I started my career in the late 197’0’s as a justice facility architect and was an active member of the predesessor Committee on Architect for Justice. With an unexpected turn of events, I then spent 40+ years as an indoor air quality consultant, so naturally I was excited to check out this post and learn more,
The linkedin page for Dr. Allen has links to several research and white papers, including PubMed, which I eagerly reviewed. I was very familiar with the “old-style” UV-C technology, which, by the way, was a common method of disinfecting surgical implements in the early part of the 20th century. I had the opportunity to retrofit approximately 25 major public buildings with UV-C lamps installed on both the return and supply side of air handlers. We collected two years of periodic air quality sampling for viable organisms both before and after and after installation. The results were astounding with a 70-85% drop in viable fungal spores and bacteria. Additionally, the overall airborne particulate levels reduced by 35-40%, which, as only a guess at that time, was due to an increase the ionic bonding capacity of the standard ir filters in use. We did not track reported illness among the occupants, but we did track employees complaints concerning perceived air quality. I basically worked myself out of a job with the public building owner!
Years later, following the anthrax attack in Washington, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to collect the data for approval of an EPA Label for mold remediation using gas-phase chlorine dioxide. At the time, Japanese researchers were proposing equipping public buildings with intrinsic-safe ClO2 generators, as most flu and similar viruses are quite easy to kill at extremely low levels, at an order-of-magnitude below the Permissible Exposure Level. I still really like this idea. During Covid, a school district client had me assess bipolar ionization, which was being pitched by several companies. Worked great as long as the target organism was within a few feet of the emitter.
But back to UV light - specifically UV-C spectrum. It works! I have recently been on commercial airplanes so equipped. I originally retrofitted my home AC system and the recently replaced units came with a UV-C module from the factory. II have conducted tests and empirically, it works! My school district client installed them throughout. What I did not know was the effectiveness of the LED lamps, as last I heard they were not as efficient biological reduction-wise. Technology marches on, and the published data seems to say otherwise. We were always concerned about visual exposure to UV-C as it damages the eye, but that has been addressed in the permissible exposure assessment. I am still not convinced about effectiveness on surfaces, but will study the data more carefully. There is certainly a distance/efficacy relationship, i.e. the closer to the lamp, the more effective. Also, just to mention, some bacteria, and a few viruses, are very very hard to kill so there not a perfect system.
I hope there are volunteers! And I hope the collected data is published and peer reviewed. While my previous public client could justify the UV-C expenditure in terns of maintenance staff and consultant expense (me), the real value is in the well being of the building occupants, maintaining productivity and avoiding unnecessary medical costs.
John Morrison, AIA Emeritus
Norman, Oklahoma
Original Message:
Sent: 10/20/2025 3:20:00 PM
From: Jay David Farbstein
Subject: Safe Disinfection of Air and Surfaces with UV LEDs – Proposed Correctional Facility Pilot Test
Members of the AIA Architecture for Justice committee -
Attached is a one-page overview of a UV LED disinfection system developed by a team of former GE Lighting engineers led by Dr. Gary Allen.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-allen-8858b78/
We're exploring opportunities to pilot this system in incarceration housing units currently under construction or nearing construction, specifically in medically high-risk communal spaces such as dayrooms and dining areas. We believe this could offer real health and safety benefits within justice system environments and the goal is to assess the impact on infection rates by comparing outcomes in similar housing units that do not have the UV system installed.
Gary's group would provide the UV LED units, while the ideal pilot sites would:
· Provide access for wiring and installation of ceiling- or high-wall-mounted LEDs (placed 12–20 feet apart, out of resident reach).
· Commit to tracking and sharing relevant health data over time.
Interested architects should contact me directly,
Jay Farbstein, PhD, FAIA
jayfarbstein@gmail.com
I will coordinate next steps and connect promising leads with Dr. Allen.
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Jay Farbstein PhD, FAIA - Member Emeritus
Jay Farbstein & Associates, Inc.
Los Angeles CA
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