Centre Air Quality

Air Quality at the Vancouver Shambhala Centre

  • HVAC (heating, ventilation, air-conditioning) upgrade. We already have three  slightly overpowered rooftop HVAC units that change the room air 7.7 times an hour. The “economizer” on each HVAC unit brings in fresh air–about 15-30% of the total air volume.  We installed UVC (Ultraviolet-C germicidal light) components in each unit to sanitize the portion of the air that is recirculated.
  • Some events are available on Zoom.
  • Provide face masks for participants who don’t have one, and have cloth masks available for purchase (made by a local sangha member).
  • Hand sanitizer in several places.

Setting for Volunteers to turn on HVAC system

  1. Preparation before each event:
    – Reception area: face masks, hand sanitizer by the door and at each end of the kitchen island, facial tissues, dishwasher partially open, HVAC set to “Fan On”
    – Main meditation hall: one window open, HVAC set to “Fan On”
    – Small meditation hall: HVAC set to “Fan On”
    – Washrooms: ample liquid soap, paper towels, facial tissues in every washroom
  2. Ventilation settings – “Fan on” in each sector
    Our 3 HVAC systems are controlled by their own thermostat: Main Meditation Hall; middle section (small meditation hall, library, Tenno, offices, washrooms, hallway); kitchen/reception area. The second button from the right on each thermostat cycles through 3 settings:
    – Fan Auto – the fan only runs when it’s heating or cooling.
    – Fan Circ – the fan runs 1/3 of the time
    Fan On – the fan runs continually. Use this setting during the event.
    – Turn back to Fan Auto at the end of the program.
  3. Open at least one window in the main meditation hall, and one window in the reception area. This helps exhaust air faster.

.. updated October 6, 2022