The Challenge:
Village Grande at Miller’s Run is a 55+ community in Lancaster, PA. Once COVID-19 restrictions were eased in its fitness center to allow occupancy by multiple households at a time, management expected its 420 residents to eagerly embrace the facility as the hub of wellness and socialization it had been before the pandemic. However, members of the community remained hesitant about indoor activities and interactions. Daily use of the fitness center dropped to as low as 50 percent of pre-pandemic times. Village Grande needed to increase residents’ confidence in the safety of the facility with a solution that was effective and easy to install.
The Solution:
After weighing several options, Village Grande chose the VIDASHIELD UV24 Air Purification System, installing two units in the 500-square-foot fitness center. The in-ceiling system offered by Armstrong Ceiling & Wall Solutions draws air into a patented self-contained chamber hidden in the ceiling plenum where it is treated safely with ultraviolet light air-cleaning technology before being returned to the room. The continuous air cleaning circulation cycle deactivates pathogens and reduces risk of indoor transmission of viruses.
The system checked off all the boxes for Village Grande’s needs. The in-ceiling installation allowed them to maximize floor space for fitness center equipment. Installation of the two systems was completed in four hours, minimizing disruption to community life. The system powers on when the lights in the fitness room are turned on, quietly refreshing the air in less than an hour. And, perhaps most importantly, six weeks following installation, daily use of the fitness center had approximately doubled.
“Indoor air quality was important to us because it represented much more than meets the eye,” said Mike Griffiths, President of the Village Grande Homeowners Association. “Improvements in the fitness center also showed we had the flexibility to deal with change and provide residents with increased safety and normalcy along with peace of mind and the confidence to interact again.”
Resident Christine McFeely agrees, “The installation of the Armstrong Air Purification System has put my mind at ease. I feel quite comfortable going to the fitness center five to six times a week!”
"We very much appreciate the Armstrong Air Purification System given the current climate we live in,” notes Cappie Hose, who visits the fitness center with his wife several times per week.
“The reassurance of having a system that can help keep us safe and healthy is a monumental accomplishment. My wife especially appreciates this system as she was hesitant of using the facility at first. This was a definite plus in getting her over that feeling. In addition, we sense that the system cleanses the staleness of the air. We are very grateful that the system was installed in our facility.”
Project: Fitness Center at Village Grande at Miller's Run
Location: Lancaster, PA