Another Fall Technical Conference on the Books
This year has certainly had its share of challenges, but that didn’t stop NADCA from powering through with its first-ever virtual Fall Technical Conference, held October 2-3, 2020. Nearly 200 attendees joined the fully online event for a program that featured highly relevant content for those working in the field during the pandemic.
Tom Yacobellis, ASCS, presented a case study in his session “Microbial Threat Considerations in HVAC Systems” that examined biological contaminants in an HVAC system. He described that one mechanical system with two different types of duct insulation experienced advanced microbial growth in only one type of insulation, while the other type of insulation grew none. The case study was a rare opportunity to evaluate the performance of different types of insulation in the same setting, and helped attendees better identify threats for microbial contamination in HVAC systems.
Mike McDavid, ASCS, CVI, and David Monson, ASCS, presented “Containment in Healthcare Facilities”—an apt topic considering the need for sterile spaces in healthcare facilities like surgical suites and intensive care units, especially during the pandemic. Mike and David walked attendees through what effective containment looks like and considerations for air duct cleaners in healthcare facilities.
Thomas Licker, CBRM, CEICR, from the American Bio Recovery Association, presented “Introduction to Bio Recovery, Biological Safety Risk Assessment (BSRA) and HVAC Considerations,” which discussed all aspects of bio recovery, including crime and trauma mitigation and cleanup, outbreak response, foodborne diseases and illicit drug labs and the potential — and dangerous — cross-contamination with HVAC systems.
The program also featured sessions by Mike Dexter, ASCS, CVI, and Mike McDavid on ventilation inspections; David Monson on high-velocity duct systems; and Kehau Mendes, ASCS, CVI, on project management.
The event concluded with a well-attended networking hour that gave friends and colleagues from across the globe a chance to connect face-to-face with their NADCA community.
Sessions were recorded and are available for on-demand viewing at nadca.com for those who attended the virtual event. Sessions will be available in NADCA’s webinar library in early 2021.
Virtual attendees were able to earn all of the continuing education credits necessary for their ASCS and CVI certification renewals, just as with past in-person Fall Technical Conferences. Pre-conference programming on October 2 offered full-day training courses for those pursuing ASCS and CVI certifications.
The event has always represented a rich opportunity for exhibitors to connect with attendees and provide hands-on demonstrations of products, and the virtual format made the most of the platform with Fall Tech’s eight exhibitors. Exhibitors shared video demonstrations and information about products and services via customized websites, which will remain available post-event for exhibitors to share with attendees as well as those who missed the live event.
Mark your calendars! The 2021 Fall Technical Conference is scheduled for September 17-19, 2021 in Charlotte, NC.