Columbia Property Trust invests in air purification technology across portfolio

New York, NY Columbia Property Trust, Inc. is installing new bipolar ionization (BPI) air purification technology in properties across its portfolio to enhance overall indoor environment quality for building occupants. The initiative is part of Columbia’s comprehensive, long-term approach to providing safe and healthy workspaces.

Columbia has chosen to work with AtmosAir Solutions and Otis Elevator Co., respectively, to install technology that delivers BPI protection at more than 20 buildings and in over 100 elevator cabs across its portfolio. Installations began in late 2020 and the majority are scheduled to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2021.

Bipolar ionization technology safely provides continuous active disinfection in the air and on surfaces. A unique benefit of these BPI systems is that they clean the air directly within indoor spaces, instead of requiring contaminants to pass through a separate air handler unit to be removed. 

As a result, BPI air purification systems can be installed in a building’s air handling units, as well as small, contained spaces such as individual elevator cabs, helping to address a key point of concern today for many occupants of multi-story office buildings. In tests performed by Microchem Laboratory, one of the nation’s preeminent laboratories for testing EPA- and FDA-registered sanitizing products, BPI technology quickly and significantly reduced airborne bacteria and viruses, including coronavirus, by more than 99% within 30 minutes.

Installing BPI technology is part of Columbia’s “Work Safe” program, which includes expanded cleaning and safety protocols, enhanced touchless entry systems, a digital occupancy tracking tool, and extensive tenant communication and team member training.

“With many companies signaling an expected return to their workspaces in the months ahead, Columbia has committed substantial resources and implemented numerous measures to provide for their employees’ safe and comfortable return to the office,” said Nelson Mills, Columbia’s Chief Executive Officer. “We view BPI technology not only as a response to the current health emergency, but also as an integral part of our longer-term commitment to the wellbeing of our tenants and employees.”