Haiku UV-C from Big Ass Fans uses ultraviolet light to kill pathogens as the air circulates. Now security scientists say it is effective against COVID-19.

Earlier this year, shortly after the coronavirus pandemic broke out, Big Ass Fans, a manufacturer based in Kentucky, launched Haiku UV-C, a luxury smart ceiling fan with a built-in disinfection UV lamp aimed at the ceiling. The tone is very timely-when fans circulate air throughout the room, these ultraviolet rays kill airborne pathogens that pass through their paths.

Now, after conducting multiple independent tests in accredited laboratories, the company tells CNET that fans with a starting price of about $1,750 can kill the pathogen SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19.

The result of this test was that SARS-CoV-2 was released into a test chamber and Haiku UV-C was spinning overhead. The result showed that the fan neutralized 99.99% of the virus within 20 minutes.

"Regarding the aerosol test, we saw a reduction of about 48% above the fan [airborne SARS-CoV-2] at 5 minutes, and a reduction of about 86% above the fan at 10 minutes," the test cover letter states California A report written by Kevin Noble, chief operating officer of Lab Innovative Bioanalysis, which tested fans for the coronavirus. "It can be concluded that between 10 and 20 minutes, there is an overall reduction of 99.99% or more."

The letter shared by Big Ass Fans and CNET ends with an endorsement of the efficacy of ultraviolet rays against COVID-19.

"Regarding whether your technology is suitable for the denaturation of SARS-CoV-2, what I want to say is that you can clearly point out that pathogens in the air passing through the fan and passing UVC are actually negatively affected by ultraviolet light," Noble's The letter came to a conclusion.

Now, with the surge in interest in UV disinfection, Big Ass Fans is preparing to sell this fan as a COVID killer.

"Our collaboration with independent laboratories allows us to quantify and verify the reduction of harmful viruses, including SARS CoV-2 and other pathogens and volatile organic compounds," said Lennie Rhoades, CEO of Big Ass Fans. "These third-party results convince our customers that Clean Air System will make their people and businesses safer."

Safety is a key issue of ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet rays are located near the visible light spectrum and are divided into three types: UVA, UVB and UVC. If you are in the sun for too long, the first two intensities are enough to burn your skin, but UVC is the strongest and can burn your eyes and skin within a few seconds. It is also a known carcinogen. 

The ultraviolet rays in Haiku UV-C are irradiated on the ceiling and only when a fan is used.

Fortunately, the UVC light produced by the sun is almost completely absorbed by the earth's atmosphere-but people have renewed interest in the ability of UVC as a disinfectant, which has led to a large number of new products trying to bring invisible light into homes and businesses. This has led safety scientists to warn consumers of risks—especially hand-held UVC sticks that emit light publicly when in use.

Todd Straka, Director of the Global Lighting Industry of Underwriters Laboratories, said: "During the pandemic, we have seen a significant increase in interest in UV sterilization equipment, including those that are now more consumer-oriented. UV products are tested for safety certification. "If you Using them incorrectly, these can be very dangerous. "  

The safety scientists told CNET that they are not too concerned about indoor antiseptic products like Haiku UV-C that use ultraviolet rays to clean air above eye level-although they do provide some additional guidelines.

"The problem that still needs to be mitigated is to ensure that it is installed correctly, that there is the required distance from the floor to the position of the lamp [at least 7 feet], and from this perspective the UV lamp is upward rather than downward," UL Life and Health Sciences Said Pamela Gwynn, chief engineer related to medical equipment.

To this end, Big Ass Fans pointed out that each Haiku-UVC is installed by well-trained technicians from its professional dealer network, and the fans have been certified by Intertek to meet North American safety standards. The company added that UV lamps can be turned off independently of the fan, and they will automatically turn off as long as the fan is turned off. This makes way for safe maintenance and cleaning.

The airflow diagram of two Haiku UV-C ceiling fans in a simulated classroom test environment. Experts estimate that when there is SARS virus in the room, the fan will reduce the risk of students being exposed after an hour of class from 39% to 5%.

Big Ass Fans told CNET that it has seen interest in Haiku UV-C from various households and businesses across the country, and added that it is testing the efficacy of fans in many different environments. This includes test rooms designed to simulate living rooms and bedrooms-as well as lounges, dining areas and even classrooms.

A test measured the efficacy of two fans rotating in a classroom environment contaminated with the SARS virus and found that UVC lamps can reduce the exposure risk of students during a 60-minute course from 39% to 5%. For teachers who stay in the room for 7 hours a day, the risk of exposure drops from 97% to 30%.

Big Ass Fans stated that Carnegie Mellon University is one of the schools that added Haiku UV-C fans to the classroom, adding that the list is still growing.

"From this level to the smaller Kentucky school district, and anywhere in between," a Big Ass Fans spokesperson said. At least some of them were purchased with the help of government funds through the CARES Act, but the company pointed out that customers are not obliged to share this information with them.

Big Ass Fans told CNET that it has no immediate plans to make a cheaper version of the fan, and stated that its current focus is businesses and public organizations that find ways to protect people in shared spaces. Together with Haiku UV-C, the company's new clean air system sterilization product line includes large industrial fans and floor fans equipped with disinfection ionizers. Those have also been tested against COVID-19, and the results are as promising as Haiku UV-C.

A company spokesperson said: "Ideally, someone will call and say,'We need your air disinfection help.'" "Then we evaluate the space, specifications, applications, and determine the correct technology to implement based on other goals."

Translation: Don't expect to see budget-friendly versions of these fans anytime soon-but don't be surprised if you end up seeing one spinning overhead when you are out.

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