CASE STUDY

No Trace Mold Detected

~100 Air Exchanges / Hour

CASE STUDY
Gordon College -Wenham, MA

From Reactive Mold Response to Proactive Air Quality Control

Far-UV deployment across classrooms and HVAC systems dramatically improved air quality, eliminated mold concerns, and transformed the campus environment.

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OVERVIEW

Institution: Gordon College
Location: Wenham, Massachusetts
Application: Classrooms, HVAC systems, and targeted indoor environments

SOLUTION DEPLOYED

  • Luminaire Far-UV fixtures (ceiling-mounted)
  • Far-UV systems integrated into ductwork

PRIMARY GOAL

Address recurring mold concerns and improve overall air quality across campus.

THE CHALLENGE

Gordon College was managing indoor air quality and mold concerns through a reactive, labor-intensive approach.

  • Frequent air sampling and testing
  • Immediate response teams for suspected mold
  • Regular duct cleaning cycles (every -6 months)
  • Ongoing reliance on custodial disinfection
  • Poor air exchange in some rooms
  • Elevated CO levels are impacting performance
  • Cleaning alone could not fully address odor, air quality, and hidden contamination
  • HVAC systems risked recirculating pathogens and moisture

The system was designed to respond to problems not prevent them.

THE SOLUTION

Gordon College partnered with Sterilray to pilot a data-driven Far-UV deployment.

APPROACH

  • Targeted problematic rooms
  • Conducted assessments:
  • Air quality testing
  • Surface swab analysis
  • Ventilation and airflow assessments

DUAL DEPLOYMENT STRATEGY

1
Luminaire Far-UV fixtures in occupied spaces
2
Far-UV systems integrated into HVAC ductwork

This created both room-level and system-level protection.

Key Findings Before Installation

Some rooms had insufficient air exchange
Elevated CO2 levels impacting performance
Surfaces were clean—but not optimally disinfected
Clear opportunity for improvement across both air and surfaces.

RESULTS & IMPACT

DRAMATIC AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

  • Significant improvement in air and surface testing results
  • Achieved in a short timeframe
  • Follow-up testing confirmed effectiveness

NEAR ELIMINATION OF MOLD CONCERNS

  • "No trace levels of mold" reported after implementation
  • Transition from recurring issues to sustained control

CLASSROOM TRANSFORMATION

Before:
  • Persistent "old fabric odor
  • Difficult-to-clean seating
  • Daily cleaning is still insufficient
After:
  • Complete elimination of odor
  • Noticeably fresher environment
  • Continuous air and surface treatment

HIGH AIR EXCHANGE PERFORMANCE

  • Far-UV system enabled extremely high effective air treatment rates.
  • Reported-100 air exchanges per hour (or higher)
  • Dramatically improves pathogen reduction vs. standard HVAC alone

IMPROVED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

  • Lower CO₂ levels
  • Reduced airborne contaminants
  • Enhanced cognitive environment
  • Students learn in a cleaner, healthier space with better performance conditions
"We saw a dramatic improvement in air quality over a very short period of time. The results exceeded our expectations, and we now have no trace levels of mold."
— Facilities Leadership, Gordon College

OPERATIONAL & STRATEGIC BENEFITS

1. Reduced Reliance on Reactive Processes

  • Less emergency response
  • Fewer remediation events
  • Lower long-term maintenance burden

2. HVAC Shift: Comfort → Health

A key mindset change:

"We're not focused on HVAC for comfort—we're looking at HVAC for health."

3. Competitive Differentiation

Healthier buildings became a selling point for:

  • Prospective students
  • Families
  • Faculty

4. Scalable Across Campus

Expansion planned for:

  • Additional classrooms
  • Dormitories
  • Archives
  • Broader HVAC systems

KEY TAKEAWAY

FROM
Reactive mold response + recurring cost cycles
TO
Proactive, continuous air and surface disinfection
Disinfection
Prevention

Far-UV allowed the college to control the environment, not chase problems.

Move Beyond Reactive Cleaning

Deploy Far-UV to create healthier, safer, and more efficient environments.

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