UBC Okanagan researchers have unveiled a cutting-edge device to enhance indoor air quality by effectively removing airborne pathogens and reducing the spread of respiratory infections. This breakthrough could significantly impact health safety in enclosed spaces like clinics, classrooms and offices.
Engineers at the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO) have developed a new device aimed at improving indoor air quality by effectively removing airborne pathogens. This innovation could become a vital tool in reducing the spread of respiratory diseases in enclosed spaces.
Traditional methods for curbing the transmission of infectious diseases typically involve enhancing a building’s ventilation system to regulate large-scale airflow. However, personalized ventilation systems provide an additional layer of protection by directing clean air towards individuals from a fixed distance. While this approach, similar to the air circulation on passenger airplanes, has its benefits, it also has notable drawbacks.
“Ensuring high air quality while indoors is crucial for mitigating the transmission of airborne disease, particularly in shared environments,” co-author Sunny Li, a professor in the School of Engineering, said in a news release. “Many Canadians spend nearly 90 per cent of their time inside, making indoor air quality a critical factor for health and wellbeing.”
First author Mojtaba Zabihi, a postdoctoral researcher at UBCO, emphasizes the challenges of implementing changes in existing HVAC systems due to the diversity in room layouts and ventilation designs. This underscores the importance of personalized ventilation.
“We wanted to develop an innovative system that prevents occupants from inhaling contaminated air while allowing them to use a personalized ventilation system comfortably for extended periods,” added Zabihi.
The research team, working with UBC’s Airborne Disease Transmission Research Cluster, created an induction-removal or jet-sink airflow concept. This new design captures and removes exhaled aerosols before they circulate throughout the room.
Unlike conventional personalized ventilation systems, which rely on high-speed air jets that can cause discomfort and lose effectiveness when users move, the new system continuously draws contaminated particles into a localized purification zone.
“Our design combines comfort with control,” Zabihi added. “It creates a targeted airflow that traps and removes exhaled aerosols almost immediately—before they have a chance to spread.”
Using computer simulations to model breathing, body heat and airflow in a 30-minute consultation scenario, the researchers compared their new device against standard personal ventilation systems.
Their findings, published in the journal Building and Environment, were significant. The new system reduced the probability of infection to just 9.5%, compared with 47.6% for a static personal setup, 38% for a personal ventilation system with an exhaust design, and 91% under standard room ventilation.
Under optimal conditions, the device was able to prevent pathogen inhalation for the first 15 minutes of exposure, allowing only 10 particles out of 540,000 to reach another person. Their simulations indicated the system could remove up to 94 percent of airborne pathogens.
“Traditional personalized ventilation systems can’t adapt when people move or interact,” added co-author Joshua Brinkerhoff, an associate professor in the School of Engineering. “It’s a smart, responsive solution for spaces like clinics, classrooms or offices where close contact is unavoidable.”
Brinkerhoff noted that this study demonstrates the potential for airflow engineering — not just filtration — to improve indoor air quality and occupant safety. Moving forward, the team will focus on refining the design for larger rooms and testing physical prototypes in practical settings.
Zabihi, who is a member of Canada’s National Model Codes Committee on Indoor Environment, hopes this research will influence future ventilation standards, contributing to healthier and safer indoor environments.