CASE STUDY
The Budd Group Helps a Healthcare Provider Protect Patients and HVAC Assets with the Breathe Well Program
How The Budd Group Solved a Critical HVAC Challenge
The Problem
A major healthcare provider in Charlotte was self-performing its HVAC preventive maintenance using in-house labor and commodity-grade filters. Over time, the following challenges emerged:
- Insufficient labor for proper HVAC preventive maintenance, leading to inconsistent filter changes and HVAC hygiene practices.
- Use of filters that met industry standards in marketing materials but did not deliver the promised performance in real operating conditions.
- Lack of validation that air quality in critical care areas truly met healthcare industry requirements for particle reduction and cleanliness.
- Risk to expensive HVAC equipment, including air handlers and coils.
The healthcare provider needed a partner that could both improve indoor air quality in critical areas and protect its HVAC investment.
Our Solution
The healthcare provider implemented The Budd Group’s Breathe Well program, a comprehensive approach to HVAC filtration and hygiene. The program included:
- Providing the labor and expertise to install filters correctly, maintain air handlers, and perform ongoing HVAC hygiene. This helped keep coils and internal components cleaner, reducing the risk of mold and buildup that can compromise both air quality and equipment.
- Using particle counts and other diagnostics through the Breathe Well program to verify performance in the field. This provided data showing that the hospital was controlling bacteria-sized particles at the levels needed to protect vulnerable patients and comply with healthcare air quality standards.
- Matching the right filters and maintenance protocols to the hospital’s systems to reduce strain on air handlers and coils, helping prevent premature failure and costly replacement.
The Results
With The Budd Group’s Breathe Well program, the healthcare provider achieved the following results:
- Reduced bacteria-sized particles entering critical care areas by 40%, as validated by field testing.
- Improved compliance with healthcare air quality expectations, supported by documented measurements.
- Extended life of HVAC equipment by keeping components cleaner and better protected. This helps the hospital avoid costly coil replacement projects and the disruption that comes with them.
- Peace of mind for clinical and facilities teams, who can now point to measured performance in their HVAC systems as part of infection-control and risk-management efforts.