EVENT | TECHNICAL SYMPOSIUM THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX Covid-19 may have moved the 10th CIBSE Technical Symposium from auditorium to desktop, but the expertise and knowledge shared by more than 70 speakers, made it an enriching experience for those who tuned in. Alex Smith, Liza Young and Phil Lattimore report T he 10th CIBSE ASHRAE Technical Symposium was to have taken place in Glasgow this year, until the emergence of Covid-19 put everyday lives on hold and forced working populations to be physically distanced from their colleagues and friends. With more than 64 academic papers and posters accepted, however, the event chair, Tim Dwyer, was never in doubt that the two-day event would take place in some form. As in the oft-quoted assertion by the great American scientist Benjamin Franklin, from adversity comes opportunity, Dwyer said. The symposium team grasped this opportunity, building on the experiences of earlier symposia to create an online event that provided depth of knowledge and the opportunity to learn, share and communicate with others. The first virtual symposium took place last month, with every paper author taking time to record a 15-20 minute presentation of their research or application. In addition, there were five live keynote speakers and seven, four-minute long, Ted-style presentations. Each session was followed by a live audience Q&A. The second morning of the symposium was given over to presentations on Covid-19 by director of the Royal Institution Dr Shaun Fitzgerald and professor of medical engineering at the University of Bradford, Dr Clive Beggs. Fitzgerald, who is a co-author of the CIBSE Covid-19 Ventilation Guide, reminded the audience that there were three main routes of transmission of the virus: via aerosols that can remain airborne for long periods; larger-particle droplets that may fall on a surface near a susceptible person; and materials or objects that are likely to carry infection. CIBSE guidance has been in part to avoid recirculation of air in buildings and maintain high ventilation rates to dilute the virus. While it was relatively easy to do this in warm weather, Fitzgerald warned that the heating season would be another matter. We are concerned about the cooling months, and volumes to supply more ventilation will incur energy penalties, he said. Some degree of recirculation may be needed if it allows the building to bring in more fresh air, said Fitzgerald, who told the audience that the CIBSE guidance would be updated to take account of the changing seasons. Beggs explained how ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) offered a potential method of eliminating Covid-19 in indoor space. He explained how the SARS CoV-2 was particularly susceptible to damage from UV light. There were two potential methods of disinfecting the 20 October 2020 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE Oct20 pp20-22 Technical symposium.indd 20 25/09/2020 14:36