Press Release: New GreenFumehood Technology

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

The University of California, Irvine has successfully completed trials for application of the new GreenFumehood® Technology by Erlab. 

Based on a previous assessment of exterior venting hoods made by the Facilities Management Department, the installation of traditional chemical storage and ducted fume hoods would have been cost prohibitive in Steinhaus Hall. As a solution Matt Gudorf, Project Manager, UCI Facilities suggested evaluating the GreenFumehood® filtering fumehood; a technology he had been introduced to at an industry trade show. At the request of UCI, Erlab supplied a GFH Technologies equipped fume hood for evaluation and use in Steinhaus Hall and the future expansion of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. A working partnership was formed between UC Irvine’s Environmental Health & Safety Department, represented by Joel Azpuru, CIH, CSP Industrial Hygiene Specialist, Dr. Cedric Herry from the Erlab Research Department in France and Karl Aveard, LEED-AP, VP GFH Technology Erlab USA. In Matt’s words, “Thanks to the partnership of environmental Health & Safety and Erlab we have completed an extensive study of the GreenFumehood®.” He went on to say, “After many months Facilities Management is pleased to report that the expansion of lab space in Steinhaus Hall can be implemented.” Unfortunately, California budget shortfalls temporarily stand in the way of actually proceeding with construction.

In the interest of expanding the hood's application to other lab areas, testing is ongoing and based on the current success of the GFH® UCI has approved its use for the pilot project in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratory in Steinhaus Hall. When the project moves forward, UCI Facilities has recommended the installation of one ducted fume hood and a ducted chemical storage unit in combination with all remaining new hoods to be of the GFH Technology® filtering type units. UCI feels this combination will serve to provide "the greatest flexibility while satisfying (their) safety and cost considerations".