Since 9/11, managers and owners in all types of facilities have struggled to balance two essential priorities — tighter security and practical, cost-effective security technology. Most organizations have taken some steps to retrofit buildings to protect occupants, operations and assets from attacks. But too often, managers have had to make hard decisions without enough information on how a given piece of technology is likely to perform and on how it might interact with other systems and technology already in place.

Now, managers have something of a road map to a central element in facility security.

A new report from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers managers information on retrofit options to improve the safety of buildings against airborne chemical and biological hazards. Managers can use the new guide, Building Retrofits for Increased Protection Against Airborne Chemical and Biological Releases, to determine whether or not, and how, to harden existing buildings against accidental chemical releases or possible terrorist threats.

NIST also developed a life-cycle cost analysis tool for chemical and biological protection of buildings that helps managers to compare life-cycle costs of installation, operation and maintenance to determine the most cost-effective combination of retrofit options.

Retrofit technologies considered include: enhanced particle filtration; sorbent-based gaseous air cleaning; ultraviolet germicidal irradiation; photocatalytic oxidative air cleaning; work-area air capture and filtration equipment; and changes in automated heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) operations in response to contaminant sensing.

What's next?

Ideally, NIST will update its offerings in this rapidly evolving area as manufacturers and researchers develop and roll out other technology advances to protect facilities. Security is essential, but when producing results is this important, managers need all the help they can get — and quickly — when facing decisions on purchasing and implementing technology.