ATLANTA — Acuity Brands, Inc. announced it has entered into a strategic alliance agreement with Ushio America, Inc. (Ushio). Ushio has agreed to supply Acuity Brands with its Care222® UV disinfection module, which uses filtered excimer lamps to generate 222nm far-UVC light capable of inactivating viruses and bacteria on indoor surfaces. Acuity Brands plans to incorporate these lamps in a range of its products, including its ceiling and wall-mounted lighting fixtures that can operate in occupied or unoccupied spaces, to reduce pathogens. The agreement is exclusive to Acuity Brands for general illumination uses throughout North America. Acuity Brands also has non-exclusive rights to use the Care222 disinfection module worldwide (except Asia) for lighting and other uses.
When incorporated in Acuity Brands products and used with its control systems, which are commonly installed in spaces such as offices, classrooms, restaurants, retail stores, restrooms and other public facilities, the Care222 lamp module will emit intermittent pulses of the 222nm UV light to reduce pathogens on surfaces. The mercury-free Care222 excimer lamps produced by Ushio feature a specially designed short pass filter, based on groundbreaking research and technology developed by Columbia University, which filters out from the lamp the longer UV wavelengths that are harmful to humans. The result is a narrow band 222nm wavelength of UV light that can inactivate viruses and bacteria, effectively preventing them from replicating.
Results from laboratory testing and clinical studies suggest that the filtered UV light emitted from the Care222 lamp can reduce pathogens on surfaces without posing a health risk to human skin or eyes when used within appropriate parameters. In contrast, possible acute and chronic damage to eyes and skin may result from the more generally employed 254nm UV wavelength used in many germicidal lamps, although this UV wavelength can be used in interior spaces under certain conditions that sharply limit human exposure. In addition, although lamps in the 405-430nm wavelength range can also be used in occupied spaces, they are not as effective against viruses as lamps with lower-range UVC wavelengths.
“In recent years, it has become increasingly paramount to find new, safer methods of reducing pathogens on surfaces throughout the day,” said Acuity Brands Lighting Senior Vice President, Rick Earlywine. “We are excited about incorporating the Care222 UV light module into our lighting fixtures for use in both occupied and unoccupied spaces. Using this module in our leading lighting fixtures installed in a space represents a significant advancement in protecting public areas against bacteria and viruses.”
“Ushio America, Inc. is pleased to partner with Acuity Brands to bring this powerful germicidal technology to customers in North America,” said Ushio President, William Mackenzie. “With recent research suggesting that repetitive irradiation with 222nm UVC does not cause skin or eye damage, we are excited about Acuity Brands being able to integrate Care222 modules in their general lighting products to simultaneously illuminate and reduce pathogens on surfaces in occupied spaces.”
Acuity Brands expects to introduce lighting fixtures featuring the Care222 module in late calendar 2020. For more information about the properties of 222nm UV light, Care222 excimer lamps, and products using these disinfection technologies please visit Acuity’s web site and the specifications sheets of specific products as introduced.
Tagged with Acuity Brands, lightED, UV