Bright spot: UVDI makes filters that use ultraviolet fight to disinfect heating and air conditioning systems.

CONSUMERS have never been more aware that the germs and mold growth circulated by air conditioning and heating systems can cause colds, flu and other respiratory illness.

Ultraviolet Devices Inc is hoping to shed even more light--ultraviolet, specifically--on the problem.

The firm manufactures filters that can be installed in heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to disinfect the air that circulates in offices and homes. The Valencia-based company's two filter products, called V-Ray and V-Strike, kill the germs and allergens in circulated air by targeting them with ultraviolet light.

"The technology isn't new, it's probably 60 or 70 years old, said Dan Goetz, president and chief executive of UVDI. "What's new is the application."

The technology has been utilized extensively in hospitals and other health care facilities for decades, particularly since the deadly legionnaires disease outbreak in 1976. UVDI has been in the UV air treatment business for five years, and is now trying to take advantage of heightened awareness of the problem and the green building trend that's gained momentum over the past several years.

Until now, the company has sold primarily to commercial office buildings, such as the Twin Towers on Century City's Avenue of the Stars, and to air conditioning system manufacturers who install the filters in their own projects.

"You will almost never find a product that says UVDI on the outside of it," Goetz said. "In some ways we're like the Intel chip that's inside all the different computers. Our products are part of several well-recognized companies' products."

UVDI, which has projected revenues of about $20 million for next year, is hoping to make a leap over the next several years by expanding its client base into a relatively untapped realm: school districts.

The firm has landed contracts with the Santa Clarita and Ontario-Montclair school districts and is negotiating with the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Making potential customers aware of the dangers that lurk in their heating and air conditioning systems remains a major hurdle. For many people, if they can't see it, it isn't there.

"School districts, more than office complexes, generally don't want to admit to the public that they have an air quality problem," Goetz said. "Denial is a big, big obstacle for us and our products."

According to Environmental Protection Agency data, the air inside homes can be as much as 70 times more polluted than the outdoor environment--even in smoggy Southern California. It's estimated that about 15 million workers in the United States are affected by sick building syndrome annually.

A recent study conducted by the Montreal Chest Institute at McGill University found that installation of UV air purification equipment resulted in a 20 percent overall reduction in all symptoms for some workers, but Goetz said getting credible third party studies to demonstrate the efficacy of the technology is difficult.

Office managers and cash-strapped school districts are, of course, extremely cost-conscious. The price of the systems are based on the rate that air flows through a home or office at about 15 cents per cubic foot. That means about $250 to install the system in an average home, much more for larger office complexes or schools.

UVDI executives point out that the filters make the HVAC systems operate more efficiently by keeping gunk buildup off the coils, resulting in energy cost savings. The light systems help control the bacteria and mold "biofilm," slimy growth on HVAC coils that not only results in airborne allergens, but also makes the system less efficient.

UVDI is developing filters for transportation systems and smaller travel outfits--"planes, trains and automobiles" as Goetz puts it--as well as products to clean up construction sites.

UVDI has its largest distribution in the United States, but also has a presence in Europe, the Middle East and Latin America and sold products to deal with the airborne respiratory outbreaks in China.

Not a cure-all

While the germ-killing UV devices have earned positive reviews, there are caveats.

To work, the light has to directly target the germs--making proper installation critical, and the bulbs must be changed annually.

Also, UV filters aren't a cure-all. Other germ-related problems could lurk in homes, schools or office buildings out of UVDI products' reach--mold spores growing in walls, for example.

Malibu-based green building consultant Eric Cadora, who works on commercial and residential projects, said that while the UV filters are effective, they have their limits.

"It can't get every source of bacteria inside a house or building, but for airborne pathogens overall, there's really no downside," Cadora said. "In the air conditioning systems it can really be effective because it keeps the ducts clean and also cleans the air inside the home that circulates through."

Even the company's executives, though, concede it could be awhile before the whole air treatment line really gets airborne.

"Green buildings represent a very small percentage of all construction," said Larry Randall, senior marketing manager. "It's going to take a very long time before green building is dominant."

Ultraviolet Devices Inc.

Founded: 1992

Core business: Designing and manufacturing ultraviolet air filters that kill germs and bacteria in heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems

Employees in 2005: 75

Employees in 2006: 80

Goal: To extend sales of its filter systems sales beyond hospitals and industrial/office complexes to school districts and universities

Driving Force: Desire for healthy air in work, school and home environments and increasing energy efficiency

BY ANNE RILEY-KATZ

Staff Reporter