BOX Pure Air ("BPA") subsidiary of SinglePoint Inc. (OTC:SING) is pleased to announce Highland Park Independent School District selecting BOX Pure Air to support efforts to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) throughout the school district. The implementation includes AIRBOX™ units (48 Mesa units, 72 Peak units, 29 Apex 2.0 units) and the filters needed for the next year. BOX Pure Air supplies tried and true, portable, Certified HEPA filtration units.
Highland Park Independent School District has 886 students enrolled across three schools on the campus. This deployment entails the placement of air purification units in each of these schools, along with enough filters to last until the following year. Highland Park is purchasing 149 AIRBOX™ units to provide healthier indoor air for its students and staff. Opting for a full implementation, the elementary, middle, and high schools that make up Highland Park's campus will have units in various spaces, from classrooms to administrative offices and gymnasiums.
Ryan Cowell, CEO BOX Pure Air, said, "We are excited to work with Highland Park in their effort to improve IAQ on their campus. By selecting BOX Pure Air, we believe Highland School shows its commitment to implementing an effective indoor air quality improvement solution across the entire school's campus. We have had multiple orders in Texas, and we believe this will open the doors to many additional orders throughout the state. This full implementation demonstrates the validity and credibility of BOX Pure Air."
Cowell added, "We have made significant progress through multiple markets and our teams focused, diligent effort is resulting in significant sales. We expect to see most of our efforts reflect in Q3 and into Q4 of 2022 as schools prepare for students and teachers to return this upcoming 2022 - 2023 school year. Highland Park made the best decision a school can make related to improving indoor air quality throughout their campus, fully implementing portable air purification units where needed not just within classrooms, administration offices but all common areas including large spaces specifically gymnasiums, cafeteria's and libraries, which will utilize the industry leading APEX 2.0."
This purchase order to improve indoor air quality throughout the schools was made possible through funding provided by the ESSER III Grant. The grant was distributed to public school districts in Texas to improve overall health and safety. These funds were authorized in the American Rescue Plan (ARP), and are available to schools until the end of September 2024. Highland Park has taken full advantage of this opportunity and wisely invested its grant money into a clean indoor air quality solution that will last for years to come.
Two people instrumental in commencing this implementation include Ray Cogburn and Jimmy Hannon. Mr. Cogburn is the former executive director of Region 16 schools in Texas, which includes Amarillo, and Mr. Hannon is the superintendent of Highland Park Independent School District. Through their assistance, BOX Pure Air was able to develop a full-school Safe Air Plan.
There are many solutions being explored to help improve indoor air quality. BOX Pure Air continues to be on the forefront of exploring these new technologies. Through research and following industry studies the company has remained steadfast to date that Certified HEPA filtration is currently the best solution to improve indoor air quality along with improved ventilation where possible. Many parties are exploring ionization technology as an alternative option as ionization is advertised to destroy harmful particles. In doing so, it also releases ozone and hydrogen peroxide into the air, which can be dangerous as OSHA has set daily limit thresholds of exposure to both chemicals. Current research suggests Ionization has little to no impact on removing respiratory aerosols from the breathing zone, which should be the primary focus for creating healthy air.
Mr. Cogburn commented, "Many schools I've talked with are looking into ionization as a potential air solution. I understand the appeal from a cost perspective, but I always advise them to take the route of Certified HEPA air purification. It's proven to work, safer than ionization. Any administrator I talk with that is hesitant about investing in HEPA, I encourage them to look at the BOX Pure Air solution because it does check all the boxes."
BOX Pure Air anticipates the delivery and installation of the 149 units to begin immediately to ensure everything is in place when students return in August. Highland Park's decision to invest in air purification across the entire campus shows its commitment to the health and wellbeing of its students and staff and should be commended. They will undoubtedly be the most prepared school in their region to deal with issues such as airborne viruses, allergies, wildfire smoke, and more.
With Federal funding readily available, BOX Pure Air is excited to continue working with school districts in the state of Texas and elsewhere to provide high-quality, Certified HEPA air purification solutions. With roughly two months until the 2022-23 school year, BPA expects to see more districts following the lead of Highland Park and taking steps to improve their indoor air quality. Both the CDC and White House have stressed indoor ventilation as a potent weapon in the battle to contain COVID. Congress has approved billions in funding for public and private schools that can be used to improve indoor air quality including $13 billion for schools in the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act; an additional $54 billion approved in December 2020 for schools' use; and $122 billion for schools from the 2021 American Rescue Plan ("ARP"). Funds from the ARP are available for schools to use until the end of September 2024.