Written by Jill Zordan, Director of Planning and Construction, Midtown Athletic Clubs
At Midtown, everyone is in housekeeping, including our facilities themselves. One of our most effective members works 24/7 without a break: airPHX. airPHX (pronounced “air-fix”) technology provides nonstop coverage against bacteria, viruses, and mold by generating sanitizing air via a wall-mounted unit.
You may have noticed the small black or silver wall-mounted boxes in our facilities, unobtrusive with a few blinking lights. Below the surface, airPHX technology destroys over 30 viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and other pathogens with an over 4 log reduction in only 30-minutes.
Studies have shown that airPHX technology is effective against coronaviruses with the same genetic makeup as COVID-19 on various surfaces, including fitness equipment, weights, turf, rubber, wood, and tile surfaces. And because airPHX treats the ambient air, all surfaces exposed to air are sanitized – not just surfaces within the line of sight. As a bonus, airPHX is also effective at tackling common gym odors, allergens, and off-gassing from equipment.
Despite their simple appearance, airPHX devices feature an atmospheric cold plasma chamber that changes a small percentage of the oxygen molecules in air into a unique spectrum of highly effective Reactive Oxygen Species, including gaseous hydrogen peroxide. These ROS gas molecules occur naturally in most environments, but airPHX produces them in a unique mixture that is continuously effective in sanitizing spaces in an organic and safe manner, even in hard to reach places. How safe? The trace levels of various ROS produced are so minimal that they are less than 1/10th of the OSHA identified safe exposure limit. This means that unlike other sanitizing systems, airPHX can run continuously in occupied spaces with no harmful chemicals or odors.
We are confident in its effectiveness, and we’re not alone. airPHX are widely used in medical facilities like ICUs and other immune-sensitive spaces, consistently resulting in 95.6% to 98.2% fewer airborne germs and 92% fewer surface germs. This means bacteria, influenza, MRSA, coronaviruses, staph, norovirus, and other pathogens are virtually eliminated. Effectiveness has been shown in laboratory and real-world settings and validated by third party assessments.
Midtown has used airPHX units throughout our facilities since 2017. One wall mounted unit can treat up to 150,000 cubic feet, and when located near HVAC systems, even larger spaces can benefit. So even if you can’t see a unit, air and surfaces can still be sanitized. The past few months we have completed volumetric studies for each of our facilities and installed additional airPHX units where necessary, ensuring maximum efficiency and effective coverage.
When combined with our rigorous cleaning protocol, airPHX is an integral part of delivering on the Midtown Cleaning Promise to continually provide safe, sanitized spaces.
Schedule a visit to experience Midtown’s higher standard of clean firsthand and get advice from our expert team members—all while maintaining a safe in-club experience.