EIRVACommon questions
What technologies does EIRVA use?
EIRVA combines three technologies in one device: UVC germicidal irradiation, which damages the DNA/RNA of airborne pathogens; Photocatalytic Oxidation (PCO), which breaks down VOCs, odours and remaining pathogens using a UV-activated catalyst; and plasmonic filtration, which uses light-resonant nanoparticles to boost that catalytic reaction and capture fine particulates. Most air purifiers rely on just one of these — EIRVA runs all three together.
Is it safe to run while the room is occupied?
Yes. All three purification processes happen inside a shielded unit, specifically so the device can operate continuously in occupied rooms, without exposing people below to direct UVC light.
Is EIRVA certified or independently tested?
Yes. EIRVA units conform to the CE marking requirements for the UK/EU market and carry UKCA marking for Great Britain, confirming they've been independently tested against the applicable product safety, electromagnetic compatibility and environmental protection standards. Every unit is designed and manufactured in the UK. Certification documentation is available on request.
Does it need filters or consumables?
There are no traditional filters to change weekly or monthly, and nothing to dose day-to-day. The UVC lamp and catalyst cell that power the three purification modes are replaced once a year as part of a straightforward annual service.
Where should it be installed?
EIRVA is ceiling-mounted, positioned directly above where people gather. Exhaled breath is warm, so it rises and collects in a layer near the ceiling within seconds — that's where EIRVA treats it, rather than waiting for it to spread sideways across the room to a wall-mounted unit or a building's HVAC.
How is this different from a traditional air purifier or my building's HVAC?
Traditional purifiers — whether a wall or floor unit, or a building's HVAC — are sited at the room's perimeter, so the room's air has to travel there first, moving laterally past other occupants before it's ever treated. That's exactly how one person's exhaled breath can reach someone else before it's cleaned. EIRVA avoids that by sitting directly above the people it's protecting, treating exhaled breath while it's still rising in the warm, buoyant column it forms around each person — before it has any chance to mix sideways across the room. It's the same source-capture principle used in operating theatre and cleanroom ventilation, applied to a standalone ceiling unit.
How much maintenance does it need?
EIRVA is designed for low, predictable maintenance: a single annual service to replace the UVC lamp and catalyst cell that drive the three purification modes and keep performance at spec. There's no daily or weekly upkeep required in between.
Can I buy a single unit, or is this only for large sites?
Both. You can buy a single EIRVA unit directly through our store, or request a quote for multi-room and multi-site deployments.
Is the technology proven?
UVC germicidal irradiation has been used for over a century in medical sterilisation and water purification, with its effectiveness against airborne pathogens well documented in peer-reviewed literature. Photocatalytic oxidation and plasmonic-enhanced catalysis are more recent but similarly well-established technologies, already used across industrial and healthcare air treatment. EIRVA is engineered to combine all three in a single device.