Safety is top of mind as fitness facilities reopen post the COVID-19 shutdown. Many are anxious to get back to taking care of their bodies, wellbeing, and mental health. Our Yoga Place (OYP), which opened in January 2020, was designed to tackle the nasty environmental issues prevalent in all indoor fitness centers. OYP specializes in hot yoga, which amplifies the need for fresh outside air circulating throughout the facility. As OYP reopens in a new world, it is exciting to highlight how the facility was specifically designed with safety in mind. While there is not a 100% effective way to eliminate all airborne viruses, OYP uses technologies that heat, circulate, ventilate, and sterilize the air in the yoga studios, locker rooms, and surfaces. This sets a brand-new standard for safe indoor fitness facilities.
Hot Yoga classes run in studios heated at 105°F (40.5C) with at least 40% relative humidity to increase yoga’s effects on muscles and various systems of the body. In addition to the resulting sweat produced under such conditions, people expel higher levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) thanks to elevated heart rates. As more CO2 fills the room, less oxygen becomes available, making it harder to breathe. OYP systems continuously monitor CO2 levels and adjust ventilation to keep the air in the rooms breathable for participants.
It’s easy for ventilation and temperature control to become significantly unbalanced if the HVAC is not properly aligned to bring in enough fresh air while sending stale “bad” air out of the building, now a heightened area of concern post COVID-19. OYP’s high thermal efficiency energy recovery units deliver balanced ventilation that controls humidity. Such superior ventilation keeps CO2 levels as low as possible by ushering out stale “used” air and using the heat energy of that air to warm incoming fresh air.
Equally important as air quality, OYP installed cutting edge commercial grade ultraviolet devices throughout yoga and locker room facilities. These devices are widely utilized in the food processing and preparation industries, as well as “clean” room laboratories. OYP is the first yoga facility to utilize this technology.
Antimicrobial disinfection through illumination is proven effective with proper dosage levels on pathogens suspended in air or attached to a variety of surfaces, materials, and objects. SpectraClean™ leverages developments in the disciplines of lighting science and microbiology to combine white and narrowband 405 nanometer visible light.
The germicidal effects of narrowband visible light suppress a wide range of bacteria, molds, fungi and yeast. SpectraClean’s antimicrobial light induces the production of damaging reactive oxygen species in harmful microorganisms to accelerate cell inactivation.
Finally, the yoga room flooring used is PEM Surface Flooring. The recycled material is treated with an antimicrobial formula that guards against the growth of mildew, fungi, and bacteria. The durable thermoplastic construction is designed for the moisture and humidity of hot yoga studios. It has shock absorbing cushion for less stress on the body and reduces the risk of slippage.
With all of these new systems in place, OYP creates a safe and environmentally friendly facility for students.
Our Yoga Place is a state-of-the-art yoga facility located in Coconut Point Mall in Estero. It’s owned and operated by Nancy Gerald and Tom Palmer. Our specialty is heated yoga classes that are designed to heal, transform, and evolve the body, mind and spirit. It offers heated yoga classes, sports apparel boutique, health coaching and education, Thai massage, community presentations, and crystal bowl healing. For more information: www.OurYogaPlace.com or contact: info@ouryogaplace.com. (FL MA56892).