Using smart occupancy detection and control in buildings to reduce disease transmission

A system for tracking occupancy within a building, the building including a plurality of building spaces, the system comprising:

• a plurality of visible light sources distributed throughout each of at least some of the plurality of building spaces of the building, wherein each of the plurality of visible light sources includes a corresponding occupancy sensor;
• a controller operatively coupled to at least some of the occupancy sensors, the controller configured to:
• monitor the occupancy sensors to infer an occupancy distribution within each of the at least some of the plurality of building spaces of the building;
• compare the occupancy distribution within each of the at least some of the plurality of building spaces of the building with a corresponding occupancy distribution threshold;
• and
• take action in response to determining that the occupancy distribution for any of the building spaces of the plurality of building spaces has reached the corresponding occupancy distribution threshold for that particular building space, wherein taking action comprises controlling an HVAC system of the building to alter one or more environmental conditions of the particular building space to reduce a likelihood of disease transmission among occupants of the particular building space.

A system for disinfecting a space within a building, the building including a plurality of building spaces, the system comprising:

• a plurality of occupancy sensors distributed throughout each of at least some of the plurality of building spaces of the building;
• a plurality of UV light sources distributed throughout each of at least some of the plurality of building spaces of the building, wherein when activated, the plurality of UV light sources disinfecting at least some surfaces in a corresponding building space;
• a controller operatively coupled to at least some of the occupancy sensors and the plurality of UV light sources, the controller configured to:
• monitor the occupancy sensors to determine when one or more of the plurality of building spaces of the building are unoccupied;
• activating one or more of the plurality of UV light sources in one or more of the plurality of building spaces of the building that are determined to be unoccupied;
• and
• monitor the occupancy sensors to determine if one or more of the plurality of building spaces of the building where the one or more of the plurality of UV light sources were activated become re-occupied, and if so, deactivating the corresponding UV light sources.