VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The National Air Filtration Association (NAFA) announced 21 recipients of the Clean Air Awards for 2006. The Clean Air Award is presented each year to building owners and managers who take steps to significantly improve the quality of their indoor air by increasing the level of air filter efficiency and improving the protocol involving IAQ components of their HVAC system in 10 categories. Recipients must accumulate a total of at least 52 combined points in the categories.

Candidates are nominated by both NAFA members and members of the facility management community for the award, and must submit detailed and specific steps taken towards cleaning the indoor environment. A NAFA Certified Air Filter Specialist qualified the submissions. Awards are judged by the NAFA Clean Air Award Committee and each recipient receives a custom-designed trophy and recognition for their efforts.

The 2006 recipient companies that utilize "best air filtration practices" in their buildings are: Blanchard Valley Regional Health Center, Finley, Ohio; Boston Police Department Headquarters, Boston; Boston Properties, Waltham, Mass.; City of Phoenix Municipal Buildings, Phoenix; Crescent Real Estate-Fulbright Tower, Houston; Cushman & Wakefield-AIG American General Center, Houston; Department of Forensic Science-Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond, Va.; Eisai Research Institute, Andover, Mass.; Falmouth Public Schools, Falmouth, Mass.; Glendale Arena, Glendale, Ariz.; Highwood Properties, International Place III, Memphis, Tenn.; Hines Property Management, Phoenix; Intertek Caleb Brett-Westport Technology Center, Houston; Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's Healthcare, Louisville, Ky.; Progressive Insurance-Austin Call Center, Austin, Texas; St. Vincent Hospital/Worcester Medical Center, Worcester, Mass.; Toyoda Gosei-Texas, San Antonio; Tuft's University-Jaharis Building, Boston; University of Texas-Southern Medical Center, Dallas; Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, Mass.; and Williams International, Ogden, Utah.