Sales for new technology aimed at sanitizing interior living spaces have seen jumps since the pandemic began, says a CNBC report, clearly indicating that buyers not only want "clean home tech," but also are willing to pay for it. Vital Vio, a company specializing in antimicrobial LED lighting, says inquiries for their products have increased 40-fold during the pandemic. Home builders are paying attention; Ohio-based M/I Homes which will feature Vital Vio technology in its new builds, while Arizona-based Taylor Morrison has taken its own approach by upgrading its homes’ air filtration systems and adding touchless faucets at no extra cost to the buyer.
Its technology uses visible light to alter the action in cells of bacteria, mold and fungi — but not in those of humans, pets and plants — provoking a toxic reaction within the cells that leads to death.
Vital Vio’s lighting goes into various other products, like Ellumi brand’s under-cabinet lighting and Wisconsin-based maker of residential ventilations systems Broan-NuTone’s antimicrobial ventilation systems. Vital Vio’s lighting does not specifically kill coronavirus, but better air circulation and filtration can inhibit contagion. Consumers seem less concerned about killing the virus and more concerned about creating the cleanest possible home environment.
