As contractors know, hvacr units provide dark, moist environments — perfect breeding grounds for the bacteria and fungi that are associated with foul odors and decreased efficiency. To combat this phenomenon, the U.S. Department of Defense is funding research into antimicrobial copper components that can control the growth of organisms in these units. The units are installed at the military barracks at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. The trial is comparing the ability of antimicrobial copper hvacr components with the more commonly used aluminum components in controlling the growth of odor-causing bacteria and fungi. Components being replaced with copper are those in which microbial contaminants tend to thrive —cooling coils, heat exchange fins, and drip pans. In conjunction with the real-world field trial, a controlled laboratory study is taking place at the University of South Carolina in the Arnold School of Public Health. www.copper.org