USA, Houston, Texas. April 12, 2021

The AAA Four Diamond InterContinental Houston - Medical Center, now rated in the top three hotels in the Greater Houston area by TripAdvisor, celebrated property owner Monzer Hourani who was honored as Engineer of the Year by Engineering News-Record. Hourani won the award for a game-changing air filtration device that kills virtually all airborne SARS-CoV-2. The innovative Integrated Viral Protection (IVP) Bio Defense Indoor Air Protection Filtration System is a mobile, plug-and-purify device designed to eliminate airborne contaminants through a heated filter that does not impact the ambient air.

"Congratulations to Mr. Hourani on being a difference maker for our hotel and the hospitality industry," said Jorge Landa, General Manager for the InterContinental Houston - Medical Center. "In a time when hotels were suffering, Mr. Hourani came up with a science-based solution to keep people safe in public spaces. It has had a positive effect to be the first hotel to incorporate it into our property."

Hourani was honored at a ceremony held at the InterContinental Houston - Medical Center as part of the Engineering News-Record Top 25 Newsmakers awards on Thursday, April 8. At the end of every year since 1964, Engineering News-Record editors look through the stories that have appeared in ENR and select individuals for special recognition. Hourani's approach to tackling the global pandemic in public spaces with the IVP filtration system earned him the Engineer of the Year award.

The system was first designed by Hourani, IVP founder and inventor Houstonian who also serves as the head of the InterContinental Houston - Medical Center's ownership group. Hourani, who has a background in physics, science and engineering, developed the advanced biodefense system in partnership with Dr. Zhifeng Ren, Director of the Superconductivity Center of Texas at the University of Houston, and with other scientists at the UTMB Galveston National Lab and University of Texas A&M Engineering and Experiment Station. The device has since been purchased nationwide by event and conference centers, hotels, school districts and municipalities.

The system first debuted at the InterContinental Houston - Medical Center in 2020, making it the first hotel in the world to embrace the technology, building on a comprehensive set of procedures and protocols in place with the IHG Way of Clean program at the property. The system is likely to be a permanent fixture at the hotel long after the pandemic ends with units placed in the lobby, at the in-house Safina Restaurant, and in meeting and event spaces.

"This is an important tool to provide the safest environment to our guests," said Jorge Landa, General Manager for the InterContinental Houston - Medical Center. "With our proximity to the Texas Medical Center, we continued to host guests throughout 2020 and the IVP system not only kept the air in our public spaces filtered, but it also brought peace of mind to all who stayed with us. We are grateful to Mr. Hourani's contributions to the hospitality sector."

In addition to the hotel, the IVP Air technology has been deployed at Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center, throughout city buildings in the City of Baytown, the Texas A&M Health Science Center and student housing, True North Classical Academy in Miami, Florida, Slidell Independent School District and Galveston Independent School District, and Post Acute Medical Rehabilitation with sites in Texas and Las Vegas. For additional information on IVP, please visit IVPair.com.