Technology is advancing to the point where indoor air quality (IAQ) can rival outdoor air. To achieve this, however, it takes advanced HVAC systems that are continuously maintained for optimization. Fortunately, new technologies are assisting in our quest, making every breath while inside smart buildings a clean and healthy one.
The Importance of IAQ
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that “on average, Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations.”
These pollutants have been shown to affect our health and cognitive abilities. For business owners, poor air quality often translates into increased absenteeism, impacting their bottom line. Thus, the advantages of investing in modern HVAC systems that can optimize air quality can not only positively affect health concerns, but the operational productivity of occupants as well.
How Modern Smart HVAC Systems Work
Modern HVAC systems in smart buildings have the ability to adapt to external pollution levels and occupancy levels, which both play a critical role in delivering fresh air to all or portions of a facility. Advancements include:
- New HEPA and Activated Carbon filter systems to remove microscopic containments and pollutants
- On-demand ventilation systems that make adjustments in real-time
- UV light and electrical charge systems to kill pathogens and trap particles missed by filtration systems
- Corrosion-resistant heat exchangers to prevent air stream contamination
- Mold and mildew prevention systems
- Multi-zone systems that allow for customized air quality adjustments based on occupancy
All the advancements and benefits found in modern smart HVAC systems come with one major drawback: they require constant upkeep and maintenance to achieve maximum results. This increase in maintenance may prevent building owners and operators from investing in them due to the perceived cost of hiring a team of HVAC professionals to monitor systems and keep them operating efficiently. Fortunately, technology is here to the rescue as well.
Smart HVAC System Monitoring and Management
Like modern automobiles with advanced fuel efficiency systems and electronics, they’ve become increasingly complex to maintain. The same is often said about smart building HVAC systems. But with the right monitoring and management tools in place, smart HVAC systems are easy to maintain.
Here are a few examples of how technology keeps these systems operationally effective:
- Sensor Technologies. IoT sensors that are strategically deployed within a building monitor various HVAC and air quality metrics, including temperature, humidity, O2/CO2 levels, and occupancy counts. This delivers real-time data that can be used within smart HVAC systems to make automated adjustments.
- Centralized monitoring and alerting. In most cases, HVAC control platforms can integrate with a Building Management System (BMS). Doing so allows for a wider range of information gathering and consolidation that delivers more accurate information on which to base HVAC changes.
- AI/ML Data Analysis. Collecting data is one thing, but figuring out what to do with the information is another. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) lets software make those decisions on your behalf. With a bit of fine-tuning within the HVAC orchestration platform, AI and ML can make the minor adjustments required to optimize air quality far better than could be accomplished with a team of HVAC technicians.
- Software-centric feature updates. The beauty of modern HVAC systems is that they’ve largely become software-centric. This means that the HVAC vendor can provide software updates to fix bugs and introduce new features that potentially deliver greater air quality improvements throughout the system’s operational lifespan.
Breathtakingly Good Indoor Air Quality
Given the ongoing advancements in smart building technologies, intelligent HAVC systems is an area that delivers benefits to business owners/operators and their occupants. Owners and operators gain obligatory energy efficiencies while occupants improve their health and operational performance.
It’s a win-win situation for both. After all, who doesn’t like fresh air?
