Healthy, productive spaces

We spend 90% of our lives indoors, yet the indoor air quality is 6-8x more polluted than the outside air. Modern HVAC systems are capable of providing healthy conditioned air for ventilation, but they often fail our occupants due to poor controls or broken components.

Many buildings have insufficient ventilation, which can be measured and evaluated for compliance with ASHRAE standards, referenced by most building codes. After verifying ventilation, it is important to review exhaust rates to characterize building pressurization. Air filtration can also be enhanced to install the highest performing filter for the existing system.

Employing healthy IAQ practices will have a noticeable impact for people inside the building. Improved ventilation with fresh air can boost creativity and productivity. Balancing the systems can improve thermal comfort. Enhanced filtration can improve general building cleanliness.

All of these strategies are implemented to balance energy efficiency. Modern control systems can change ventilation and air exchanges based on occupancy. As more people use the building, more air is supplied to meet demand. As demand decreases, ventilation is reduced to avoid excessive energy consumption.

Key impact areas for sustainable operations include:

• Ventilation & filtration assessment per ASHRAE guidelines

• Quantitative data collection with IAQ Monitoring

• Qualitative data collection with occupants’ feedback

• Daylighting & lighting controls

• Materials & cleaning practices