From homes and apartments to office buildings, hospitals, and schools, the average American spends 87 percent of their life indoors — and another 6 percent in enclosed vehicles. That means for the overwhelming majority of Americans, the air entering their bodies every day is directly impacted by the buildings that make up the environment.
Manufacturers in the realm of IAQ are seeing an uptick in interest due to increased awareness among consumers as well, as the air quality concerns that come as a byproduct of efforts to tighten up buildings to increase energy efficiency. In response, they’ve been updating IAQ products for the age of the smartphone and the “smart” HVAC system.
Following are four examples — a kosher wine shipping center, a chiller plant in a marine research lab, a community pool, and a 10th-floor medical office retrofit — that illustrate just how creative high-efficiency products can be when it comes to unique solutions for everyday issues.
Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of lung infection caused by exposure to bacteria known as Legionella. Found naturally in freshwater environments like lakes and streams, Legionella becomes a health hazard when it grows unabated in water that is not properly treated. While this can include shower heads, hot tubs, and hot water heaters, cooling towers are often found to be the source of outbreaks.
Several months ago, I wrote a Duct Dynasty article titled “Four Steps to Optimize a Duct System.” Since then, I’ve received numerous requests to expand on the simple calculations I mentioned that can help you estimate room airflow with a customer’s input.
The air duct calculator, or “ductulator,” is a commonly used tool for designing and installing duct systems. Unfortunately, many designers and technicians receive limited instructions on its correct use.
The GPS-iClean's ease of installation as well as its nearly nonexistent maintenance requirements have earned it gold in the Indoor Air Quality category.
Ultraviolet (UV) light has been growing as part of the HVAC landscape for years, specifically within the IAQ arena. ASHRAE's validation is certainly a huge step forward for UV, but many manufacturers believe this technology has already proven its value, as its growth and expansion began years ago.
The REME Halo™ whole-home air purifier from RGF® Environmental Group Inc. has earned a reputation among contractors not only for its ability to improve IAQ, but also for its ease of installation and stellar customer support.
Although UV-C is simple, many contractors are mystified about how UV-C works and how to apply it cost-effectively. These aspects and other misunderstood issues are addressed here .