Our approach to improving a building’s IAQ
Enhancing indoor air quality has become one of society’s major challenges, following the COVID-19 pandemic.
IAQ is all about control. Sarum Electronics have a range of cost-effective control panel solutions that will assist HVAC and BMS installers in the UK with high-quality ventilation systems, to meet the demanding IAQ standards currently in place and ensure that commercial, public and retail buildings are well-ventilated with clean air.
Upgrades to a BMS system
IAQ improvements can be achieved with upgrades to a BMS which, in most cases, eliminates the need for a brand new ventilation system.
Taking a different HVAC controls strategy approach with these BMS upgrades may achieve energy savings as well as making a building’s environment safer and healthier.
Increase the air exchange rate in existing Air Handling Units
An existing AHU system’s air exchange rate can be increased in line with the IAQ improvement demands, to support the variations in building traffic.
For example, Sarum delivered an AHU control system with multiple functions for a large retail store, configured to provide extra fresh air during periods of high occupancy and reduced fresh air during downtime, which minimises energy costs.
Airflow performance management with extra filters
Applying extra air filters can effectively improve air quality. It may require additional fan pressure to operate, but is an effective strategy to improve air quality.
A good control panel can monitor the airflow performance of these filters, to ensure they are cleaned or changed when alerted.
Adapting to seasonal changes
As the temperature drops in the winter, there is still an essential need for buildings to circulate clean air. Heat Recovery Units can be used to improve efficiency, by harvesting latent heat from exhaust air. Fresh air supplied to the Heat Recovery Units can be pre-heated with duct heater batteries.
The demand for controlled electric heater panels interlinked with fans is particularly high, as it is an efficient method to preheat air entering ducts for energy recovery systems.
CO2 Monitoring
One way to measure good IAQ is to monitor CO2. Sarum Electronics supplies panels to control ventilation rates, directly using feedback from CO2 sensors. The ventilation system can be set to a general background level. As room occupancy increases, so does the CO2 generation.
The sensors will cause fan speeds to increase proportionately, thereby increasing the amount of fresh air and reducing CO2. It means just the right amount of air exchange takes place, maintaining air quality, saving energy and reducing costs.
Make the buildings more comfortable with a great HVAC control strategy
For building owners looking to enhance their indoor air quality, find out what is controlling the building’s HVAC system and get in contact with your BMS Company to see if it can be re-programmed.
It is essential to consider IAQ enhancements if needed.
Would you like to know more about our control panel solutions? Get in contact with us today at info@sarumelectronics.co.uk or call us on 01258 480802.