It takes more than an open window and a few filters to address indoor air quality (IAQ). Today, creating clean and comfortable environments requires a mix of building analysis, best practices, and reliable IAQ technology.
“Having the right equipment is definitely part of the IAQ equation, but it’s part of a larger, total solution,” says Sonny Pirrotta, National Sales Manager, HVAC Solutions, Panasonic Canada Inc. “That’s why our goal is to go beyond being a trusted manufacturer of IAQ technologies by helping clients create and execute total indoor air quality strategies.”
The demand for improved IAQ is not lost among building owners and managers. The pandemic has underscored the need to provide fresh, hygienic, breathable air to mitigate the risks of airborne infections and provide peace of mind to building occupants. In response, residential, commercial, and industrial asset stakeholders alike have elevated IAQ to the top of their priorities.
“COVID has definitely accelerated the IAQ conversation,” notes Pirrotta. “Now, when people walk into a room, they’re thinking a lot more about what they’re breathing in and how comfortable that environment feels.”
Seeking a total solution
IAQ is more than a trendy buzzword. Moreover, it is an issue that requires a holistic solution made of several key considerations.
- Identifying the culprits: Improving IAQ means first identifying the elements within a building that have a negative impact on the air its occupants and visitors are breathing. That could include odorous cleaning chemicals, smelly foods, mould, aging building components, or anything else that gives off volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Once these main culprits are singled out, you can begin removing or mitigating their impact.
- Making the exchange: Another key element of IAQ is determining how best to bring fresh air in and remove stale, unclean air. What technologies will you use? Where will you install them? How will you ensure these technologies are working?
When determining how you will exchange air within your environment, it’s also important to address humidity.
“Humidity is a very important factor to consider in a total IAQ solution because, as we’ve been reminded throughout the pandemic, humid environments are where viruses, bacteria, and mould can thrive if left unchecked,” adds Pirrotta.
- Filtering techniques: The third component of a total IAQ solution is deciding how to filter and purify the space. Here again, options are ranging from various filters and air purifiers (e.g., HEPA MERV 13) and both active and passive technologies.
Overcoming the IAQ challenge means considering all these elements. It also means recognizing the products and technologies that can assist along the way.
“Fortunately, IAQ has been a priority for us long before it took the spotlight during the pandemic,” says Pirrotta. “Even before COVID, we recognized that IAQ is a growing priority and that we need to address it with a total solution.”
For Panasonic, that total solution includes a broad range of HVAC systems and innovations designed to address IAQ on multiple fronts. It also means introducing new technologies, such as its ClimaPure™ cold climate mini-split heat pump, nanoe™ X ionization technology, and other active and passive IAQ solutions.
Still, providing a total solution is only the first step. The next is working with stakeholders across the industry to promote a holistic approach to IAQ and connect people to the technologies that will work best in their space.
Building awareness
Part of promoting a total solution is ensuring building stakeholders are embedding the right products and technologies for their space and, more importantly, that they know how to use them.
“Before the pandemic, there was a tendency for homeowners or building teams to work with what they already had — even if they didn’t really know how to operate or maintain those components effectively,” says Sonny. “That’s why we need to get out there, promote best practices, and show contractors proven, engineered, and industry-approved solutions that will improve IAQ when combined with other steps.”
Improving indoor air quality is about implementing strategies and solutions that provide fresh, clean air within any indoor environment. This allows building occupants to not only breathe better, but live and feel better too.
Sonny Pirrotta is National Sales Manager – HVAC Solutions, with Panasonic Canada Inc. Learn more about the latest HVAC solutions at na.panasonic.com/ca/hvac.
