Ventilate with fresh air
Fresh air is vital to the comfort of a building’s occupants. Using the HVAC system to bring in more fresh air dilutes contaminated indoor air while controlling the energy loss associated with more open buildings.
Many HVAC systems can be augmented with fresh air options:
- Heat-recovery ventilators (HRVs) retain the heat and moisture of indoor air in colder climates, providing high filtration without restricting airflow.
- Energy-recovery wheels (ERWs) are bolted onto rooftop units to use recycled energy to condition fresh air before it enters the building.
- Energy-recovery ventilators (ERVs) are stand-alone, energy-efficient units that combine ERWs with fans to condition fresh air.
- Integral economizers cool buildings with outdoor air during mild conditions, rather than recirculating indoor air.
- Demand Control Ventilation (DCV) systems use CO2 sensors to monitor the actual occupancy of a room and modulate vents accordingly.
Here are more tips for clean buildings and better air quality.
