Spotlight

Special Issue HEALTH & WELL-BEING

Special Issue HEALTH & WELL-BEING Breathe EASY

Air treatment systems have become a vital component in creating healthy indoor spaces

It’s not all about removing nasty viruses and bacteria from the air, Special Issueodour control is equally critical in maintaining hygiene in shared public spheres. OPI’s Michelle Sturman talked to experts from four air treatment manufacturers to find out more. VENDOR SPECIAL

FELLOWES BRANDS

OPI: How does air ventilation contribute to health and well-being in the workplace/classroom? Fellowes Brands spokesperson: We VENDOR SPECIAL Special Issue take about 22,000 breaths every day and spend 90% of our time indoors. Most of that air is recirculated, containing VOCs, viruses, mould spores, bacteria, asthma, allergy-causing triggers, etc, and can be 2-5 times more polluted than outside air. Without proper ventilation and filtration, we constantly expose ourselves and our children to these harmful contaminants. Poor air quality has been linked to low test scores in classrooms, billions of dollars in lost productivity, lower fertility rates, and even higher mortality instances. Nothing is more fundamental to our health and well-being than clean air. Most of us spend much of our lives in an office or school building. As such, the impact of investing in clean air is immediate and long-lasting. An effective air purification solution can help dramatically reduce the risk of exposure to contaminants.

OPI: What exactly are ‘smart’ air filtration systems?

FB: A smart system means it is constantly sensing the environment through an array of sensors and automatically adjusting the performance based on the conditions, taking any guesswork out of how to set the air filtration system. Air purification models should be designed to be as unintrusive as possible. The most effective smart solutions also look at both air and non-air quality metrics of the room, like occupancy, to ensure the machine is set to the optimum performance level. Smart machines do the work for you, selecting the appropriate settings based on the true dynamic conditions of the area to deliver the best air possible.

Fellowes Brands AeraMax Pro

AeraMax Pro air purifiers are smart air filtration systems designed for shared spaces. Available in a variety of sizes and filter choices, they have patented EnviroSmart and PureView technologies that continuously scan and analyse rooms to purify the air as required. The AeraMax Pro delivers 3-5 air changes per hour, based on room size and shared space, while the True HEPA filtration system removes 99.99% of all airborne contaminants, including viruses. An antimicrobial HEPA treatment prevents bacteria growth on the filter and an activated carbon filter reduces odours and VOCs. www.opi.net

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ACCO BRANDS

OPI: How easy are air ventilation systems to install? Marc Brion, Category Manager,

ACCO Brands EMEA: Standalone air purifier models, for example, do not involve any specialist installation and can be used as and where required. They are simply connected to the mains, so are truly plug and play. In addition, no ongoing training is necessary as the air purifiers let users know when filters need to be replaced.

OPI: How good are air treatment solutions at eradicating airborne viruses (including COVID), bacteria, etc?

Thomas Reinhard, Sales Manager, RENZ: Conventional air filtration systems purify the air of pollutants like viruses, pollen or dust by creating the strongest possible airflow in the room.

Since the start of the pandemic, a lot of new air treatment solutions have been developed. For instance, one type works with a combination of ionisation and activated oxygen. Shortly after the machine is switched on, pollutants are eliminated directly at the point of origin through various active principles. This system ensures the air in the space itself acts as a protective barrier and removes all aerosols, particles, viruses and bacteria immediately, with 99% effectiveness.

OPI: What is the optimal ventilation in an office or classroom to ensure great air quality?

Michael Schubert, Managing Director, RENZ: Air purifiers are great inventions for areas that can’t be ventilated naturally. We recommend coordinated ventilation with the help of a CO2 traffic light. It is one of the most effective ways of protecting students, teachers, children and office workers from catching viruses. It obtains an exact measurement of the CO2 value and the traffic light function prompts room inhabitants to ventilate.

The CO2 content of the air is an indicator of air quality – the higher it is, the lower the oxygen content, which can lead to a decrease in concentration and productivity. It also points to a high aerosol concentration which can increase the risk of infection by viruses.

RENZ AIR2COLOR PRO

The AIR2COLOR PRO is an air quality meter and CO2 traffic light. It evaluates the four most important indicators of air quality: CO2 content, particulate matter, humidity and temperature.

The device measures all values precisely and continuously on the touch display. The CO2 content is indicated via a bar, which is clearly visible from all sides, in the easy-to-understand traffic light colours of green, yellow and red.

OPI: What are the minimum standards for an air treatment system?

MB: It depends very much on the size of the room and usage area. There are also different requirements for homes than for offices or schools. For example, some products are designed for use in private environments where you should allow two air changes per hour.

Whereas, in offices and classrooms, you should have 4-5 air changes per hour, which requires a more powerful air filtration system. If the space is large, multiple machines can be installed.

It is also worth noting any certifications a particular model has – a good one to check for is the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (ECARF).

Leitz TruSens Z-3000 Air Purifier with SensorPod Air Quality Monitor

The Leitz TruSens Z-3000 is designed for large rooms of up to 70 m2 and features remote sensor technology and two airflow streams.

Offering 360º HEPA filtration, the system collects 99.97% of pollutants and neutralises odours by automatically adapting to changing air quality. A UV-C lamp eliminates bacteria and germs trapped in the filter.

The SensorPod monitors air quality to optimise clean air delivery as the fan speed automatically adjusts in response to readings. A colour-coded illuminated ring and numerical value communicate good, moderate or poor air quality. In addition, the Z-3000 is ECARF certified.

VECTAIR SYSTEMS

OPI: Will the pursuit of ‘clean air’ become an integral part of office life in the post-pandemic world?

Peter Lipke, CEO, Vectair Systems: The idea of cleaning the air inside a building is a critical one given the fact that indoor air can have levels of pollutants up to five times higher than outdoors (according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency). As a concept, air purifiers and odour neutralising solutions have been around for a long time and tend to be prevalent in places like care homes, where smells can linger and viruses are more dangerous to elderly inhabitants.

Post-COVID, in offices and spaces where individuals gather, there will be an emphasis on both real and perceived cleanliness. Ozone generators and air purifiers can help with this. Businesses want to limit the spread of airborne viruses, as it may have an impact on workers wanting to come back to the office. They also want to rid spaces of unpleasant smells – after all, if a place doesn’t smell clean, our perception is that it isn’t.

OPI: What benefits do ozone generator and odour neutralising systems offer?

PL: Ozone generators neutralise odours, destroy harmful microorganisms and kill up to 99.5% of airborne viruses. They break down odour-causing compounds, removing bad smells you can’t mask with air freshener. Some models are portable, which is a real benefit as they can be used as needed and are especially good for confined spaces with few windows. Products like these really show a commitment to providing a healthier workplace.

Vectair Prozone Ozone Generator

The Prozone helps to eliminate unpleasant smells in different locations, including offices, homes and classrooms. It offers adjustable ozone production to match room sizes with coverage of up to 150 m3 .

The Prozone is suitable for either portable or fixed use and can be wall-mounted or left on a flat surface. There are two available versions – non-programmable or programmable with customised operation times. The Prozone contains no VOCs and incorporates Vectair’s Invizi-Touch antimicrobial protection technology.