When building owners think of ways to improve indoor air quality, two words likely come to mind: filters and ventilation. Building owners have used strategies such as implementing higher efficiency media filters, increasing ventilation and even opening windows as ways to reduce the spread of airborne microorganisms, viruses and bacteria since the 1950s. Over half a century later, it may be time for an update.
“Filters do their job, but they have limitations,” said Tony Abate, vice president and chief technology officer at AtmosAir, which manufacturers indoor air purification and air quality monitoring solutions. “The same is true of ventilation. It’s great if you’re dealing with a new building that was designed with maximum ventilation in mind, but if you’re in an older facility, things get much more complicated.”