I have to say I am smitten with my new car's controls and dashboard. My favorite is the cruise control which automatically slows down when it senses the car in front of me is less than the distance interval I set. It will even brake if necessary. My second favorite is the lane assist, which allowed me to take my hands off the wheel for a few seconds while I snapped a picture.
I can look at another dashboard on my phone app and see my fuel level, if any maintenance actions are required now, and how many miles until my next maintenance. My app also gives me a weekly "Driving Score."
Now Let's Compare This to HVAC Operation
It's incredible to think the vast majority of buildings don't use metrics to manage or control ventilation rates (i.e., outdoor air rates). With more emphasis on diluting aerosols (which carry virus particles), public authorities recommend facilities "increase ventilation" and "improve filtration."
Yet it's difficult — no, impossible — to improve ventilation rates if we lack metrics and feedback to let us know if ventilation rates are too low (resulting in poor indoor air quality), or too high (resulting in wasted energy).
That Has Now Changed
Thanks to improved sensor platforms that, like in your car, measure and report key performance indicators for health and safety while optimizing energy consumption. Like speed limits and road conditions, ventilation requirements can vary throughout the day, week, or month.
Some key metrics to consider:
- Carbon dioxide (CO₂) — the amount of exhaled air that has built up in the room without enough fresh outside air to flush it out
- Airborne particle and chemical levels — which can be controlled by dilution and/or filtration
For example, if your ventilation rate is below the CDC recommended level of 800 parts per million (ppm) during normal occupancy (that's good), yet small particles (PM2.5) regularly trend over 15 µg/m³ or 50 µg/m³ for large particles (PM10), it is likely your filtration needs improvement.
Viewing trended data — not just a single spot test — is the key to understanding your building's actual performance and making informed decisions.