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This technology brings trust (and potential profitability) to every building energy retrofit project
Energy efficiency upgrades for buildings often focus on specific components, such as lighting fixtures and electric motors. However, building elements are not independent from each other, and they operate as a single energy-consuming system. The best opportunities to save energy are found when a technical analysis covers the entire building. Since energy efficiency represents a capital […]
Building owners benefit from having both energy efficiency and indoor air quality. While energy efficiency reduces operating costs, IAQ improves the built environment for occupants. There is a common misconception that you must choose between both benefits – many owners believe that air quality requires more energy, and that efficient ventilation reduces air quality. However, […]
Every human adult breathes more than 3,000 gallons (11,000 litres) of air every day, this is the equivalent of swallowing 3,000 1 gallon water bottles a day. People wouldn’t drink water that is contaminated, hence we have control systems to ensure the water we drink is safe. Still, if you suspected that the water you […]
HVAC systems represent the largest share of energy consumption in commercial buildings. Space heating is a larger load for buildings in cold climates, while air conditioning is a larger load in warm climates. However, HVAC systems as a whole normally use more energy than any other system. In 2016, the New York City Urban Green Council […]
According to the 2019 Global Coworking Survey, 90% of all profitable coworking spaces have over 200 members. In addition, the 2019 State of Coworking study found that coworking spaces have an average of 90 members, and that only 11% have 300 or more members. Having plenty of clients not only increases revenue: they also create […]
The most successful companies in the world follow research data to improve their employees’ productivity. That includes office environment. An office environment can be described using measurable and subjective factors. The former could be, for example, indoor temperature, the concentration of air pollutants, or noise. The latter refers to how the workplace is perceived by employees. Scientific […]
Open-plan offices have become very popular in recent decades, and in great part they were popularized by the high-tech companies of Silicon Valley. According to these companies, an open-plan office removes physical barriers to promote more communication and collaboration among employees. Real estate costs also drop by around 20% with open-plan offices, and this has […]
Thermal comfort is a complex topic, which involves both measurable data and subjective factors. Modern heating and air conditioning systems can control indoor temperatures very accurately. However, finding a temperature that makes everyone comfortable is difficult. This is especially true for office buildings, which may have hundreds or thousands of occupants, of different genders and […]
Building management is a thankless task. When things are going well, nobody notices. But when things go wrong, and the conditions in a building are suboptimal, people definitely notice. Increasingly, technology is able to help in this regard. And one revolution that’s particularly interesting lies in the field of machine learning. What is machine learning?Essentially, machine learning is […]
Is carbon dioxide harmful? The answer to this question depends on the scale. There is no doubt that rising carbon dioxide is harmful for the environment, and it has been identified as the main greenhouse gas responsible for climate change. However, if we are dealing with offices and other indoor environments occupied by humans, carbon […]
Most of the substances that pollute indoor air are impossible or very difficult to detect with human senses alone, and the goal of indoor air quality is to prevent exposure to them in the first place. The US Environmental Protection Agency has created a compendium of the methods that can reliably determine the presence of […]
Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound (VOC) whose molecules are composed of one carbon atom, one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms – its chemical formula is CH2O. It is a colorless gas at room temperature, but can be detected due to its pungent smell and suffocating effect. In general, formaldehyde is produced when hydrocarbons […]
The term “asthma trigger” is used to describe anything that causes asthma symptoms in patients. We tend to associate asthma flare-ups with substances like tobacco smoke, but they can also be triggered by physiological or emotional factors. Indoor air quality (IAQ) initiatives are especially beneficial for asthma patients, since many triggers are kept under control […]
Building management companies face a different set of challenges than homeowners when it comes to mold control. The first and most important is the scale of operations: keeping mold under control across many residential and commercial buildings requires dedicated staff members and an action plan that ensures all buildings are kept in check, even if there’s just […]
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is an ongoing process: the natural tendency of interior spaces is to gather pollutants, not to get rid of them. Poor office air quality can lead to discomfort and a series of health issues, as well as a decrease in productivity, so you should not overlook the topic. If you want to […]
Quick Navigation Particulate MatterMold & Other FungiVolatile Organic CompoundsTrichloroethylene (C2HCl3)Formaldehyde (CH2O)Benzene (C6H6)Xylene (C8H10)Pet DanderDust MitesPollenOzone (O3)Ammonia (NH3)Carbon Monoxide (CO)RadonLeadArsenicAsbestosMake The Invisible, Visible One of the key elements of indoor air quality (IAQ) is keeping pollutant levels under control. There are many substances that degrade air quality, each generated from different sources and producing a distinct […]
More than 26.5 million people are diagnosed with asthma in the US, and more than 6 million of those affected are children. The most susceptible of those children are those who live in low-income neighborhoods. The direct correlation between income and treatment received isn’t a difficult one to connect; poor families live in poor neighborhoods […]
Air duct cleaning can be a tricky maintenance activity. When performed correctly, it has the potential to improve HVAC performance and indoor air quality. On the other hand, a poor cleaning procedure may worsen existing problems. In general, you should only clean your air ducts if there are valid reasons, and not as part of […]
We often have the wrong perception that most air pollution leaks into our meeting rooms and offices from outdoors. The truth is, outdoor air is usually cleaner than indoor air, and most air pollution is generated inside – this is true even in urban areas. Of course, there are situations where outdoor air becomes more polluted. […]
What are the airborne pollutants tracked by governments? What are the threshold limit values, why do they vary? This article shows how much we need for a global air quality standard…
Furniture, clothing and many other products used in households are exposed to noxious chemicals during their manufacturing process. These chemicals can be absorbed by various types of surfaces, especially porous materials, and many are classified as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. These substances are notorious for causing irritation and allergic reactions in humans, and have […]
The Foobot indoor air quality monitor was built as a friendly part of the family. The white box checks the air constantly to check for pollutants in one’s home, keeps track of the levels over time, and alerts a building’s occupants when they’re in danger. It lights up blue when it’s happy and orange when […]
De Mystifying The Invisible Enemy In Every Building Understanding what indoor pollutants are and the specifics of indoor environmentsDownload the Whitepaper PDF What’s in the whitepaper?In this 16 pages guide, you’ll learn: What’s the difference between good and poor air What the different types of indoor pollutants areThe different technologies for air sensorsThe close relationship between […]
“It was the best day of my life,” Sigrid laughed. “I finally knew the cause of my breathing problems.”She spoke of the day she was diagnosed with asthma.Before that day, when she would get an attack, she didn’t know how bad it would get because she didn’t know what was going on. Now she knew […]
The Growing Need of Data in Managing Indoor Air Quality Your starting point to become an indoor air quality expert What’s in the whitepaper?In this 16 pages guide, you’ll learn: The basics about indoor pollution The different sorts of pollutants and their sourcesThe current […]
Find out about the different indoor air pollution sources, which can come from the furniture, cleaning products, hygiene products, kitchen appliances, among others.
What impact have Temperature & Humidity on the indoor air pollution spread?Here’s a simple infographic to explain you all.
Check our new infographic and get the answers to the questions: What is this? What are its sources? What are PM’s types and sizes? What are the symptoms related to PM exposure?
What are Volatile Organic Compounds (aka VOCs)? What are its sources? What type of VOCs we can find? What are the symptoms related to VOCs exposure? How to filter it?
Everybody knows that outdoor air is highly polluted all over the world. But what about indoor air?Check out this infographic based on World Health Organization’s studies. Have safe breathing days!#Foobot #Goodairguru