THREE BASIC APPROACHES TO IMPROVING IAQ                  THREE BASIC TYPES OF FILTRATION                COMMON AIR CLEANER APPLICATIONS                          BENEFITS OF AIR CLEANING                         There are three basic approaches to improving indoor air quality. You can (1) control or eliminate the source of pollutant, (2) dilute the contaminant, usually through ventilation, or (3) remove the contaminant from the air by filtration. You can’t always reduce or eliminate the air contaminant source. Ventilation can be a good approach, but the source of contaminant may be in the outside air itself. Also, ventilation can raise the cost of conditioning the air, since you may be required to heat or cool more air than before. When control and ventilation are not practical, filtration becomes an important option. Filtration of sub-micron particles is not always easy. Most air filters are not designed to remove the fine particles from the air stream. The filters that come standard with any HVAC system, are not efficient or effective at the removal of the fine particles. In fact, they are designed to protect the equipment from the larger particles, and do nothing at all to protect occupants. When you need to remove harmful fine particles from the air, make sure you select a filter or filtration device that is specifically tested for its ability to remove very small particles. Some air filtration products state high efficiencies, but are really stating the capacity for holding dirt according to a percentage of total weight. This does not guarantee you will be able to filter out a corresponding high percentage of the fine particles. In a given sample of indoor air, about 98.5% of the number of particles present will be 1 micron or smaller in diameter. If you need to remove sub-micron particles, make sure the product you are evaluating has been tested specifically for its ability to remove particles in the 2.5 micron range and smaller. There are three basic types of filtration methods in use today: HEPA, Box, Pleated, Bag, etc....  Vs. Electronic and UV Germicidal: Media filters use a passive fibrous filtering material. They can range from highly efficient to very inefficient HEPA or similar filters. Generally, the cheaper they are and the less air resistance they have, the less effective they are. The higher the air resistance, the more energy is required to overcome the airflow resistance, contributing to higher energy costs to operate. If a passive filter is too restrictive, it can cause damage to mechanical equipment. There are many applications where these types of filters are the best solution Electronic, corona discharge filters electrically charge particles passing through them, then attract the particles to a series of grounded collector plates where the dirt accumulates. The collector is then removed for cleaning. Unlike passive filters that become more efficient as they load, corona discharge devices tend to become less efficient as they load, especially if the cleaning regimen is not maintained properly. When they become dirty, arcing may occur which can cause the production of ozone, which the EPA has identified as being harmful to health. This technology is most commonly applied in industrial or high volume commercial settings. Active electronic, polarized media filters represent the third major group of air filtration devices. This newer technology uses an electrical charge (safe, 24 volt current) to establish a polarized field. Airborne particles pass through the field and adhere to the media. Like a passive filter, polarized media filters increase in efficiency as they load. Designed for use either in recirculating systems, or stand alone units polarized media filters can provide very high efficiency with a static pressure drop much lower than passive filters claiming a similar efficiency. This may lead to a decrease in energy consumption. Unlike corona discharge devices, these filters cannot produce ozone, and maintenance is easy with periodic replacement of a disposable media. These filters also have the capability to have germicidal UV lights attatched to them. According to numerous articles/ stories in the New York Times, CNN, BBC, NY1, ETC……  UV protection incorporated into commercial HVAC systems is the most effective cure for sick building syndrome.                  ELECTROSTATIC FILTERS                                                   MEDIA FILTERS                                 ACTIVE ELECTRONIC FILTERS Applications: There are a wide array of air cleaning applications including, but not limited to:         Facility/ property management         Healthcare facilities         Industrial sites/ factories/ machine shops         Data Centers         Printing/ copy facilities         Schools         Offices/ conference rooms         Hospitality industry         City Agencies         Restaurant/ food storage         Law firms         General odor (gas phase, VOC’s)/ dust / particulate removal         Germicidal/ bacterial/ mold/ viral (Ultra Violet UV)         Lower Manhattan (Ground Zero area) cleanup/ EPA air quality disclosure         Smoke removal Benefits of Air Cleaning: There are many benefits associated with proper air cleaning, not the least of which is healthier, cleaner air. This helps foster a more satisfactory, productive, and sanitary environment. This, in turn, leads to numerous cost savings from multiple standpoints:         Operational (equipment runs more efficiently)         Personnel (decreased absenteeism, increased productivity & increased satisfaction)           Preventive maintenance (protection of machinery/ servers/ equipment)         On average, a commercial HVAC system can run 15-20% more efficient, while keeping the ductwork spotlessly clean, so they do not need to be cleaned         Protection against bacterial, viral and mold contaminants and pathogens, including bio/chemical weapons (Dynamic Air Cleaners were utilized by government agencies to clean up after the anthrax mailings)