Why does the indoor air quality (IAQ) management of your commercial real estate property matter? If your building has poor air quality, that can impact the health of your employees. With more research being brought to light about air quality following the pandemic, people care more than ever about the air they breathe. If your indoor air quality is good, your facility will have a competitive edge over others. However, with so many other factors to consider, how can you stop indoor air quality issues when or before they start?
To go beyond air purifiers and learn how indoor air quality sensors can help, read on.
What Are Indoor Air Quality Sensors?
Air quality sensors placed indoors can measure indoor air pollution both within tenant spaces and in common areas. An indoor air quality sensor can be installed in your ventilation or other air handling system, where it then reports the findings to a software system on your smart device.
Indoor air quality sensors can monitor and report the infection risk level in the air your tenants are breathing, something essential to business and commercial facilities in the age of COVID-19. They also rate the performance of your ventilation system. Your tenants might never see them due to their unobtrusive design, but they will notice the benefits of improved air in the facility.
What Sets Apart an Indoor Air Quality Sensor?
Indoor air quality sensors are not the only indoor air quality monitors on the market. There are air quality monitors that are handy for picking up on hazardous particles like harmful gasses or that rank pollen levels. But there are a couple of things that set indoor air quality sensors apart from the rest of the industry.
Accurate Readings of Indoor Air Quality Conditions
Indoor air quality sensors have come a long way with recent technology. For instance, Senseware’s IAQ sensors can detect particle pollution with organic compounds as small as 0.3 micrometers. They go beyond the CO2 standards for ventilation systems to ensure the most accurate reading possible.
Temperature and Humidity Levels
Part of the job of a ventilation system is to keep your building cool, even on the hottest days. If the building is hot and stuffy, that can be uncomfortable at best and unhealthy at worst for occupants. That’s why sensors also work to rate the performance of your ventilation system. If it’s underperforming, you know to repair it or update it sooner rather than later.
Sensors also measure the humidity levels inside. Ultimately, you want some humidity inside for occupants to be comfortable. Too much indoor humidity, however, can lead to the growth of mold and mildew. Research shows that you should keep your humidity levels below 50% but higher than 30%, with 40% being that sweet spot of comfortable and mold-free.
Carbon Dioxide Levels
Carbon dioxide can occur when furnaces, boilers, or anything that necessitates combustion is used. Like radon, carbon dioxide is a gas that occurs naturally in our atmosphere. However, at high concentrations in an indoor setting it can have serious health consequences like headaches, dizziness, asphyxia, and comas. This is a colorless gas and can be difficult to detect, but an indoor air quality sensor can catch the problem early.
Radon Levels and Other Indoor Pollutants
According to the EPA, radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that already exists in our atmosphere in trace amounts. However, it often enters facilities through small openings like cracks in the foundation and affects indoor air quality. Once trapped inside, radon can be quite dangerous, especially in high concentrations. In some cases, high radon levels can lead to lung cancer.
Radon is a serious pollutant that needs to be monitored in your facility, but not the only one. Asbestos, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, lead, and more can all impact your indoor air quality — and the health of your facility’s occupants. Indoor air quality sensors scan the air for these dangerous pollutants and warn you of elevated levels so you can stop the problem before it starts.
Real-Time Updates and Indicators of Air Quality Measurements
Another benefit of indoor air quality sensors is the real-time updates. When you have an indoor air quality issue in your commercial building, you want to fix it before any tenants, employees, or other occupants get sick or complain. That can be hard to do if you’re waiting days for results. An indoor air quality report delay could also mean that the readings are skewed. You know that the indoor air quality was acceptable a few days ago, but what if something’s changed since then?
Modern indoor air quality sensors are connected to apps or software that provide real-time readings, measurements, and updates. When something changes in the air quality of your building, you know right away, which means you can do something about it immediately.
Why Commercial Buildings Should Have Exceptional Air Quality Devices
You rely on the occupants of your building, their business, their tenancy, or their work. Part of taking care of your facility is ensuring that it’s safe for those occupants. In extreme cases, indoor air quality problems can lead to health issues, lawsuits, or building condemnation. This is a serious issue that should be handled with serious devices.
Senseware’s indoor air quality sensor devices outpace the IAQ industry when it comes to technology. We use the highest quality sensors made in the US and Europe, rather than inexpensive, knock-off parts. With real-time, specific readings, you can be confident in the indoor air quality of your facility, even when reopening after a pandemic. Contact Senseware today to learn more about what our high-tech indoor air quality sensors can do for you or schedule a demo.
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