Product Spotlight: How to Improve Industrial Air Quality & Lower Energy Bills

Better Workplace Conditions Benefit Facilities & Employees

If the last few years have reinforced anything, it’s that industrial facilities and their employees are essential — from local auto repair and body shops that have reliably served their communities throughout the pandemic to large fulfillment who have navigated the eCommerce explosion. The employees at these facilities deserve the highest standards of comfort, safety, and efficiency in the workplace. This is especially true at a time when finding out how to improve industrial air quality, employee wellbeing, and energy efficiency matter more than ever.

There’s no doubt that committing to operational excellence is a long-term goal. That said, facility managers should always be looking for ways to make incremental improvements. If you’re looking to make an impact, installing High-Volume Low-Speed (HVLS) Fans and air purification systems can benefit your facility and the employees that keep it running.

What Can HVLS Fans Bring to a Facility?

An HVLS fan moves large quantities of air at lower speeds. The low speed ensures whisper-quiet operation, even as these fans help to evenly distribute and circulate air in very large spaces such as warehouses, manufacturing plants, automotive dealerships, large restaurants, atriums, and more. When it comes to improving internal workplace conditions, these fans have three main benefits. They:

1. Create ideal conditions for occupant comfort via evaporative cooling to reduce humidity
2. Circulate air to keep facilities well ventilated
3. Help facilities use their A/C and heating systems more efficiently at key points in the year

Let’s take a closer look at these three benefits.

1. Employee and Occupant Comfort

The summer months undoubtedly present the greatest challenge for facilities that do not utilize air conditioning. They can be borderline unbearable for employees without access to an alternative means of cooling — this is where HVLS fans come in. HVLS fans use a process called evaporative cooling on a large scale to help bodies regulate temperature during warmer weather:

1. When we sweat, it rests on our skin before evaporating in order to help carry heat away from the body.
2. It’s this process that helps us cool down when we sweat in higher temperatures.
3. Without air circulation, the heat and moisture that leaves us when we sweat create a barrier of heavy, humid, hot air.
4. The constant breeze created by HVLS fans doesn’t allow this barrier of hot, humid air to form. .
5. Instead, it helps to move this hot air away from the body faster and increases the rate at which sweat evaporates.
6. Ultimately, this process lowers the “perceived” temperature in a facility, helping employees feel at least 5-9° F cooler.

Committing to comfortable working conditions during the summer and winter months is first and foremost about treating employees with dignity and respect. However, more comfortable working conditions also have a positive impact on productivity.

2. Improving Industrial Air Quality and Ventilation

From a safety standpoint, finding out how to improve industrial air quality is a priority for facilities of all kinds. Regardless of whether your facility has a dedicated central air system or whether it’s naturally ventilated, ensuring that employees have access to fresh, routinely circulated air is essential. HVLS fans are an excellent way to keep large facilities well-ventilated:

1. For HVAC systems configured with an overhead supply and an overhead return, the stratification of the heated supply air can cause fresher air to stay trapped at the ceiling instead of reaching the employee level. HVLS fans will push this air down towards the occupant level, thoroughly mixing the air, leading to improved air distribution.
2. In naturally-ventilated spaces that rely on passive ventilation, pockets of stagnant air are very common. HVLS fans can eliminate these stagnant pockets and continually circulate fresher, cleaner air around a facility.

3. Energy Efficiency

Finding more efficient and responsible ways to use energy can be a major pain point for facilities of all sizes. Operating costs aside, there is also major pressure on organizations to curb energy waste and practice sustainability. Upgrading and retrofitting a facility with HVLS fans represents a positive step in the right direction for energy-conscious facilities:

1. For facilities where A/C is not an option, HVLS fans present an incredibly efficient, cost-effective, sustainable method of cooling and ventilating large spaces that won’t inflate utility bills. These systems cost pennies per day to operate.
2. For facilities that do use HVAC systems, HVLS fans can help to reduce energy consumption. Due to the increased airflow and distribution of cold air, A/C units don’t have to work as hard to keep facilities cool.
3. During the colder months, HVLS fans can supplement a facility’s heating efforts through a process called destratification. By thoroughly mixing and redistributing the air and pushing hot air down, HVLS fans destratify hot air in large spaces.
4. This process virtually eliminates the problematic temperature differential between the ceiling and the facility floor. From there, thermostat settings can be reduced leading to energy savings of up to 30%.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR LINEUP OF HVLS FANS HERE

Improving Industrial Air Quality With Air Purification Systems

For facility managers wondering how to improve industrial air quality, air purification systems represent an effective line of defense. From filtering a purifying air to eliminating common airborne pollutants, these systems can help employees breathe easier. Consider the following options:

The EcoAir System

This system uses patented air filtration technology and can be used in support of source capture systems or as a standalone air purification unit. The EcoAir System eliminates airborne irritants by cycling ​​1 million cubic feet of air every 60 minutes, filtering the air down to 0.3 Microns. In addition to cleaning the air, it also eliminates stagnant air pockets to create evenly distributed temperatures. This means faster heat recovery in the winter and a cross-breeze of clean, fresh air in the summer.

The JadeAir System

This is one of the world’s most advanced standalone commercial-grade air purifiers. It’s a system that offers premium protection against airborne viruses, toxins, pollutants, particulates, and odours. Using a highly advanced three-stage air purification process, the system captures and destroys nearly 100% of pollutants, viruses, bacteria, and fungus before re-energizing the air. It’s capable of moving large quantities of air at whisper-quiet operating levels, making it an asset in large industrial facilities.

1. The Jade Air System first uses a pre-filter stage that captures large particulates in the air.
2. Following the pre-filter stage, the proprietary HEPA-Rx filter captures ultrafine particulates down to 0.0025 microns in size, while a carbon filter absorbs VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) such as noxious odours, chemicals, and gases.
3. Following filtration, a high-intensity UV-C+ light ruptures the DNA of viruses and bacteria, effectively destroying them.
4. The system then releases Hydroxyl Radical molecules into the air which help to neutralize pollutant molecules.

LEARN ABOUT INDUSTRIAL INDOOR AIR QUALITY PRODUCTS

Are You Ready to Improve Your Facility?

If you’re looking to take steps towards improving your facility, contact us today! At Lenworth, we’re committed to doing things right and providing our customers and clients with the best services possible no matter the situation. This means providing the best-performing products and ensuring quick, reliable facility services and preventative maintenance through our Preferred Service Program (PSP).

In order for us to better accommodate you during this time, call ahead to book a showroom visit with one of our representatives and see our lineup of high-quality products for yourself!