Going back to business calls for improved air quality control

Across Europe, retail outlets, hospitality venues, leisure facilities and commercial services have already slowly begun or are eagerly anticipating opening their doors to customers once again. For business owners, ensuring that customers feel safe and secure in public environments has become vital to their future success.

Improving the quality of the air we breathe has become an important consideration for all, not least for those with compromised lungs while in recovery from Covid-19. Reassuring customers that their safety is your primary concern is the key to encouraging customers to return.

Clearly demonstrating that there are measures in place to safeguard against bacteria and viruses as well as other pollutants such as allergens and toxins that may be present in indoor environments is an excellent place to start.

Building staff and customer loyalty

Business owners carry the heavy burden of needing to ensure the safety of not only customers but also staff. What the pandemic has brought to the surface is the importance of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and employees have become just as conscious of the potential dangers of poor indoor air, with many well aware that the cleaning materials they need to use may release gases or Volatile Organic Compounds on exposure to the air.

From a productivity point of view, ensuring clean air in the workplace, is vital, with pollution likely to affect staff performance as well as causing dizziness and nausea. In the longer term, so-called ‘Sick Building Syndrome’ can have an impact on staff recruitment and retention once it takes hold.

Opening windows is not always enough

To help combat the spread of infection, experts recommend opening windows periodically to recirculate air and disperse particles. The recommended Air Change Rate (ACR) varies according to the type of business*, for example:

• Classrooms 2-4 air changes/hour
• Gyms – 4-6 air changes/hour
• Restaurants – 4-8 air changes /hour
• Offices – 2-8 air changes /hour (dependent on surface area & no. of occupants)

Opening windows may not always be sufficient or appropriate, depending on the design and use of the building as well as the time of year, particularly in schools and nurseries where temperatures need to be kept at higher levels. Air purifiers can provide a cost-effective and fast top-up solution, cleaning indoor air through recirculation and high-efficiency filtration.

Filling the gap for an easy, reliable and safe solution

Daikin’s latest air purifier, the AstroPure 2000 was developed specifically to address the air purification concerns that business owners face in the ‘new normal’ commercial environments.

A totally self-contained mobile unit, the air purifier can be switched between areas to deliver high purification directly when and where it is needed, protecting employees and customers against viruses including the Covid variant SARS-Covid-2, with full compliance to VDI 6022 and other guidelines.  The AstroPure 2000 uses the latest in advanced filtration and purification technologies, combining state-of-the-art HEPA filtration with optional UV germicidal irradiation (UVGI).  Its prefilters remove pollutants including bacteria, fine particles of dust and allergens, while eliminating odours to leave premises feeling clean and fresh.