How essential is it to use air quality sensors in ventilation?

Monitoring air quality as an essential part of everyday life

Sometimes the question arises as to why we should use air quality sensors for controlling the ventilation unit. Is it not enough to just set a timer and leave it at that? Budget pressures in projects often also play a decisive role.

So what is the situation?

According to surveys, we now spend an astonishing 90% of our time indoors – that’s more than 21 hours a day! Therefore, monitoring indoor air quality has become significantly more important.

That is why sensors have become an essential part of all buildings, especially in developed Western countries (for example, in France, their use is even mandated by law), where continuous monitoring of air quality for effective ventilation has become the standard.

In the Czech Republic, this is still not as established, even though it is a significant part of our lives.

Even though some may think that sensors in a project are an unnecessary additional investment, their integration with the ventilation unit is a crucial step forward. The current trend is sustainability, and sensors contribute to that as well.

1. Higher air quality and comfortable environment = ventilation at the right time and at the right performance

By using appropriate air quality sensors, ventilation occurs when needed and at the required performance. The sensors cause a quick response from the ventilation system to an increase in pollutants. This ensures an immediate sufficient air exchange and a comfortable environment.

Improved air quality also reduces the risk of respiratory issues, allergies, and other problems associated with poor air quality. A timer setting for the unit can sometimes be effective, but plans change. What worked today may not work tomorrow. With the installation of sensors, there is no need to worry about the operation of the unit; it will ventilate effectively exactly when needed.

From our experience, we know that even just switching to daylight saving time (when the unit does not automatically readjust) can lead to a significant decrease in air quality, and thus a significant drop in comfort in the given space. Or often, no one simply thinks to increase the ventilation performance, as people tend to gradually get used to being in a given environment as air quality deteriorates.

2. Savings (not just) on electricity

A timer setting for the ventilation unit or a fixed mode often results in unnecessary “over-ventilation” and thus unnecessary electricity consumption or, conversely, insufficient ventilation – depending on the circumstances. Given today’s pressure to save, it is crucial for the ventilation unit to operate as efficiently as possible. Moreover, uncontrolled ventilation can lead to excessive drying of the interior during the winter months.

Effectively controlled ventilation with sensors leads to energy savings needed for the operation of ventilation, and it also extends the lifespan of components, thereby reducing costs for servicing and replacing various parts, such as filters. Even the ventilation unit itself has its (albeit long, but limited) lifespan.

3. Satisfaction

Comfort and satisfaction of both the users of the indoor environment and the investor and installer is our primary motivation. We have prioritized simplicity in setup and use, which is why we now offer a wide range of air quality sensors that are easy to install and set up, and users do not have to worry about them afterward. Moreover, they work with the vast majority of ventilation units on the market.