The Science Inside: Choosing the Right Sensor Technologies

Blog

Apr 28

Commercial air quality monitoring involves installing sensors that use lasers, electrochemical technology, photoionization (PID), and other components to measure air quality. These sensors scan a room for particulate matter (such as dust, mold, or chemicals), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and CO2.

If your air is starting to get stale or dangerous, the sensors alert you through a platform. They also send alerts to your HVAC system to ramp up ventilation. Common IAQ sensors include:

NDIR (CO2): An NDIR CO2 sensor uses infrared light to assess CO2 levels in the air. These sensors monitor how much infrared light is absorbed in a gas sample. They are highly accurate and used in many commercial IAQ systems.
Electrochemical (VOC): These VOC air quality monitors use sensors that have electrodes in them that generate a chemical reaction with the gas sample to detect volatile organic compounds, such as formaldehyde and other fumes.
Laser Particle: This type of sensor uses laser scattering technology to measure the size of particles in the air, such as dust, smog, and smoke.
Metal Oxide (MOX): These sensors detect harmful gases using heated metal oxide to measure how each compound changes the surface.

A high-quality IAQ monitoring system will detect CO2 and VOCs. NDIR sensors are the gold standard for CO2, and laser particle sensors are best for detecting VOCs. MOX sensors may be more affordable, but they are sensitive to humidity and temperature, and they react to non-harmful gases.

Why Calibration and Maintenance Dictate Long-Term Accuracy

Finding a sensor with the right technology is step one. Once you’ve found your dream sensor, you need to maintain them, which involves regular calibration. Factories calibrate sensors under controlled conditions, making them accurate and precise.

Field-calibrated sensors are adjusted over time based on your building and its conditions. Even the best sensors will deviate slowly over time. Calibrating your sensors regularly helps you identify and correct this sensor drift. Choosing a modular IAQ system for your building eases maintenance, because you can replace individual sensors instead of scrapping the whole system.

Consumer Vs. Commercial: When 'Close Enough' Isn't Enough

Homeowners and renters alike can buy apps that use centralized sensors to monitor local air quality. These sensors are great for people who want to manage their exposure to pollutants, allergens, and harmful gases. People with asthma, allergies, and other breathing conditions can schedule outdoor activities around the air quality. They can also buy air purifiers and ventilate their homes to reduce exposure.

These systems are not appropriate for your commercial building. Enterprise IoT platforms collect data from individual locations in your building. An enterprise-level system validates data and uses AI to identify potential anomalies.

Enterprise IoT platforms integrate with other apps within your building management system, such as the HVAC and lighting. You get an overview of your building’s performance in one location. These systems also send real-time alerts, which is crucial for building engineers. If your building doesn’t have a smart HVAC system, the property manager can use these alerts to manage ventilation and air flow.

Your property managers can also detect problems before they spiral out of control. Say your IAQ system detects low levels of mold. Your building manager can check for leaks and fix them early.

The Business Case For Precision: Compliance And Efficiency

Enterprise IoT systems also help you stay in compliance with LEED, WELL, and Fitwel certifications. Agencies offering these certifications require accurate data and regular reporting. Occupant health is a core component in multiple building certifications. The people certifying you want to know that your building materials and systems are minimizing pollutant exposure and keeping your tenants healthy.

If you’re operating a manufacturing plant, hospital, warehouse, or other commercial property, you have to comply with OSHA and other local regulations. Accurate IAQ monitoring systems send this data to a platform for easy reporting. You can generate a report and stay audit-ready.

Air quality data accuracy also saves you money through demand-controlled ventilation (DCV). These smart systems adjust the ventilation based on occupancy. If the sensor detects an uptick in CO2 or higher ambient temperatures, it turns up the ventilation. Since you’re not paying to ventilate unoccupied rooms, you’re not using as much electricity.

How to Evaluate an Accurate Air Quality Monitor for Your Facility

A high-quality air quality monitor gives you a better return on your investment. Accurate air quality monitors make your HVAC systems more efficient and affordable. Use this guide on air quality monitors as a checklist to find the most accurate systems:

Sensor tech: Look for NDIR sensors to monitor CO2 and laser-based sensors to monitor VOCs.
Parameters: Look for a system that tracks small particulate matter, total VOCs and CO2 levels.
Calibration: Choose a system that automatically self-calibrates or alerts you to calibrate the sensors.
Connectivity: Choose a commercial system that syncs over Wi-FI or cellular networks for real-time data.

Attune’s IoT devices run through a centralized platform and integrate with other applications. Our modular system is customizable and scalable. You can grow your monitoring system as you expand your portfolio without a ton of expensive infrastructure. We offer sensors to monitor temperature, humidity, CO2, TVOCs, and particulate matter in one system.