by Emily Newton
Most industrial facilities operate with a thin layer of dust covering their machinery, stock and even employees. Outdated HVAC systems are to blame for this poor indoor air quality (IAQ). Research and development are making HVAC systems better equipped to handle filtration and comfort, with many efforts revolving around smart sensors. Smart HVAC upgrades will be pivotal in the coming years for boosting productivity, innovation and wellness in industry.
The Current State of HVAC and Air Quality in Industrial Settings
In the future, industrial operations will only take on more clients, produce greater volumes and create increased air concerns. Similarly, the HVAC industry will endure never-before-seen demand as facilities enhance air quality measures. The market is predicted to be worth $25.6 billion by 2030, and the rise of smart technologies and an interest in cleaner air are several reasons.
Industrial air quality needs a reputation boost that only smart technologies and environmental commitments can provide. Industries like oil, gas, petrochemicals and steelmaking are some of the most compromised regarding air quality. Dust, fumes and particulate matter are only a few of the worries. It diminishes employee morale, degrades machinery and wastes energy, causing contaminants to circulate through clogged HVAC equipment.
The impact of industrial IAQ extends far beyond its walls. Failure to consider HVAC upgrades or a facility’s IAQ imposes carcinogenic pollutants on citizens. Research demonstrates how contaminants disproportionately impact marginalized communities — an inequity leading to more cancer cases. A 2024 analysis observing 2018 data found that 2,196 industrial buildings were the cause of 11.7 million pounds of air emissions, including benzene, formaldehyde and more.
The Ways Smart Sensors Improve Breathing Conditions
Managing these concerns demands industries to adopt data-driven, dynamic solutions. Smart HVAC provides these benefits while cleaning the air more efficiently and comprehensively.
Building Management Systems (BMS)
Most smart technologies connect to informational hubs. Smart HVACs integrate with a BMS, which compiles a comprehensive dashboard of all connected sensor-based devices. A BMS shows equipment health and performance in real time, gathering data to inform maintenance and life cycles. The constant oversight tells technicians when HEPA filters need changing or a warranty expires for a UV light.
The most prominent benefit of a BMS is automation. Industries can adjust air quality notifications to inform stakeholders about the most consistent influences on changing IAQ. It can also adjust comfort levels with preset settings and let workers know if air quality concerns impact its abilities. It also considers how connected equipment could alter conditions, such as the health of a dust collector. These filter air and minimize dust clouds in workplaces.
Predictive Maintenance and Fault Detection
A traditional HVAC system could have a clogged filter or failing mechanism for months before an operator notices it. Smart equipment has embedded sensors to identify maintenance opportunities, suggesting them only when necessary.
For example, if a heat exchanger begins corroding, industrial workers should seek a more corrosion-resistant part. Alternatively, an activated carbon filter may promise to block a specific pollutant. If sensors detect this contaminant in the air, then the staff knows it’s defective.
Remote Monitoring
Commercial HVAC troubleshooting is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Smart HVACs allow remote diagnostics, saving personnel from guesswork. Systems allow this as an off- and on-site functionality so stakeholders can stay aware of IAQ no matter the time of day.
The sensors reduce how frequently workers interact with irritants, enhancing safety and lowering short-term health risks. It also will change how workers view perceived air quality if IAQ is more consistent in the software. Monitoring potential could work inside and outside of the building, depending on where monitors are located, giving more holistic insights.
Data Analytics
HVAC sensors enhance data transparency and visibility over IAQ. Every number provides context into the numerous influences jeopardizing ventilation and filtration. Analytics also allows information accessibility that strengthens employees’ literacy regarding air quality and control systems. They visualize when HVAC equipment struggles due to mold buildup or if the multizone system cannot gauge occupancy levels.
The Impact of Smart HVAC Retrofits on Industry
Industries must take initiative and replace or upgrade their HVAC systems with sensors because improving air quality positively impacts facilities in numerous ways.
Increased Brand Trust
The public will trust facilities more if they incorporate smart HVAC, primarily societally critical infrastructure. Consider a pharmaceutical business creating medicines to send to hospitals. It’s vital that these medications are not contaminated or of low quality.
Healthier Staff
High-efficiency filtration captures more allergens, UV lights disinfect and insulating ductwork prevents outside contaminants from entering. A retrofit could also remove toxic materials like asbestos from impacting IAQ.
This is why reinforcing the envelope and HVAC with sensors could reduce absenteeism by up to 35% among workers. Cleaner air means fewer individuals will suffer respiratory concerns and related health conditions. Employees who feel safer in the workplace will call out less frequently, and turnover could go down.
Innovative Mindsets
Incorporating sensor-based HVAC systems in industries also encourages further digital transformation. This includes Industry 5.0 implementation, with technologies like generative artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.
Researchers show that AI-embedded smart sensor systems are adept at dynamic ventilation and thermal control. In addition to more profound air quality, these installations could yield up to 60% energy savings with predictive models adjusting air-change rates as needed.
A smart retrofit could also lead to installing technologies like air economizers, ionizers, demand control ventilation and heat recovery devices. These further innovation by leveraging resources with lean production mindsets.
Regular Third-Party Support
HVACs should also operate more effectively for longer periods because they are predominantly software-based. Vendors providing the equipment support clients with regular updates to phase out bugs, enhance cybersecurity and refine operational efficiency. This is better than conventional systems with less adaptability. In time, smart HVAC could consider a wider array of IAQ factors with simple reprogramming.
HVAC Made for the Future
Smart systems might be ubiquitous now to the point of trendiness, but industrial stakeholders must take them seriously. Embedded sensors into HVAC systems will clear the air in facilities, making them better places to work and innovate. It will also minimize environmental impacts in the long term. These benefits demand industry professionals to take a single step toward integrating HVAC sensors as soon as possible.
