People spend more than 80 percent of their time in closed rooms – at home, in the workplace, fitness studio, cinema, restaurant or other institutions. In all these places, good quality air is important for health and well-being. What, however, makes indoor air quality good? What does it depend on, and how can it be guaranteed?

If inhabited spaces do not have any particular pollutants with high concentrations of hazardous substances, then the crucial contaminant to take into account is CO2. Many studies have shown that from concentrations in the ambient air of around 1,500 ppm of CO2 upwards, people’s ability to concentrate diminishes significantly. In workplace regulation ASR 3.6, the German employers’ insurance associations therefore recommend that in order to exclude any possibility of damage to health, CO2 concentration levels should be kept permanently below 1,000 ppm. 

There are also other substances that pollute the indoor air we breathe, such as emanations from building materials and interior furnishings like adhesives and fitted carpets.

In many cases, a satisfactory indoor air quality can be achieved by opening a window or two – but this is never a permanent solution. An influx of cold or warm air can undermine the energy balance of a building,  while opening the window in many inner-city locations is not a good option because of noise or poor quality external air.

A permanent solution for ensuring good air quality is offered only by sophisticated air-quality technology – ventilation systems appropriate for domestic dwellings and workplaces. For such systems, the necessary volume of external air that is required for the appropriate level of indoor air quality is calculated exactly, taking into account the number of people and the surface area. This air is then processed in the ventilation unit to remove particulates, dust, pollen and other pollutants. It is filtered and then distributed to the rooms in the building via ventilation ducts. At the same time, stale air is removed from the rooms. The constant renewal of air leads to permanently good quality, impeccably clean air.

Such solutions can offer other benefits too. Depending on the demand for heating or cooling, external air that is sucked into the ventilation unit through the fan can be cooled, warmed, humidified or dehumidified, providing a comfortable temperature and environment for people inside the building. All ventilation units are equipped with heat-recovery systems that are capable of removing up to 90 per cent of thermal energy from the stale, exhaust air. With that, they warm or cool the intake air. This heat recovery system saves significant amounts of energy for heating and cooling.

The latest ground-breaking advances in HVACR technologies can be experienced first-hand at ISH as a central feature of the Energy area. With over 2,400 exhibitions, ISH is the world’s largest show for the combination of water and energy, taking place from 11 to 15 March 2019 in Frankfurt am Main.

Both German and international market leaders and leading technology companies will be concentrating on topics such as indoor air quality, digital heating technology and the IoT in relation to building automation. At the same time, there will be a focus on numerous innovations for helping to conserve natural resources. 

ISH 2019 will feature a new exhibition ground structure to create synergies and facilitate communication. HVACR exhibitors will be brought together in Hall 8, at the heart of the trade fair. Here, planners, installers, skilled tradespeople and refrigeration equipment builders will be able to find some efficient solutions and products for use in their day-to-day work.

Plus, a dedicated zone entitled ‘Start-up@ISH’ will shine the spotlight on up-and-coming start-up companies entering the market, introducing themselves on their exhibition stands in Gallery 1 of the Messe Frankfurt exhibition centre. 

A new plan for the halls will offer a more streamlined layout, while ISH will also provide the digital navigation app. This app covers all the exhibition stands and events at ISH, making them quick and easy to find.