Home sweet home...but healthy too?

It matters what kind of buildings we construct and whether we take care to create a healthy and comfortable environment for those inside during renovations. The ventilation industry is developing at an extraordinary pace. It is one of the areas that reacts most quickly to processes taking place in our environment, such as climate change and the increasingly noticeable effects of air pollution. However, it is not only these factors that influence the direction of developments, but also changes in people's lifestyles, as pointed out by the head of the ventilation technology business unit, Lindab, head of the ventilation technology business unit. Zoltán Csipszer added,

A significant proportion of people are concerned about the quality of the water and food they consume. However, less attention is still paid to the health of the places where we live and work, and the quality of the air we breathe in these places.

From climate to climate...

Our way of life - not only because of the pandemic - has changed radically in recent times, the expert reminded. The new generations are more of an indoor generation - Zoltán Csipszer noted - the ratio of time spent indoors to time spent outdoors has swung 80-90 percent in favour of the former. So the question of air quality in these spaces is becoming increasingly relevant.

In our lives, it is inevitable that we breathe up to three or four times a minute. As the largest consumer, humans consume on average 20-30 kg of air per day.

Home ventilation solutions have moved well beyond 'just' air conditioning our homes in the increasingly hot summers, with a growing focus on how to ensure healthy, clean air.

Our body's (emergency) signals

The human body is highly sensitive to atmospheric conditions and changes in the air. Whether it is the arrival of a weather front, or changes in air humidity, carbon dioxide levels, particulate matter concentrations. We've all experienced what it's like to feel drowsy or de-concentrated in a room with no air, or to have fluctuating blood pressure due to atmospheric conditions.
The human body is greatly affected by changes in humidity, temperature and particulate matter concentrations. In enclosed spaces, other factors such as the release of volatile compounds, such as gases from varnish on furniture, or organic compounds from silicone derivatives and plastic parts in cars, are also inhaled.

Trapping the vapour and stale air

Today's architectural requirements are making buildings increasingly insulated and sealed, increasing the energy efficiency of houses. But are they providing us with a healthy environment? But it is also worth looking at how this affects air quality," said Zoltán Csipszer, "and what happens to our bodies when we 'seal' the humidity and used indoor air into our buildings with modern insulation solutions and windows. The air technology specialist added that energy regulations and the certification of buildings have become very strict, but it is an unfortunate fact that air technology is still not a mandatory element of a building.
According to Zoltán Csipszer

It is worth looking at how much condensation is generated in enclosed spaces on an average day by a family cooking, showering, washing, and adding to this the amount of vapour produced by humans, and all of this is "sealed in" in our buildings.

Humid air is a breeding ground for bacteria, viruses and fungi and if we spend a significant amount of time in it, we are at greater risk of allergies, and in more severe cases asthma and other illnesses.

When a closed window no longer helps

Traditional (window opening) ventilation can be used to protect against internal mould growth. However, a few minutes of heavy cross-ventilation several times a day is only a partial solution, as it introduces large amounts of dust into the home and leaves the quality of the air we let in uncontrolled. Zoltán Csipszer added,

Nowadays, all the technology is available to create clean and healthy indoor spaces in homes, workplaces, schools, kindergartens and hospitals.

In office environments or other buildings, demand-controlled ventilation is already well known, is already well known in office environments or other buildings, which means that the operation of the system is controlled with the help of sensors. If you have a relatively densely populated office space, but the number of people present changes rapidly due to changing work habits, e.g. home office, the system detects presence or changes in carbon dioxide levels and supplies air to specific rooms accordingly. Not evenly throughout the entire building, but only where it is needed, thus saving energy.

Very cold in winter, very hot in summer

Many people find that, with new windows and insulation replaced, the walls in their homes have started to mould. Over time, the humid air hermetically sealed between the walls makes its mark and traps people in a mould-mould-decalcify-paint-penetration vortex. In summer, we are reluctant to let out the indoor air, which is at least a few degrees cooler than the outside - produced by air conditioning, shading and fans - by ventilation, and in winter we don't want to give up the feeling of a heated room. But this puts our health at risk in the longer term.

Clean air in four seasons, 0-24 hours

The professional ventilation systems of the Lindab can be used for both full and partial ventilation. They can be retrofitted in suspended ceilings, floors, slabs or even attics. The advantage of mechanical ventilation systems is that they extract humid air from humid rooms through the built-in duct system and discharge it to the outside through the air handling unit and its filter system. The outdoor air is also returned to the living space through the ventilation system. The filtered fresh air is heated by heat recovered from the used air that is exhausted, thus providing the dwelling with air of controlled quality and temperature.

Relax during allergy season

Built-in filters prevent pollen, for example, which can trigger allergic reactions, from entering the indoor environment. The units operate with minimal noise, can be operated 0-24 hours and provide not only a constant temperature but also fresh, clean, filtered air without draughts.

An excellent investment

Covid, war and other processes

The payback period for investments in ventilation technology has fallen radically in recent years, from as little as 1-3 years. There is also a qualitative leap and a change in thinking. As a manufacturer, educating market players and sharing new technologies and solutions is a key task," said Zoltán Csipszer.

The Lindab product developments reflect the company's design sensibility alongside professional quality and excellent functionality, with products such as the Airy decorative air valve blending well with any wall colour and interior.

Another hallmark of the Swedish ventilation technology company is its environmental awareness, with its Lindab Safe circular duct systems are certified to Eurovent, ensuring excellent airtightness, thereby saving significant heating and cooling energy and ensuring energy-efficient operation. Thanks to their modular design, Lindab ventilation systems are easy to install and maintain.

Company philosophy: for a better climate

The Lindab has taken a huge step towards climate-neutral production. The company recently manufactured its first air ducts made from fossil-free steel, but its product range also includes air ducts made from recycled steel. Sustainability is a core value for the company. For a better climate – Lindab has set itself the goal of helping people create a healthy indoor environment in their homes, workplaces and other buildings used for everyday activities with its products and solutions, while conducting its manufacturing and business activities in a way that contributes to improving climate conditions.