ACR Journal

CMYK / .ai CMYK / .ai CMYK / .ai acrjournal.uk 35 AIR TREATMENT The latter is one source of particulate matter (PM) which is air pollution produced by a combination of suspended solid and liquid particles in the air. It’s present indoors and outside. Particulate matter (PM) PM is measured according to particulate size (in microns). Leading health organisations classify PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0 as harmful for humans. This means that their inhalation is linked to conditions such as asthma and lung cancer, as well as heart disease and cancer. PM1.0 particles can be inhaled to the deepest area of the lungs and then enter the bloodstream, damaging arteries and tissues. While opening windows can help dilute indoor particulate matter, the benefits of this simple approach are very dependent on your location. An inner city home is likely to face issues of outdoor pollution entering the home in this way. And for asthma and allergy su„erers, even a rural location can be surrounded by airborne irritants, such as pollen. Removing particulate matter is therefore key to health in our homes. While the installation of whole-house ventilation systems is very challenging in an existing home, it is possible to apply air filtration. This can play a very important role in maintaining healthy indoor air quality by eliminating potentially harmful PM, and the technology to achieve this in the domestic market is available today. One example is the Samsung WindFree TM Pure 1.0. This is a wall-mounted air conditioner for homes that fits into a small space and can be installed quickly. It has a built-in PM1.0 filter, which can remove particles as small as 0.3 microns. It also sterilises micro-organisms using an electrostatic charger, providing cleaner and purer air in homes. The WindFree TM Pure has a sensor that measures the presence of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0 in the indoor air and can clean itself with an AI-enabled function. The unit’s self-cleaning function is known as ‘Freeze Wash’. The heat exchanger within the unit is cooled to -15oC to coat it with frost. When it enters ‘defrost’ mode, the melting ice removes certain types of bacteria within the heat exchanger. Smart controls Climate control at home is another issue to consider. As the UK faces hotter summers, home workers will undoubtedly miss the comforts of cooling that’s often found in our o“ces. And overheating at home can be just as damaging to health as pollution. Desk fans seem like a simple solution to alleviate the problems of an overheated hot home or garden o“ce space. However, they can exacerbate the problem of IAQ by stirring up more particulates and dust. In addition, they may move air, but they don’t cool it. Home air conditioning is now a more realistic option for many householders. The Samsung WindFree TM Pure includes the unique Samsung WindFree TM technology that uses thousands of micro-holes to disperse fresh air uniformly without unpleasant blasts of cold air. As many more people are now o„ered the option to work from home more frequently than ever before, we need to remember that well-designed o“ce buildings support occupant health and comfort. But it is now possible to o„er similar air filtration and climate control in the domestic environment a„ordably and e“ciently. 1. https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/ mortgageshome/article-8482785/Enough-space- home-o“ce-selling-point-house-hunters.html