Smart building tech and service company Honeywell announced that it has established a research partnership with Syracuse University to fund research on emerging indoor air quality (IAC) technologies.
The partnership will include the naming of a Honeywell Indoor Air Quality Laboratory at Syracuse University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science which will be used by researchers to help create healthier and safer building environments, the firm said in a release.
“Indoor air quality isn’t a buzz word ? it’s a critical factor in creating safer, healthier building environments,” said Manish Sharma, vice president and chief technology and product officer at Honeywell Building Technologies. “Our work with Syracuse will measure the performance of a variety of emerging indoor air quality technologies to not only improve occupant productivity and well-being but also help building owners understand the best solutions for different building environments and situations. In the long term, this will help them to better attract occupants, manage energy efficiency and improve their real estate value.”
?This collaboration will help identify potential solutions to further improve indoor air quality and create healthier building environments to enhance the occupant experience,” said Suresh Venkatarayalu, CTO of Honeywell.
The firm also explained that the new laboratory at Syracuse University will be used to solve several research objectives to determine the impact of indoor air quality (IAQ) on human productivity and creativity. Faculty will use the lab to conduct direct, side-by-side comparisons of next-generation indoor air quality improvement technologies and advanced building systems, in a controlled practical building environment, to provide a comparative analysis of the technologies based on key IAQ parameters measured by sensors and through AI-driven HVAC controls. The research, which will include characterizing and evaluating IAQ sensors, will help building owners and operators better determine the right technologies to meet specific building conditions and goals.
Additionally, the research will develop artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms for dynamic ventilation management. The intent is to identify new ventilation strategies that comply with ASHRAE 62.1 IAQ standards while also achieving goals such as improved occupant productivity.
“We are excited to collaborate with Honeywell indoor air quality research and development. People typically spend 80-90% of their times indoors, and occupant exposure to the various gas, particulate and biological contaminants found indoors has tremendous impacts on human health, productivity and creativity,” said Jensen Zhang, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Syracuse University. “The Honeywell and Syracuse collaboration will lead to energy-efficient and cost-effective approaches and technologies to improving indoor environmental quality and reducing the risk of infectious disease transmission, as we look to improve social, economic and environmental conditions.”
Honeywell highlighted that its Healthy Buildings solutions integrate air quality, safety and security technologies along with advanced analytics to help building owners minimize potential risks of contamination and improve business continuity by monitoring both the building environment and building occupants’ behaviors.
