Increasing the Efficiency of Air Filters Goal: To monitor the dirtiness of air filters in campus buildings in real-time Progress:
1) Install differential pressure sensors in air handling units 3) Monitor pressure differences of air filters over time using EMS
2) Connect sensors to Energy Management System (EMS)
Potential Benefits:
Monitoring lifecycle of air filters in realtime
Better indoor air quality
Filters not replaced until they reach full capacity
Filters replaced when they reach full capacity
Less filters bought Less filters used
Less air handling unit motor power used
Money is saved
Less filters into the landfill
Less electrical energy used
Money is saved Energy is saved
Summary: This Physical Plant – Campus Services (PPCS)- led project is a pilot program involving the installation and use of sensors to measure, in real-time, the lifecycle remaining of air filters in campus buildings. This project is motivated by inefficiency of current methods of replacing the air filters, which involves replacing the air filters on a pre-fixed schedule and by visual inspection—the first method involves replacing the air filters regardless of the amount of lifecycle remaining and the second method is only slightly more accurate than the first. As allowed by differential pressure sensors, accurately measuring the lifecycle remaining and monitoring this information in real-time may bring economical and environmental benefits to the campus community. Current Activity: Four buildings are being tested: Bechtel Hall, Barker Hall, Koshland Hall, and California Hall. Each building has different types of air filters installed to discover which is the most optimal filter to replace the current campus “standard” filter, based on their respective life cycles, energy efficiency, and waste management. This would result in major savings in every aspect from labor costs to overall energy costs. PPCS – Sustainability & Engineering Services – Preventive Maintenance