Improving Indoor Air Quality in Manufacturing Facilities

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is an often-overlooked Key Performance Indicator for manufacturers, however IAQ influences the health and well-being of the workforce and operational productivity, efficiency, and the quality of the end products. Our guidance pulls from recommendations from ASHRAE and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and aims to create an action plan to improve IAQ. Your action plan should aim to address humidity and temperature management and removal of airborne contaminants like oil, moisture, and particulates specific to many manufacturers.

ASHRAE standard 62.1 provides code and best practices for managing ventilation and indoor air quality for nonresidential buildings. According to ASHRAE, the primary contributors to poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) are:

Moisture and Dirt in Ventilation Systems: Accumulation of particulates and poor management of moisture in ventilation systems can result in biological growth, leading to IAQ problems.

Indoor Contaminant Sources: Many IAQ issues arise from indoor contaminant sources that cannot be managed by typical or code-compliant levels of outdoor air ventilation. These contaminants can be released by processes like griding, milling, coolant overspray, etc.

Inadequate Ventilation Rates: Poorly ventilated buildings increase the likelihood of IAQ problems. Some manufacturing plants may not have cooling and rely on gas-fired makeup air units (MAUs) and exhaust fans (EFs) for maintaining indoor air quality and comfort. Control of the MAUs and EFs may be limited to a simple thermostat, which doesn’t enable consistent ventilation, especially in the summertime.

Ineffective Filtration and Air Cleaning: Quarterly changes of air filters may be frequent enough for office buildings; however, the manufacturing environment may require monthly filter changes to maintain IAQ and fan efficiency. Saturated filters are not effective in removing airborne contaminants as air can flow around the filters or even have enough pressure to pull the filter through. Poor air filtration can redistribute many indoor air pollutants, affecting processes and health throughout the plant.

Lack of Measurements and Controls: Improving IAQ requires calibrated monitoring equipment and integration with HVAC controls. You cannot address IAQ without measurements and establishing a baseline; OCOsink recommends monitoring CO2, particulates, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and integrating the measurement results into your building automation system.

Saturated filters create high static pressure in your air handler. Air can pass around the filter and be redistributed through your supply duct.

Contaminates can stick to condensate, poor filtration can lead to buildup and inefficiencies in your air handler.

Clean coils are more effective at draining condensate. Regular air filter changes keep these cooling coils clean.

Regular inspection of your air handler dampers is critical to efficient operation and maintaining indoor air quality. Ensure your dampers and actuators function as good as they did when first installed.

EPA's Indoor Air Quality Guidance

The US EPA provides basic principles and general actions recommended to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) outlined in their Clean Air in Buildings Challenge. Below are some actionable steps of this program with manufacturing-specific insights.

1. Create a Clean Indoor Air Action Plan

Begin by assessing and documenting how your current HVAC system is controlled and if dampers and temperature sensors are responding accurately in your BAS. Installing IAQ monitors can help establish an IAQ baseline and overtime you can begin to understand what processes of shifts lead to IAQ issues. Installing IAQ monitors that have the ability to interface with your BAS will enable improved IAQ sequences of operations without having to install different sensors. Collaborate with your building management team and HVAC specialists to identify areas for improvement and common spaces that may require additional attention.

2. Optimize Fresh Air Ventilation

Optimize the amount of clean, outdoor air circulated in the building. This can be achieved through demand control ventilation (DCV) based on feedback from your IAQ sensors. Optimizing outdoor air is a great energy efficiency strategy to automatically reduce ventilation when IAQ setpoints have been achieved. This can save heating, cooling, and fan energy!

3. Enhance Air Filtration and Cleaning

Improve your IAQ by retrofitting your existing central air handlers and adding supplemental air cleaning devices. Increase the MERV rating of your air filters, visually inspect filters at more frequent intervals, and create a plan optimizing your filter replacement schedule. Installing differential pressure alarms can automate the inspection process and can provide maximum protection against particulate matter, moisture, and biologicals. For manufacturing spaces with spray cooling or that generate dust or smoke, consider adding commercial air cleaners above or near the equipment to supplement and improve the effectiveness of the local rooftop unit or air handler.

4. Conduct Community Engagement, Communication, and Education

Share your IAQ metrics and a high-level summary of updates made to the building with all affected individuals. Utilize signage and other communication strategies and have a formal plan to continually evaluate and improve systems related to IAQ. Our recommended IAQ monitor provides employees with real time measurements on an intuitive dashboard.

Take Action!

Improving IAQ is a multi-faceted process that requires collaboration with facility managers, HVAC engineers, and employees. By following the EPA's guidelines and incorporating best practices from ASHRAE, manufacturers can create a healthier, more productive work environment. After all, good IAQ is not just a regulatory requirement; it's an investment in the health and well-being of your most valuable asset—your employees.

OCOsink provides expert services for developing and executing a thorough IAQ action plan tailored to your organization. Our indoor air quality monitoring solution can integrate with your existing building automation system (BAS). This enables real-time feedback to your BAS, allowing for automated sequences of operations that continually optimize your indoor air quality. Start improving your IAQ connect with our team at OCOsink to provide the expertise and technology you need for a healthier, more productive workspace.