113
Good Practice
Environment
Global Compact International Yearbook 2013
therefore contributes to CO
2
emissions
related to power production. But ventila-
tion should not be reduced just to save
energy, which may compromise IAQ.
In Europe, it is estimated that HVAC
systems consume up to 30-40 percent of
all energy needed to operate a building.
Air filters that consume less energy, are
eco-efficient in design, and comply with
industry guidelines and standards will
cut this consumption directly. A simple
measure such as installing quality filters
with the lowest average air resistance,
and the highest filtration efficiency, can
reduce the considerable power appetite
of HVAC systems. Quality filters last
longer, clean better, save more energy,
and do not have to be changed as often.
This adds up to a lower total cost of
ownership. Good filters provide clean
air with economic benefits. Clean air
is good for the bottom line of business
and society at large.
Sustainable side of air filtration
Camfil offers a full portfolio of air filtra-
tion products to protect people, manu-
facturing processes, and the environ-
ment. Over the years, we have focused
on driving the air filtration industry
toward better standards for product
performance and energy efficiency by
helping to develop the EN 779:2012 air
filter standard, ratified in 2012, and
contributing to the Eurovent product
certification program for energy labe-
ling of air filters, formally launched in
2012 (
but introduced by Camfil for its
products already in 2009). These develop-
ments are positively impacting the air
filter industry and highlight the need for
better ventilation systems that consume
less power and make buildings greener.
Reducing the power consumption of
HVAC systems with energy-efficient fil-
ters that also improve IAQ is a practical
way to reach two important goals: miti-
gating climate change and combating
the health threats of indoor air pollu-
tion. The savings are true and tangible if
customers make the right decisions and
use the best available air-cleaning solu-
tions. By aligning our business approach
and practices to ensure the delivery of
eco-efficient solutions, Camfil can help
building owners meet emerging energy-
performance requirements and comply
with building-certification schemes.
Lifecycle costing of air filters
From a long-term perspective, energy
consumption is the major overall cost
component in an air filter’s overall life-
cycle cost. Compared withmost standard
filters on the market, Camfil’s products –
thanks to their design and filter media –
can reduce the operating cost of a venti-
lation system by more than 20 percent,
since the system can operate more effi-
ciently with our filters, which keep their
pressure drop low over a longer time
and have higher filtration efficiencies
to remove more contaminants. Simply
described, air-handling units need less
power to drive air through Camfil filters.
Calculations with lifecycle cost software
document this. Lifecycle thinking for
clean-air solutions helps customers
lower their operating costs, increase
their energy efficiency, and select the
right product for the best air quality
and lowest total cost of ownership. The
software considers filter efficiency, filter
life, filter change, labor, filter cost, dis-
posal costs, and allows for varied inputs
for all of these factors, plus the largest
filter expense: energy usage.
Economic impact of IAQ
In the debate to trim the energy con-
sumption of HVAC systems, Camfil ar-
gues that IAQ is a factor that cannot
be ignored because it may determine a
building’s functionality and economics.
Without proper filtration and ventilation,
substantial IAQ problems can be quite
costly in terms of lost work time, lost
use of buildings, expensive repairs, legal
costs, and bad publicity for the owner.
Sustainable air filtration
By reducing the energy needs of ventilation systems, Camfil’s eco-designed
products can make more of a difference for conserving energy and support-
ing global efforts to fight against climate change.
Camfil Group joined the UN Global Compact initiative in 2009 and reports
annually in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative. We offer sustain-
able clean-air solutions in the air filtration market and have won numerous
awards for our low-energy filters in Europe and the United States. Design-
ing environmental aspects into air filters has been a priority for years. Our
products have the lowest energy consumption in all filter classes for air
conditioning and ventilation systems.
Converted into carbon dioxide emission data, air filtration becomes one of
the easiest, cheapest and most available clean technologies to reduce the
energy consumption of building ventilation systems while improving IAQ.
Fans in air-handling units need an average of 31.5 TWh of energy to move air
through filters. If the air filter maintenance market in Europe would convert
to energy-efficient air filters, energy needs would be reduced by a minimum
of 10 percent, which is equal to a minimum reduction of 190,000 metric tons
of carbon dioxide, the amount emitted by some 610,000 vehicles.
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