Smart Controls and ERVs: Enhance IAQ Effortlessly in Resimmercial Spaces

 

After COVID-19, the criticality of high-level indoor air quality (IAQ) is clear. With invisible, odorless and potentially deadly indoor air contaminants swirling around, it’s evident that increased ventilation is essential for safeguarding occupant health. This is especially crucial in tight structures that trap contaminants indoors.

However, more ventilation requires more energy, which boosts costs and runs counter to decarbonization efforts. Plus, conventional ventilation systems can be tricky and time-consuming to operate. Not anymore. That’s where the combination of smart controls and energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) comes in to provide an effortless, energy-efficient and cost-effective solution. This is particularly true for residential and smaller commercial—or “resimmercial”—applications.

This topic was covered during the latest episode of “IAQ IQ: Indoor Air Quality & You.” Host Michelle Dawn Mooney spoke with Nick Agopian, VP, Sales & Marketing at RenewAire and Ross Trethewey, Founder and Lead Engineer at TE2 Engineering.

Agopian and Trethewey made it apparent that smart controls and ERVs are a smart choice for enhancing IAQ right now and in the future. Agopian stated, “Going forward, the market and updated codes will require an increase in ventilation rates to bring more outdoor air indoors. Smart-controlled sensors can monitor indoor air contaminants and activate boost-mode ventilation when levels get too high. Thus, smart controls will become a necessity to increase ventilation, lower the concentration of indoor air contaminants and enhance IAQ for yes safety, but also better health.”

Recent Episodes

Trade school enrollment climbed 4.9% between fall 2020 and fall 2023, signaling a national shift toward skills-based careers as alternatives to four-year degrees. This modest but meaningful rebound underscores growing interest in trades like HVACR, where demand is high, but representation remains lopsided. For decades, women in the field have been overlooked despite playing…

The HVAC industry is evolving, and with it, the roles within the sector are expanding beyond traditional boundaries. Amid rising tuition costs and strong demand for skilled labor, young people are increasingly choosing trade schools over a traditional college education. With such a shift highlighting the need for a more diverse workforce, the questions…

In an industry grappling with unprecedented changes, from liquid cooling innovations to bridging labor gaps, the HVAC world is evolving rapidly. With sustainability and efficiency becoming central themes, it’s a critical moment for rethinking solutions and workforce development. The stakes are high—data centers alone, for instance, are expected to account for 3-4% of global…