CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell
(Nasdaq: HON) today announced a new, user-friendly monitor that
alerts users when indoor air conditions may present an increased
risk of potentially transmitting airborne viruses in schools,
restaurants and other spaces.
The Honeywell Transmission Risk Air Monitor is an
easy-to-deploy, portable device that measures carbon dioxide and
features a proprietary risk alerting system based on user-selected
activity levels within a room. This helps customers be aware of
when to proactively improve indoor air quality, which according to
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, can help
reduce the spread of certain diseases and decrease the risk of
exposure among building occupants.
The new monitor incorporates a proprietary algorithm developed
by Honeywell based on research conducted at the University of Colorado on the influence of aerosols
on the transmission risks of airborne viruses. Users are alerted
when conditions are present that indicate a certain air risk factor
level is reached so they can increase ventilation with outdoor air
and/or improve air filtration, which the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency recommends as important components of a larger
strategy for indoor air quality.
"The importance of indoor air quality isn't going to go away
once we have the pandemic behind us. People are more aware of and
cognizant to the potential impact that indoor air quality can have
on well-being and productivity," said Mary
Furto, Chief Marketing Officer of Honeywell's Gas Analysis
and Safety business. "Our monitor provides an efficient and simple
way for users to be alerted if their indoor spaces present
increased risk factors by analyzing breathable air. This can enable
users to understand when to take appropriate actions such as
increasing ventilation in a room."
Honeywell's monitor uses CO2, temperature and
humidity sensors and offers three pre-programmed activity level
settings. It features a green, yellow or red light to alert users
about the potential for increased indoor air risk factors. It
incorporates an easy-to-read digital display, a rechargeable
battery and is Bluetooth®*- and WiFi-enabled to allow
for connectivity between the device and its mobile application and
online dashboard.
Depending on the number of devices an individual or organization
uses, Honeywell created unique user experiences to easily monitor
certain indoor air risk factors. For schoolteachers or small
business owners who use one or a few monitors, they are encouraged
to use the Transmission Risk Air Monitor application from a mobile
device. For organizations with several monitors, such as schools or
school districts, they can access an online dashboard to monitor
certain indoor air risk factors across devices from one centralized
location.
Scientific evidence suggests using air monitors1 to
measure indoor environmental air can be an efficient
method2 to assess the potential risk and exposure to
airborne viruses, which can fluctuate based on CO2
concentration levels and how active people are in a space.
"Our research has shown a close correlation between the
likelihood of transmitting airborne viruses and increased carbon
dioxide levels. Effective monitoring solutions can indicate that
fresh air is sufficient and circulating properly in an enclosed
space," said Jose-Luis Jimenez,
Professor of Chemistry and CIRES Fellow, University of Colorado-Boulder. "Our recommendation
is to display a real-time carbon dioxide monitor in all public
indoor spaces so people can learn quickly what environments are
safer or less safe for a given activity. Going forward these
monitors can be useful as a metric of indoor air quality to
indicate when conditions could present an increased risk of
exposure to airborne viruses."
In addition to potentially reducing risk of exposure to airborne
viruses, indoor air quality adjustments can be beneficial for
student health and academic performance. While adverse effects have
been reported for elevated levels of CO2 in classrooms,
studies have shown that increasing ventilation can help students
with decision-making, attention, concentration and
memory.3
For more than 50 years, Honeywell has developed innovative gas
detection solutions and analytics software to protect workers in
challenging conditions across a wide range of industries. The
company's portable BW SOLO CO2 detectors are being used
by workers handling large amounts of dry ice to package and ship
certain COVID-19 vaccines.
The Honeywell Transmission Risk Air Monitor
complements Honeywell's Healthy Buildings
solutions, which integrate air quality, safety and
security technologies along with advanced analytics to help
building owners improve the health of their building
environments, operate more cleanly and safely, comply with new
guidelines, and help reassure occupants as they return to the
workplace. Honeywell has an advanced indoor air
quality portfolio that can help improve occupant well-being, meet
energy efficiency goals, and importantly, change the way
that occupants experience a building.
The Honeywell Transmission Risk Air Monitor (HTRAM) analyzes
specific air quality conditions and alerts the user when conditions
are present that may increase the risk of exposure to airborne
viral transmission. It does not prevent or reduce virus
transmission nor mitigate viruses that may be present, nor does it
detect or warn against the presence of any virus, including but not
limited to COVID-19. The HTRAM does not repel or destroy any
microorganism, viruses, bacteria, or germs.
* Bluetooth is a trademark of the Bluetooth Special
Interest Group.
1 Exhaled CO2 as COVID-19 infection risk proxy
for different indoor environments and activities, Sept. 2020,
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00183
2 Monitoring carbon dioxide to quantify the risk
of indoor airborne transmission of COVID-19, April 2021,
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.04.21254903v1
3 Foundations for Student Success - How School
Buildings Influence Student Health, Thinking and Performance,
Jan. 2021,
https://schools.forhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Schools_ForHealth_UpdatedJan21.pdf
Honeywell Safety and Productivity Solutions (SPS) provides
products, software and connected solutions that improve
productivity, workplace safety and asset performance for our
customers across the globe. We deliver on this promise through
industry-leading mobile devices, software, cloud technology and
automation solutions, the broadest range of personal protective
equipment and gas detection technology, and custom-engineered
sensors, switches and controls. For more information, please visit:
sps.honeywell.com.
Honeywell (http://www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 technology
company that delivers industry-specific solutions that include
aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings
and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies
help aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and
workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and
more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell,
please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom.
Media
Caroline
Morelock
(704) 589-6664
caroline.morelock@honeywell.com
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