Indoor Air Quality Management in the Hospitality Industry
During the height of the pandemic, the hospitality industry became one of the most heavily impacted, with many forced to close their businesses. As a service-intensive business, restaurants and hotels have had to consider increased operational costs to accommodate additional safety precautions, increased staffing changes due to permanent and temporary staff layoffs and making strategic business changes as a response to COVID-19 government restrictions.
The pandemic has also increased awareness in businesses, childcare, schools, hospitality venues and hospitals on the importance of indoor air quality, not just as a mitigation strategy for COVID-19 but also a means to reduce staff absenteeism, increase productivity, ensure occupant safety and protect the health and well-being of its occupants. Now that most hospitality venues in Australia are permitted to function at full capacity dining-in, customers are more attentive and concerned than ever about the health and safety measures taken by the venue.
COVID-19 is a virus that is transmitted through the air. It spreads through droplets called aerosols which are too small to be seen and can accumulate in poorly ventilated spaces. This growing awareness of indoor air quality as well as the potential risk of contracting the SARS-CoV-2 or other respiratory illnesses in poorly ventilated spaces has highlighted the need for monitored indoor environments.
Along with assisting in reducing the potential for virus transmissions in occupied indoor spaces, indoor air quality monitors with internal sensors can also alert users with real-time notifications of spaces with insufficient airflow and ventilation and provide users with real-time measurements of comfort parameters such as indoor temperature, humidity and light.
The Importance of Ventilation in Indoor Spaces
Ventilation plays a large part in mitigating the risk of airborne viruses. In outdoor spaces, the risk of transmission is minimised due to natural air flow diluting the concentration of CO2 in a space. refreshing the space but In enclosed spaces, however, these aerosols containing virus particles can remain suspended in the air long after the infected person has left the space. Approximately 4-5% of the gases we exhale are carbon dioxide. Therefore, when people are present in indoor spaces, measuring the concentration levels of CO2 provides an indication of how much fresh air is circulating through the space and whether dilution is required.
Indoor concentrations of CO2 widely vary throughout the day. This fluctuation is dependent on a number of factors such as the number of people occupying a space, how long the area is occupied, the amount of fresh air circulating through the space to dilute the CO2 levels and more. By continuously monitoring indoor air quality and understanding how well air is circulating in different areas, restaurant owners, hotel managers and hospitality venue operators can make informed data-driven decisions on the correct ventilation solution required for the space
CO2 Sensors and Monitors to Measure Indoor Air Quality in Hospitality Venues
Designed for real-time monitoring of indoor air quality, the discreet ERS CO2 Sensor is ideal to help ensure a healthy indoor environment for hotels, restaurants,bars, wineries and function venues.
A plug and play solution, the ERS CO2 Sensor is maintenance-free and does not require any expensive installation works to be completed before use.
- LoraWan Certified - The wireless ERS CO2 sensor is battery operated and can be used anywhere where monitoring of the indoor environment and air quality is essential. Being a LoRaWAN CO2 sensor, it is self-contained and transmits at low data rates of large distances to a local gateway enabling installation anywhere in the building.
- Maintenance Free - The CO2 sensor has an internal automatic calibration routine. This routine calibrates the sensor to set 400 ppm to the lowest value that has been read in the last period of approximately 8 days.
- Traffic Light Feature - A traffic light feature will let you know where a certain threshold of CO2 levels or any value has been reached. The threshold value is configurable, and you can choose the colour, light intensity and frequency.
- Wireless functionality – ERS CO2 is completely wireless and powered by two 3.6VAA lithium batteries
- Long-Lasting Battery - The device has a battery life of up to 10 years.
FAQs on CO2 Sensors and Detectors in Hospitality Industry
Safe indoor air is an important aspect in reducing the spread of airborne viruses as well as improving the comfort of occupants. The quality of the air inside the restaurant has indeed become an essential factor to safely re-open and stay open for business.
Following the standard guidelines for hygiene and sanitation is no longer sufficient to ensure health and safety. A better understanding of your hospitality venue’s indoor air quality and where issues are most likely to occur is a good starting point to improving your IAQ(Indoor Air Quality).
Inadequate ventilation can lead to the build-up of contaminants that are difficult to identify and test such as the COVID-19 virus. CO2 levels are used as an indicator of adequate ventilation in a room. If the CO2 levels are high, there are several easy and uncostly mitigation methods that can be used to restore good indoor air quality such as opening a window to let in fresh air or limiting the number of patrons in a restaurant at one time.
It is important to measure CO2 as the comfort of its patrons is key in the hospitality industry. By monitoring indoor air quality restaurants can:
- Provide an improved guest experience – An increase in indoor contaminants can cause discomfort to the guests, they can fall sick or have a poor dining experience because the room “feels stuffy”. Having indoor air quality monitoring can reassure guests the air indoors is safe, and they are at a reduced risk of contracting illnesses through airborne contaminants and viruses.
- Increased Staff Productivity – Bad indoor air quality can have adverse effects on hotel and restaurant staff. With poor indoor air, staff can fall sick more often, increase absenteeism and reduction in concentration and productivity.
Yes, we can assist you to combine the LiveSense database on CO2 concentration with your website so you can provide parents with visual real-time information on indoor air quality in rooms where the ERS CO2 Monitor is placed.
With real-time indoor air quality monitoring data on your website, you can provide peace of mind to your guests and also create another point of difference for your business on how you strive to provide a safe and healthy environment for guests and staff.
Please fill out an enquiry form to get in touch with a sales representative.
The Elsys ERS CO2 monitor is designed to be wall-mounted and comes enclosed in a minimalistic and discreet sensor box.
The back panel of the device needs to be screwed into the wall and the sensor is attached to the back panel. The device should not be placed near an air vent, louver or other places exposed to fresh air as this might provide false readings.
For more information please see the best practice guide.
Why Choose Air-Met Scientific
Air-Met Scientific is proudly Australian owned and operated. We have been delivering reliable measurement and monitoring solutions to OHS and environmental professionals since 1984. With six offices nationwide, we are the Australian market leader in the supply, service, rental and engineering of safety and environmental monitoring solutions.
Our success is due to our core commitment to providing the highest level of customer service and support and our dedicated local support teams ensure our customers can work with confidence knowing they are equipped with the right instrumentation.