Indoor Air Quality beyond the Pandemic

A deep dive into LG’s indoor air quality products with IAQ specialist, Dr. Hyung Ho Park

Dubai, UAE - 7 APRIL 2022 – Since the onset of the pandemic, interest in healthier air and personal hygiene has increased. In particular, as people limiting their outdoor activities and spending more time indoors, much more attention is being given to effectively preventing the spread of infections viruses through indoor air quality (IAQ) management. IAQ was initially only recognized as a small part of the general air quality issue but it gradually became an independent issue and is currently growing as a significant factor in protecting overall health. Concerns have also grown over sick building syndrome in new facilities such as apartment buildings and schools and new automobiles and other forms of transportation. In addition, attention given to living spaces of those susceptible to diseases related to the environment has greatly increased, and the significance of IAQ for welfare facilities to improve overall well-being is slowly gaining more attention.

With that said, LG Electronics (LG) has taken measures to help with creating advanced HVAC ventilation systems such as the LG ERV and the Ceiling Concealed Duct. To learn more about these products and IAQ, LG’s in house expert Hyungho Park from the LG Air Solution R&D lab has provided key innovation observations for creating safer indoor environments.  

What Affects the Air Quality of Indoor Spaces?
According to Park, “Indoor space is created artificially by isolating it from the outdoor environment for more comfortable living conditions. Some of the main attributes of this type of indoor space are heating and cooling, noise, lighting, and air quality.” The LG Ventilation Solution ERV is an efficient solution for remove some of the indoor air pollutants. A variety of energy-saving technology and air purifying filter allows people to breathe healthier air. Unlike natural ventilation that is known to waste energy, LG ERV provides fresh air from outdoors and reduces polluted indoor air. The ERV saves energy with its heat exchanger, which loses virtually no heating or cooling energy. 

Improve Indoor Air Quality in Larger Spaces
As the indoor space increases, with the likes of offices, restaurants and malls, the need to maintain sufficient air quality without losing energy present a challenge. “It’s best to implement a range of core technologies to improve IAQ. Ventilation is necessary to remove indoor pollutants such as CO2, particulate, and gases while supplying fresh air from outdoors. But energy loss can occur through this process, so it is important to configure the ventilation volume properly,” said Park. The LG Ventilation Solution ERV offers many saving energy technologies. The heat exchanger saves up to 24% more energy than natural ventilation and works with other features to provide total energy of up to 40%. 

Adjusting IAQ Requirements to Meet Latest Trends
Since the pandemic, many LG IAQ solutions have changed. “We’ve increased the amount of attention we give to the health and hygiene of building occupants while our focus has shifted to technology that manages indoor air pollutants, including harmful gases, and we’ve strengthened measures to deal with infectious viruses and bacteria,” says Park. The LG Concealed is a concealed cooling and heating solution that provides optimal temperature control without affecting interior aesthetics. It uses a spiral duct and steam chamber to operates cooling and heating for several rooms simultaneously. 

LG’s air quality products prioritize preventing viruses and bacteria that are collected in the filter from proliferating with hygiene technology. “Because the temperature and humidity influence the HVAC energy consumption, comfort, and proliferation of microorganisms, it is also important to discover the proper conditions for each environment and manage temperature and humidity accordingly,” said Park. The LG Ceiling Conducted Duct has two thermistors that are controlled by a remote controller, as well as from the indoor unit to sensor temperature difference in one place. The two thermistors can optimize indoor air temperature for a more comfortable environment.