In the wake of global environmental challenges and the ravaging pandemic, the necessity of clean air has come into sharp focus. With urban landscapes expanding and the challenges of pollution growing, the call for clean air becomes a vital one. It’s here that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) companies need to step up and ensure that air – our invisible lifeline – remains unpolluted and accessible. One company that is actively addressing this cause is ActoVent.

Redefining The Importance of Clean Air

“Air is our most important food.” The axiom, guiding ActoVent’s philosophy, serves as a compelling reminder that the air we intake shouldn’t merely be breathable—it should be clean. The pandemic accentuated concerns surrounding air quality. Concerns heightened due to a blurred understanding of air pollution processes in commonly frequented spaces, such as workplaces, schools, and hospitals.

Compounding the issue, the HVAC industry faced its own challenges: a surge in raw material and energy costs and a dearth of skilled labor. This led to haphazard maintenance protocols—filters were often changed based on time frames, not actual necessity. ActoVent saw this situation not as a dead end, but as an opportunity to innovate.

Pioneering Fresh Air as a Service

ActoVent’s vision was groundbreaking. Instead of focusing solely on selling air filters or related products, they decided to deliver “Fresh Air as a Service.” Their revolutionary business model shifted focus from generalized solutions to personalized, data-driven ones tailored for individual buildings.

Relying on their long-standing partnership with SAP, a leader in enterprise resource planning software, ActoVent crafted their FreshAirManager (FAM) solution. This solution, leveraging SAP’s Business Technology Platform, offered real-time data analytics and insights. Powered by machine learning, FAM could adapt HVAC systems according to specific building requirements, ensuring only purified air was circulated.

Implementation and Impact

Within three weeks in 2022, with the assistance of SAP’s cloud application programing, the FAM solution was operational. Their immediate goal post-implementation was ambitious—to optimize over 2,600 HVAC systems in the subsequent year.

The outcome? A seismic shift in the HVAC industry. Traditional contracts anchored to set services were swiftly replaced by demand-driven models. The data-driven approach not only ensured cleaner air but also led to notable cost savings. For instance, the dieMobilar Arena near Bern, Switzerland, registered an energy and cost-saving surge of over 20%, a figure projected to double as more data becomes available.

However, the real success of ActoVent’s endeavors lies not in numbers but in the tangible difference made to health and well-being. The prospect of eradicating illnesses caused by exposure to unclean air is no longer a distant dream but a rapidly approaching reality.

For its innovative strides, ActoVent was spotlighted as a finalist at the 2023 SAP Innovation Awards, a commendation that speaks volumes of their commitment to cleaner air.

Conclusion

ActoVent’s journey reiterates a poignant message: HVAC companies aren’t just tasked with regulating indoor temperatures; they bear a far greater responsibility. In a world grappling with environmental challenges, HVAC companies have an obligation to innovate and provide clean air, not as a luxury, but as a fundamental right. ActoVent’s strides remind us that with innovation and commitment, fresh air for all isn’t just a dream—it’s a service that every individual deserves.

tl;dr: Recognizing the crucial need for clean air, especially after the pandemic, HVAC company ActoVent launched “Fresh Air as a Service.” Partnering with SAP, they developed the FreshAirManager (FAM) solution using real-time data analytics to optimize HVAC systems based on specific building requirements. This innovative approach led to better air quality, significant energy and cost savings, and emphasized the HVAC industry’s responsibility to provide clean air not just as a luxury, but as a fundamental right for all. ActoVent’s efforts were recognized as they became a finalist at the 2023 SAP Innovation Awards.

Source:

CIO