Considerations for choosing a sustainable HVAC filter

The emission of CO2 during the use of a filter is related to two aspects:  the Energy consumption of a filter and the source of electrical energy. For example, energy from coal or gas will cause a higher carbon footprint for your filter. But what if you are already using a filter with lowest energy consumption, and the energy source is wind or water? What else we can do to make a filter sustainable?

Often filters with higher particle removal efficiency also have a higher energy consumption. So it may be tempting to choose a filter with a low filtration efficiency class to save some kWhs. Remember that this only sounds good, because sacrificing on filtration efficiency in the name of lower energy consumption will bring unwanted effects. First, the comfort and well-being of people spending time in a poorly filtered room will be affected. Moreover, if the air passing through your HVAC system is still full of particles, the dust can accumulate on the heating or cooling coil or on the fan, which will cause more energy loss for these processes. More dust in the HVAC system also means more maintenance that costs not only money, but also energy spent on the cleaning of the ducts and other HVAC elements. Choosing the right filtration efficiency is easier when you understand the required standards

Every air filter has its own due date, meaning that it has to be replaced after it has reached its end of life. This will, of course, generate waste. So how about extending the filter’s life by keeping it longer in the HVAC system? This may be a good idea, but only if the filter is capable of holding large amounts of dust at a relatively low pressure drop. If not, a dirty filter will cause higher energy consumption and reduced filtration efficiency. Sustainable filters must be designed in a way to maintain low energy consumption throughout its entire operation.

With air filters, sustainability is a complex topic. The filter that looks sustainable on the outside does not always provide the highest reduction of its climate impact. What is most important is to always look at the entire lifetime of the filter. So, address the energy consumption first, to later look at other characteristics that will further reduce the filter’s footprint.

Do you want to know how to select the most sustainable filter for your property? Contact us today and we will assist you further.