Build Equinox is excited to announce the CERV-1000: 1,000CFM Fresh Air with over 80% Energy Recovery Efficiency, 36kBTU Heating/Cooling, Ultraviolet Air Sanitation, MERV13 Filtration, and much much more!
The CERV-1000 incorporates CO2, VOC, and particulate monitoring and control combined with high efficiency (9.3-10.3 HSPF, 18.0-20.0 SEER) heat pump comfort conditioning. Cold temperature operation is rated for 75% capacity at-13F (-25C) outdoor temperature with 80% sensible and 60% latent energy recoveries. UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation) air sanitation with 85% single pass virus kill efficiency and MERV 13 filtration of fresh air and recirculation air are incorporated into the unit. Low air velocities provide “classroom quiet” operation (quieter than a window air conditioner). Online monitoring and control, OTA (over-the-air) upgrading, centralized dashboard management, and easy-to-implement time scheduling reduce maintenance labor and administration burdens.
There’s much more to the CERV-1000, the world’s most advanced fresh air ventilation and comfort conditioning system. Read more about the system below and sign up for our CERV-1000 list if you are interested in bringing the CERV-1000 to your space! The product brochure can also be downloaded here: CERV-1000 brochure.
Improving Health, Comfort and Energy Efficiency in Old Buildings
Older buildings’ owners, administrators and facility managers are under pressure to improve the health and comfort of building occupants while converting to sustainable energy operation. Schools, restaurants, houses of worship are especially difficult because they have periods of high occupant density followed by extended periods with low occupancy.
Older schools, much like the junior high school in Figure 1, are often beyond an age that justifies large capital expenditures. Extended closure of classrooms for major HVAC system renovation are difficult and may require expensive temporary classrooms. But, poor air quality is making our children and school staff sick now. Discomfort and air quality dissatisfaction decrease teaching effectiveness and student learning. Inadequate or lack of air conditioning reduces classroom utilization for summer programs and extended learning opportunities.
Figure 2 shows a classroom in the central Illinois junior high school that will receive a CERV-1000 in May prior to the beginning of summer school in early June. CERV-1000 units will be installed in 12 classrooms in the junior high school this summer. Build Equinox will provide newsletter updates as the project progresses, showing IAQ, comfort and energy performance as well as occupant satisfaction in the new classroom environments.
Build Equinox investigated classroom air quality and comfort in the junior high school in Figure 1 as well as the high school and grade school at the request of the school district administration. The school district’s administration was concerned about air quality due to both Covid and disinfectant chemicals sprayed in every room after each school day. After monitoring classroom IAQ and comfort, we wrote a report detailing our findings that also included a roadmap for improving classroom air quality, comfort and energy usage.
The energy analysis estimated annual electrical energy requirements of 7000kWh per year for a 1000sqft classroom with 20 students and 1 teacher in central Illinois climate. Approximately 4000kWh/year is required for 180 school days (10 hours per school day operation), representing 20% of a year, while 3000kWh/year is required for unoccupied classroom hours (80% of the year). We predicted that conversion to a high performance, air source heat pump would require a 500sqft solar PV array, or half of the classroom floor area, for net zero classroom energy operation.
At the conclusion of our study in the fall of 2021, the school district asked us to develop a concept for an easy-to-install unit for improving classroom air quality, comfort and energy performance. Figure 3 is a sketch showing our concept that has now been turned into reality, the CERV-1000.
CERV-1000: Providing Excellent IAQ, Comfort and Energy Performance in Older Buildings
The CERV-1000 is a new class of smart ventilation system that combines automated air quality management with high efficiency comfort conditioning into its design. The unitized CERV-1000 indoor unit (see Figure 4) fits through standard doorways, and can be installed by a community’s local HVAC labor. No classroom shutdowns are required as the indoor unit can be set in place after school hours. A “rolling renovation” process allows local HVAC installers to install units on a flexible schedule. CERV-1000 outdoor units can be ground mounted, wall-mounted or roof mounted as dictated by building configuration and building owner preference.
Figure 5 shows CERV-1000 units distributed among multiple classrooms in a school building. Integrated WiFi (or optional Ethernet) links all CERV-1000 units to the CERV-ICE (CERV-Intelligently Controlled Environment) dashboard for monitoring and control of units by authorized personnel. Filter replacement and UV lamp operation times are automatically logged with replacement reminders for maintenance personnel. UV lamps have 8000 hours of operation lifetime, which provides 3 school years of operation. CERV-ICE is included with CERV-1000 units and does not have subscription fees.
A school district’s multiple buildings are similarly grouped together for convenient monitoring and control through CERV-ICE. CERV-1000 energy usage is monitored along with CO2, VOCs, indoor and outdoor particulates, and indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity. Schedules can be set for individual classrooms, or bulk scheduled for buildings and classroom groupings. Overall, CERV-ICE provides efficient, time saving management of classroom air quality and comfort.
Installed cost for CERV-1000 units is estimated to be $30 to $40 per square foot of classroom space (midwestern labor pricing), relative to $50 to $60 per square foot for installation of centralized HVAC with distribution ducting. Over a 10-year period, assuming 180 school days per year with 20 students and 1 teacher, CERV-1000 costs less than $1 per day per student.
We estimate sick days to be reduced by 40% (1 day per student and teacher per school year) as classrooms are operated to Build Equinox’s healthy Indoor Air Quality Standard, and we estimate that classroom performance will be improved by more than 10%. The value of fewer student and teacher sick days and improved student learning is difficult to estimate, but we know it is much, much more than the cost for a healthy, productive classroom.
